Danger level: Low

What is it?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition of the digestive system causing pain and a change in bowel habits.

Who gets it?

It’s estimated that as much as 10-20% of the population in the US suffer from IBS.

Women are 2-3 times more likely to develop IBS than men in Western countries. In the Indian subcontinent, on the other hand, 70-80% of sufferers are men.

The condition starts before age 35 in about 50% of people.

If you have someone in your close family (parents, siblings) with IBS, you may have a higher chance of developing it yourself.

What causes it?

The reason behind IBS isn’t known yet, although there are many theories.

The symptoms of IBS (which we will discuss next) are caused by changes in our bowel habits. Our intestines move the food we eat along the gastrointestinal tract by contraction and relaxation of muscles in the intestines’ walls.

In IBS, these contractions may be stronger and longer, leading to food passing more quickly than normal in the intestines. This can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. In other people, contractions may be weaker, causing the stools to stay longer in the intestines, making them hard and dry. This may lead to constipation.

The intestines. For some people, they just don’t work the way they’re supposed to. Photo by Curious Expeditions. 

People with IBS have a sensitivity to certain triggers which other people don’t respond to. For example -

1. Foods: Some foods worsen the symptoms in some IBS patients. Examples of such foods include chocolate, milk and alcohol. Also carbonated beverages and some fruits and vegetables may cause discomfort.
2. Stress: Stressful events may aggravate the symptoms.

How does it feel?

1. Abdominal pain – The pain is usually crampy and located in the lower left abdomen. Sometimes, as mentioned above, stress and eating may worsen the pain. Going to the toilet may relieve the pain.

   
   Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of IBS. Photo by Peter Gerdes.

2. Changes in bowel habits – This can include diarrhea, constipation, or an alternation between the two. The diarrhea usually happens during the daytime, most often in the mornings or after meals. People often feel they just have to run to the toilet, and after emptying they often feel not completely emptied. The constipation can last from days to months.
3. Other symptoms – These can include bloating, gas, belching, heartburn, difficulty swallowing, an early feeling of fullness with eating, and nausea.

How is it discovered?

There are no specific tests which can be done to determine if you have IBS. Instead, there are some criteria, called the Rome 3 diagnostic criteria for IBS, which may help the doctor (and you) determine if you have IBS.

The criteria say that if you have abdominal pain or discomfort that lasts for at least 3 days per month in the last 3 months which are associated with either:

- Improvement with defecation

- It started with a change in bowel frequency

- It started with  a change in the appearance of stools

Then you may have IBS.

IBS isn’t a life threatening disorder, but other diseases that may be life threatening may show up with the same symptoms. This is why the doctor may perform tests to rule out other conditions before deciding you have IBS.

How is it treated?

There is really no cure for IBS, so treatment is usually a long term process. Treatment includes:

1. Monitoring symptoms – This helps to identify which things cause you to feel worse so that you may avoid them. It can be done with a daily diary.
2. Diet changes – Eliminating foods that may worsen your symptoms is part of the treatment. It shouldn’t be done without a doctor’s consultation, though. This may include lowering your daily intake of dairy products, eating less foods that may cause gas, eating foods which may be easier to digest, and increasing your dietary fiber.
3. Psychosocial therapy – Since stress and anxiety may worsen the disease for some people, learning to deal with them may ease the disease.
4. Medications – None of those cure the disease, but may help with the symptoms. Consult your doctor for info about those.

What happens after treatment?

Although IBS can cause substantial physical discomfort and emotional distress, the condition isn’t life threatening. Most people with the condition learn to control their symptoms with time.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

There is no known way to prevent IBS, since no one really knows what causes it. If you do have the condition, dealing with stress and eating a proper diet may help to avoid its symptoms.

This video showcases a personal story of IBS, as seen on the Discovery Channel:

Do you suffer from IBS or know someone who does? Share your story in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Crohn’s Disease – Inflammation in The Intestines Which Can Influence Your Whole Life
2. Peptic Ulcer Disease – Wounds in your stomach and intestines
3. Asperger Syndrome – A Life of Misunderstandings

Danger level: High

What is it?

Diverticulitis is an inflammation of pouches (called diverticula) in the wall of your intestines.

Who gets it?

You are more likely to get diverticula (pouches in the wall of your intestines) as you age: less than 5% of people before age 40 get it, while at age 85 it happens to more than 65% of people.

