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Irritable
Bowel Syndrome or I.B.S. is the name doctors have given to
a collection of otherwise unexplained symptoms relating to a
disturbance of the colon or large intestine. It affects
around a third of the population at some point in their
lives and about one in ten people suffer symptoms severe
enough to seek help from their GP.
The symptoms of
Irritable Bowel Syndrome may include:
-
Abdominal
pain and spasms, often relieved by going to the toilet.
-
Diarrhoea,
Constipation or an erratic bowel habit
-
Bloating or
swelling of the abdomen.
-
Rumbling
noises and excessive passage of wind.
-
Urgency (An
urgent need to visit the toilet).
-
Incontinence (If a toilet is not nearby).
-
Sharp pain
felt low down inside the rectum.
-
Sensation
of incomplete bowel movement.
When X-rays,
blood tests, endoscopies and other diagnostic tests are
carried out, the results do not reveal any obvious
abnormality. For that reason I.B.S. is often called 'a
functional disorder' of the bowel; in other words, a
disturbance in bowel function without any change in
structure or obvious cause.
Symptoms
frequently occur in other parts of the body. These may
include; headaches, dizziness, backache, passing urine
frequently, tiredness, muscle and joint pains, ringing in
the ears, indigestion, belching, nausea, shortness of
breath, anxiety and depression. A similar range of symptoms
are reported by patients with other medically unexplained
illnesses, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, IBS
and Functional Dyspepsia, suggesting they all might all be
expressions of an alteration in sensitivity or irritability
affecting the mind and the body.
source:
www.theIBSnetwork.org
Coeliac
Disease (pronounced see-liac, spelt celiac disease in
other countries) is an autoimmune disease. Gluten, which is
found in wheat, barley and rye triggers an immune reaction
in people with Coeliac Disease. This means that eating
gluten damages the lining of the small intestine. Other
parts of the body may be affected.
The symptoms of
Coeliac Disease (spelt celiac in America) vary from person
to person and can range from very mild to severe.
Possible
symptoms may include:
-
diarrhoea,
excessive wind, and/or constipation
-
persistent
or unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea
and vomiting
-
recurrent
stomach pain, cramping or bloating
-
any
combination of iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid
deficiency
-
tiredness
and/or headaches
-
weight loss
(but not in all cases)
-
mouth
ulcers • hair loss (alopecia)
-
skin rash
(dermatitis herpetiformis (DH))
-
tooth
enamel problems
-
osteoporosis
-
depression
-
infertility
-
repeated
miscarriages
-
joint
and/or bone pain
-
neurological (nerve) problems such as ataxia (poor
muscle co-ordination) and neuropathy (numbness and
tingling in the hands and feet).
Some symptoms
may be mistaken as Irritable bowel syndrome (I.B.S.) or wheat
intolerance. Stress or getting older can also be a cause of
confusion.
Contrary to
popular belief, you do not need to be underweight or have
lost weight to have Coeliac Disease. Most people are of
normal weight or even overweight at diagnosis.
Source:
www.coeliac.org.uk
Diverticular
disease and Diverticulitis are related digestive
contacts that affect the large intestine (colon). Small
bulges develop on the lining of the intestine that become
inflamed or infected. Symptoms of Diverticular disease
include:
-
lower
abdominal pain
-
feeling
bloated
Symptoms of
Diverticulitis include:
Diverticula
is the medical term used to describe the small pouches that
stick out of the side of the large intestine (colon).
It is thought the pressure of hard stools (poo) passing
through the large intestine that has become weakened with
age cause the pouches to form.
It is estimated
that half of people have Diverticula by the time they are 50
years old, and 70% of people have them by the time they are
80 years old.
The majority of
people with Diverticula will not have any symptoms; this is
known as Diverticulosis.
Diverticular
disease
1 in 4 people
who develop Diverticula will experience symptoms such as
abdominal pain.
Having symptoms
associated with Diverticula is known as Diverticular
disease.
Diverticulitis
describes infection that occurs when bacteria becomes
trapped inside one of the pouches triggering more severe
symptoms.
Diverticulitis
can lead to complications such as an abscess inside the
intestine.
source:
www.nhs.uk/contacts/Diverticular-disease-and-Diverticulitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
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