Gastroenterology refers to a medical specialty that is devoted to the diagnosis, study and treatment of digestive system disorders. The disorders may affect the stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, gall bladder and rectum.Gastrointestinal conditions are different for women and men due to basic physiology. One of the major gastrointestinal conditions is irritable bowel syndrome. For a long time now, there have been more women than men who have irritable bowel syndrome. Recent research proved that many women have irritable bowel syndrome since a man might say ”am going to work it out” while a woman might say ”am going to see my doctor”. There is also a major difference due to the way the muscles in women and men work.
Gastrointestinal tract is a long tube from the mouth to the rectum that is surrounded by muscles and contracts all time. Individuals who have irritable bowel syndrome get constipation when their muscles are moving quickly. Inflammatory bowel disease is fairly common in women and men. The bowel lining get damaged and inflamed causing diarrhea, bleeding and abdominal pain. The two common types of inflammatory bowel diseases are autoimmune and ulcerative colitis diseases.
Gastrointestinal disorders on the rise
There has been a recent explosion of gastro esophageal reflux and nobody is ready to explain why. There has been an increase of the number of people who have been diagnosed with celiac disease. Celiac refers to an autoimmune condition where the immune system is sort to turn against. People who have celiac disease are not supposed to eat gluten since it can cause the antibodies to attack their bowel.The symptoms accompanied by celiac disease are as follows:
- Bloating
Abdominal bloating refers to a condition in which the abdomen is visibly swollen and feels uncomfortably tight and full. The common causes of bloating are irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence, hormonal fluctuations, coeliac disease and ovarian cancer. There is no cure for irritable bowel syndrome but its east to manage the symptoms. To cut out cereal fiber will ease the symptoms by 40%. If you are passing a lot of wind, you should try to cut down the foods containing sugar substitute sorbitol and foods that are high in non-absorbable carbs such as apples, beans, broccoli, pulses and prunes. These foods are takes a lot of time to be digested and they release small amounts of sulphur gas when passing through the gut.
- Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common condition that involves frequent bowel movements. Diarrhea is dangerous and uncomfortable since it indicates that the body is unable to absorb some nutrients.
- Abdominal pain
Anyone can experience abdominal pain which can be severe or mild. You should sit comfortably or seek medical help.
- Constipation
Constipation is a condition associated with hardening of feces
Prevention of irritable bowel syndrome and gastro esophageal reflux is very tough. Many people are not aware that smoking cigarettes not only affect the lungs and heart but also secretion of the acid where it causes secretion of more acid coming to the stomach. Gastrointestinal disorders can also be caused by stress where hormonal change causes more acid to the stomach. Manage stress and keep your weight under control and you will be able to prevent gastro esophageal reflux.
Treating diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome
People suffering from diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome often find relief from different types of treatment. The options of treatment include: reduction of stress, behavioral therapy and medication. Irritable bowel syndrome involves problems with discomfort, abdominal pain and bloating. In order to find the right treatment for you, you should talk to your doctor and avoid buying counter medicines since they can cause health risks if taken for a long period of time. When you talk to your doctor, he will likely recommend one of the following treatment strategies:
Change in diet
The doctor will recommend you to change your diet in order to ease diarrhea and the syndrome. Avoid caffeine, chocolate, carbonated drinks, alcohol, fructose and the artificial sweetener since they can worsen the symptoms of diarrhea. You should consider using your eating history to determine if there is any diet that triggers the diarrhea symptoms. Eat the diet that contains fiber since the nutrient will work to prevent diabetes, cancer and heart diseases. It also avoids diarrhea from turning into constipation. Some of the good sources of soluble fiber include: barley, lima beans, oat bran, pinto, navy and the flesh of fruit. You should ask your doctor to test you for intolerance of lactose which is the inability to digest celiac spruce or milk products. The digestive ailments can cause cramping, diarrhea and bloating.
Over the counter medicines
Many who suffer may turn to over the counter drugs such as Maalox, Kaopectate and Imodium with an aim to relief irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. In the year 2002, research that was carried out by the American College of Gastroenterology found the drugs to be effective when slowing diarrhea. However, these drugs never helped with some irritable bowel syndrome symptoms such as swelling and abdominal pain. Some of the side effects of these treatments include: constipation, dry mouth, abdominal cramping and dizziness. You should never take over the counter medicine for a long period of time without consulting your doctor.
Prescription drugs for irritable bowel syndrome
Doctors may prescribe antidepressants since low doses of antidepressants blocks signals of pain to your brain. The common side effects of antidepressants include constipation, dry mouth and blurred vision.
Stress management for irritable bowel syndrome
Everyone can feel stressed which can exacerbate irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. In order to improve your symptoms, you should consider undergoing behavioral therapy which is a technique that will help you to cope with distress and pain. Behavioral therapy usually includes cognitive, biofeedback, psychotherapy and relaxation therapy.
Alternative therapy for irritable bowel syndrome
Majority of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome turns to alternative therapy such as herbs, acupuncture and probiotics in order to relieve their symptom. Click here to learn more about the types of probiotics you can take.