In the world, diverticulitis occurs more frequently in Western countries, a fact which is probably related to the diet in these countries (it has become more common in Japan, for example, when the country adopted a more Western lifestyle).

There are a few risk factors – things which put you at a greater risk of getting diverticulitis:

1. Too little fiber in your diet – A high fiber diet helps keep stools soft. Fiber moves quickly through our digestive system, helping it to function properly. The diet in industrialized countries today is relatively low in fiber (which can be found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, oat bran, whole wheat bread and others).

   
   Fiber. You have to eat enough of it to prevent diverticulitis. Photo by Mr. T in DC.

2. Lack of exercise – The exact reason behind this isn’t understood.
3. Obesity – Being overweight increases the odds of developing diverticulitis. You can find out if you’re overweight by calculating your BMI.

What causes it?

Without enough fiber in our diet, which usually adds bulk to the stool, the intestines have to work harder to push the stool forwards. This causes pressure on the intestine’s wall, causing pouches (called diverticula) to form in weak places in the wall of the intestine.

Diverticulitis is the formation of pouches in the wall of your large intestine.

These pouches can just lie there aimlessly, or can cause trouble. There are 2 things which can happen to them:

1. Diverticulitis – This is the subject of this article. Diverticulitis (or an inflammation of the pouches) occurs when bacteria get trapped in the pouches, leading to infection or inflammation there.
2. Hemorrhage – Sometimes a blood vessel adjacent to one of these pouches may rupture, which can cause massive bleeding.

How does it feel?

The most common symptom in diverticulitis is abdominal pain, located in the left lower part of the abdomen. The pain is often sudden and severe (but it can less commonly start milder and progress). The pain can radiate as well, and be felt in the groin or the back.

Other things that can appear along with the pain include a change in bowel habits, tenderness when touching the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills, constipation or diarrhea.

How is it discovered?

Besides a physical check-up, the doctor may run some blood tests (they will take a test called a complete blood count, which will tell if you have an infection) and take some images of your abdomen, for example using a CT scan.

How is it treated?

The treatment depends on the severity of the disease, as well as other things, such as if you’ve had attacks before.

The initial treatment usually includes fluids given through the vein, while withholding eating anything, to not put a burden on the intestines. Also, since diverticulitis is usually related to an infection, antibiotics are given.

In more problematic situations (such as when an abscess develops) a surgery may be needed.

What happens after treatment?

If diverticulitis isn’t treated on time, the intestines may rupture, which can be a life threatening situation. Therefore, if you experience the symptoms mentioned above it’s important that you seek immediate medical care.

Even when the condition is treated, in some people it tends to recur. In these cases, surgery may be needed.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

1. Eat a fiber-rich diet – You should replace low-fiber foods (such as white bread, white rice, candy and chips) with fiber-containing foods (whole-grain bread, brown rice, fruits and vegetables). The nutrition labels on foods will show you how much fiber the food has, like in the following example (information by nutritiondata.com):

   

   The recommended amount of fiber per day is at least 25-30 grams.

2. Get regular exercise
3. Drink lots of fluids – This prevents you from having chronic constipation, which can contribute to the pressure on the intestine’s wall.

Have you experienced diverticulitis and have tips of your own to share? Let us know in the comments.

Related posts:

1. Appendicitis – A Small Part of The Intestine That Can Cause Big Trouble
2. Hernias – What Causes Them And How To Lower Your Chance of Getting One
3. Celiac Sprue, or Why Some People Just Can’t Eat Bread and Pasta

Danger: Medium

What is it?

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a condition in which wounds form in the digestive tract, mainly in the stomach or the duodenum (a part of the intestine).

Who gets it?

You have about a 10% chance of having PUD during your lifetime. In the United States, about 4 million people get it each year.

The two main groups of people who get it are people who are treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (such as ibuprofen) and those who are infected with a specific germ called helicobacter pylori (see ahead).

What causes it?

Our stomach releases acid, which helps in the process of food breakdown in the body. Under normal conditions, the body can protect itself from that acid since it has a protective lining on the stomach and the duodenum. There’s usually a balance between the secretion of acid and the protective lining. When that balance is disrupted, a peptic ulcer can occur.

The following things are known to change that balance and bring about ulcers:

1. Infection with a germ called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) – There are estimates that about half of the world’s population are infected with it. The relationship between ulcers and H. pylori wasn’t known until 1982, when a researcher decided to prove his theory of a connection between the two by swallowing these bacteria. Not long after, he had ulcers.
   H. pylori is responsible for 90% of ulcers in the duodenum and 70% in the stomach.
2. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin: These are drugs used to treat pain, inflammation and fever. Everyone uses them from time to time. You might know them by their names: aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Midol), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn), and others.
3. Zollinger-ellison syndrome: This is a rare tumor which we will cover here in the future. It causes extra secretion of acid.
4. Others: Other reasons include smoking, radiation therapy (such as for cancer), chemotherapy for cancer and others.

  
Aspirin. It and other NSAIDs can cause peptic ulcers. Photo by ragesoss.

This video shows how an ulcer develops:

How does it feel?

The main thing you feel when you have a peptic ulcer is abdominal pain (although you may also not feel it at all). The pain is usually located in the upper abdomen. If the ulcer is located in the duodenum, the pain is usually relieved by eating food. If it’s located in the stomach, it usually gets worse by eating.

If an ulcer isn’t treated properly, it can develop complications. These include:

1. Bleeding
2. Perforation – A hole through the wall of the stomach or duodenum
3. Gastric outlet obstruction – If the ulcer causes a swelling which blocks the passageway leading from the stomach to the small intestine. This can bring about early satiety when eating, a feeling of fullness, nausea and vomiting.

Since these complications may be life threatening, it’s important to seek treatment if you have a peptic ulcer.

How is it discovered?

There are a few things which can be done to discover a peptic ulcer:

1. H. pylori testing – There are several tests which can detect if you are infected with this germ. These tests include blood tests, tests for your breath and tests for your stool. If you are positive, you will be treated for infection and then get re-checked to see if the germ is gone.
2. Upper endoscopy – This is a tube with a camera inserted through your mouth to your intestines or stomach to see the appearance there. This is done more in older people or people with other symptoms such as weight loss, to rule out the possibility that the symptoms are caused by cancer and not by a peptic ulcer. A biopsy of the intestine or stomach can be taken during that test.

How is it treated?

There are a few ways to treat peptic ulcers:

1. Stopping taking NSAIDs – If they are the cause of the ulcer.
2. Treating H. pylori – This involves taking several medications together for about 7-14 days.
3. Acid suppression drugs – If there is no known infection with H. pylori, these drugs can also be used. They suppress the release of acid from the stomach.
4. Surgery – If complications develop, a surgery may be needed.

What happens after treatment?

Most patients are treated successfully with the cure of H pylori infection, avoidance of NSAIDs, and the use of acid suppression drugs.

In the past, more people had to be treated with surgery. Since the discovery of H. pylori and the above treatments, surgeries are rarely needed today.

The bottom line – How do I prevent it?

You can avoid having peptic ulcers or having them recurring if you follow these tips:

1. Quit smoking
2. Avoid heavy alcohol use
3. Don’t overuse NSAIDs
4. Contact your doctor if you have the symptoms mentioned above

Know of any tips of your own? Share them in the comments.

Related posts:

1. Crohn’s Disease – Inflammation in The Intestines Which Can Influence Your Whole Life
2. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease – Very Common But Not So Innocent
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – How the Intestines Can Affect Your Whole Life

Danger level: High

What is it?

Carcinoid tumor is a type of slow-growing cancer which can grow in several places in the body. It usually forms in the intestines, but can also appear in the lungs, in other places in the digestive system (such as the stomach) and in other organs.

Who gets it?

In the United States, about 1.5 people in 100,000 have a carcinoid tumor.

There are a few risk factors which can put you at risk of developing this tumor:

1. Smoking – As in many other tumors, smoking can also increase your risk of having a carcinoid tumor.
2. Family history – If you have someone in your family with a syndrome called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (or MEN1 for short) you might be at risk.
3. Certain medical conditions – These conditions affect the stomach’s ability to produce acid, which is produced by the stomach under normal conditions. Conditions here include atrophic gastritis, pernicious anemia and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. They all put you at greater risk for developing a carcinoid tumor.

What causes it?

Most of us know that our digestive system (the stomach, intestines, etc.) helps us break down the food we eat and digest it. One of the less known abilities of this system is to produce hormones (these are chemicals which affect cells in other parts of the body). Our digestive tract is lined by cells which can produce hormones (as well as other cells). Carcinoid tumors arise from these cells (and that is why carcinoid tumors can sometimes produce hormones themselves, as you’ll see ahead).

In carcinoid, these cells multiply uncontrollably to form masses, which are the tumor.

A part of the small intestine with a round mass in it – this is the carcinoid tumor.

How does it feel?

There are 3 things that can be felt in a carcinoid tumor:

1. Nothing – Often these tumors don’t show any signs of existence in their early stages, and you can go about unaware you have them.
2. Things that occur when there are tumors in the intestines – Carcinoid isn’t the only tumor which can occur in the intestines. It and other tumors there usually can cause a set of symptoms due to their location. These include abdominal pain, obstruction of the intestines (which will cause vomiting and bloating, among other things), diarrhea and weight loss.
3. Things specific to carcinoid tumors – Above we mentioned that these tumors can produce hormones. In less than 10% of cases, this brings about a set of symptoms called the carcinoid syndrome. Things it can include:
   a. Flushing (redness) of the skin
   b. Diarrhea
   c. Enlargement of the liver
   d. Problems with the heart valves
   e. Asthma

How is it discovered?

There are a few ways in which these tumors can be discovered:

1. Accidentally – Since a lot of the time these tumors don’t produce any symptoms, sometimes they’d be found in surgery done for other reasons.
2. High levels of the hormones in the urine – As mentioned above, these tumors can produce chemicals. An example of this is 5-HIAA, which can be found in high levels in the urine. Blood tests can also be used to discover the tumor.
3. Body imaging – Using a CT scan, an MRI or some other form of imaging, will show the tumor itself.

How is it treated?

The main treatment for carcinoid is surgery to take out the tumor. If the tumor is detected early, it can be removed completely in surgery (depending on where it’s at in the body). Unfortunately, most of these tumors are at an advanced stage when they are finally discovered, so removing them completely is usually not an option.

These tumors tend to spread (send metastases) to the liver. In which case, a simple removal of the tumor in the intestines isn’t enough.  A liver surgery, a liver transplant or a procedure which will stop the blood supply to the tumor in the liver is performed. Chemotherapy may also be used.

This video tells the story of Ruth Gerdes, whose carcinoid tumor reached the liver, and how she was cured of it:

For people with the carcinoid syndrome, there are certain medications, which can help greatly.

What happens after treatment?

If a tumor is taken out completely about 100% of people will continue living cancer-free. If the tumor spreads, the chances are lower for survival, but are still high relative to other cancers.

Even if the tumor isn’t operable, people can still live for years, since it grows slowly.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

Preventing the risk factors mentioned above (smoking, the medical conditions mentioned) might prevent you from having a carcinoid tumor.

For more information, you can visit the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation’s blog.

Related posts:

1. Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia – A Rare Blood Cancer That Can Lead To Strokes
2. Cushing’s Syndrome – Could You Be Exercising and Dieting and Still Be Fat? (As Seen On House MD)
3. TTP – Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura – A Rare Disease That Could Kill You

Danger level: Medium

What is it?

Crohn’s disease is a condition in which there is a chronic inflammation in the intestines (you might also hear the name inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when Crohn’s is mentioned).

Who gets it?

About 7 people out of 100,000 in the US (and about 1-10 out of 100,000 in Europe) get Crohn’s disease. More and more people have been getting the disease in the last 5 decades, especially in northern areas. It’s less common in other areas of the world, like Asia, South Africa and Latin America.

The disease can begin at two time periods in life – most commonly in the ages 15-30, but also at 60-80.

There are a few things known to increase the risk as well -

• Crohn’s is more common in Ashkenazi Jews.
• If you have a close family member with Crohn’s (parent, sibling, children) – your chances of getting it are also higher.
• Smokers have a higher chance of developing Crohn’s.

What causes it?

No one knows exactly why it is caused. It might be related to an over-reaction of the immune system to normal bacteria in the intestines, although other theories exist as well.

Whatever the cause may be, it causes an inflammation in the intestines (the small intestine as well as the large intestine). This inflammation causes damage to the intestines, which brings about the symptoms of the disease.

How does it feel?

Usually Crohn’s has a pattern of flares (when the disease worsens) and remissions (when it gets better).

The main symptoms of Crohn’s are abdominal pain and diarrhea (sometimes with blood). The diarrhea can appear many times a day (even 10-20), and even at night. This can cause weight loss, as well.

Other things which are related to our digestive system and that happen here can include mouth sores, bowel blockages, anal fissures (tears), and openings between organs (called fistulas).

Unfortunately, Crohn’s isn’t limited to our digestive system. Other things can happen here as well -

1. Growth failure – If the disease starts at an early age, there may be a problem with the growth of the child.
2. Fever
3. Inflammation in the eyes
4. Inflammation in the joints (which can also involve the spine)
5. Skin flares

And others…

This photo shows what happens on the inside of a Crohn patient’s intestines – You can see wounds (ulcers) all over the place. Photo by Samir.

How is it discovered?

There are several tests which can be done to discover Crohn’s. They include -

1. X-Rays or CT scans of the intestines
2. Colonoscopy – Which is a tube with a camera which is inserted into the intestines and can show what’s going on inside them (like in the picture above).
3. Biopsy – A sample of the intestines can be taken to see the disease under the microscope.

How is it treated?

There are two types of treatments for Crohn’s:

1. Medications – There are many drugs out there used to treat Crohn’s. They include drugs that take down the inflammation in the body (such as steroids and others), as well as antibiotics and other drugs.
2. Surgery – Sometimes the drugs won’t do the trick, and a surgery may be the only way to improve the symptoms. Surgery doesn’t cure the disease, though – it only takes down the diseased part of the intestines, but other parts can continue to develop the disease.

What happens after treatment?

Crohn’s is a chronic disease, meaning it can’t be cured. Flares of the disease can continue in spite of the treatment, although less severely.

People with Crohn’s are also more likely to develop colon cancer over time.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

Since the cause for Crohn’s isn’t known, there is currently no known way to prevent it.

This video tells the story of pro quarterback David Garrard and the effect Crohn’s disease had on his life:

For another personal story, you can read the living with Crohn’s disease blog, written by Scottie Roy.

If you had a brush with the disease or know of anyone who did you’re welcome to share it in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – How the Intestines Can Affect Your Whole Life
2. Peptic Ulcer Disease – Wounds in your stomach and intestines
3. Familial Mediterranean fever – Fever and Inflammation Inside The Body

Danger level: Medium

What is it?

Asperger syndrome is one of the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD. Also called Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)) (other disorders in this spectrum include autism, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder), in which people have difficulties understanding how to interact socially.

Who gets it?

It’s not known exactly how many people there are with Asperger’s, and the estimation is anywhere between 1 in 250 people to 1 in 10,000 people.

Asperger syndrome is more common in males (4 times as much as in females). It’s most commonly discovered in the early school years.

What causes it?

The exact cause isn’t known. Since it tends to run in families, there might be a genetic reason for it.

How does it feel?

There are a few things that characterize people with Asperger’s:

1. Problems with social interaction – This includes -
   a. Problems using or understanding non-verbal cues, such as eye-to-eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, and gestures. For example. They will not understand a wink of the eye, the meaning of a face that shows disgust (for example) and so on.
   b. Problems developing relationships with others. It’s not that they don’t approach other people, but often it’s done awkwardly, such as by starting a one-sided speech about their favorite subject without understanding the listener’s reactions, such as the need for privacy or haste to leave. People may misinterpret this as being insensitive, which isn’t the case (they just can’t “read” the body language).
   c. People with Asperger’s will not try to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people.

   
   A smile. A person with Asperger syndrome might not understand the meaning behind it. Photo by *Zara.

2. Repeated behavior – This is also called “stereotyped behavior” -
   a. For example, they may stick to inflexible routines, move in repetitive ways.
   b. They may have interest in specific and narrow topics (such as deep fat fryers) without understanding the broader topic. For example, memorizing camera model numbers without a care for photography.

Those are the main features of Asperger’s, although there are others, such as language problems.

The following video is a documentary about Asperger Syndrome, made about David Jordan, who was diagnosed in 2002 -

Another good example is Dr. Virginia Dixon on the show Grey’s Anatomy (she was portrayed by actress Mary McDonnell on season 5). An excellent read on Asperger’s is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is told from the perspective of a boy with Asperger’s.

How is it discovered?

Usually Asperger’s isn’t diagnosed until about age 3, when social problems become apparent (although it might be diagnosed before that).

The doctor will diagnose Asperger’s based on the child’s story and examination.

How is it treated?

The treatment involves communication and social skills training. There are also appropriate educational services for people with Asperger’s.

What happens after treatment?

With effective treatment, children with Asperger Syndrome can learn to cope with their disabilities, but they may still find social situations and personal relationships challenging. Many adults with AS are able to work successfully in mainstream jobs, although they may continue to need encouragement and moral support to maintain an independent life.

There is no known way to prevent Asperger syndrome.

For further reading, you can visit the Life With Aspergers Blog or Marc’s Autism – Asperger’s Syndrome Blog.

Related posts:

1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – How the Intestines Can Affect Your Whole Life
2. Turner Syndrome – The Missing X
3. Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome – Hearing Sounds Inside Your Own Body (As Seen on Grey’s Anatomy)

Danger level: High

What is it?

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix (a part of the intestine).

Who gets it?

In the US, appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain which requires surgery.

It occurs in up to 7% of people in the US (it’s lower in countries where there is more dietary fiber in the diet), and occurs in about 250,000 people a year in the US. It’s 1.4 times more common in men than in women.

Appendicitis is most common in young people – it occurs mostly between ages 10 and 30, but it can happen at any age.

What causes it?

Let’s first start by explaining about the appendix. The appendix is a part of our intestines, as shown in this drawing:

The appendix is marked by a circle in this drawing.

Even though it’s part of our intestines, the appendix isn’t involved in anything related to food digestion. In fact, no one really knows what it’s there for (although there have been some suggestions in recent years).

Appendicitis occurs most commonly as a result of obstruction of the appendix. As a result, it gets filled with mucus and gets swollen, which causes pressure on the blood vessels going through it. When the blood vessels get pressured, they can’t supply the appendix with enough blood, which causes it to die. Germs see this as an opportunity for a feast, and start accumulating in the area, causing an infection. After this, the appendix can rupture, leading to an inflammation inside our abdomen, which can be life threatening.

This diagram summarizes the process to make it easier to understand -

What causes the appendix to get obstructed in the first place?

That depends on the age of the person with appendicitis:

• In young people – The cause is growth of the lymphoid tissue in the area (the lymphoid tissue is responsible for handling infections)
• In older people – It can occur as a result of a fecalith (a hard mass of feces) or because of a tumor in the area.

How does it feel?

The main thing that people feel when they have appendicitis is abdominal pain. It usually starts near the belly button, and then moves to the lower right side of the belly (but that’s not always the case and it can appear in other places as well). The pain can get worse by moving, sneezing or coughing.

Other things that can be present here are fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

Unfortunately, all of these occur in less than half of people, which can sometimes make appendicitis hard to diagnose.

How is it discovered?

When the classic symptoms described above are present, it will be pretty clear to the doctor that this is appendicitis and no further tests need to be done, to save time.

If the doctor suspects appendicitis but is not sure, images of the abdomen using CT scan or an ultrasound may be done.

How is it treated?

The only treatment for appendicitis is surgery, in which the appendix is removed. Also antibiotics are given (since the germs in the appendix cause infection of the area).

What happens after treatment?

When the appendix is taken out on time without any complications, the disease usually goes away with it. However, if it’s not treated on time, the chance of dying from it is higher than 50%.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

There is no proven way to prevent appendicitis, but adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet may decrease your risk of having it.

Related posts:

1. Familial Mediterranean fever – Fever and Inflammation Inside The Body
2. Abdominal Pain – Is It Serious?
3. Diverticulitis – Or Why A Diet Rich in Fiber is Important For You

Danger level: Medium

What is it?

A hernia occurs when an organ or fatty tissue squeeze through a weak spot in the body.

Who gets it?

Hernias can be of many types (see ahead), and each type is common in different types of people.

The most common hernia is an inguinal hernia (a hernia in your groin) – It’s more common in men. These can be direct (occurring more in older patients) and indirect (more common in babies and young people. These are much more common than direct hernias).

What causes it?

Like stated above, hernias happen when an inner part of the body protrudes out where it shouldn’t. The most common hernias are those in the groin (where the intestine or bladder protrude through), and, like mentioned above, they can be either direct or indirect:

1. Indirect hernias -  During our development as fetuses, the testicles in boys and ovaries in girls are formed near the kidneys. As the baby develops, they descend through the abdomen. After passing through an opening in the lower abdomen, that opening closes. In about 5% of children, that opening doesn’t close properly (This is more common in boys). This opening potentially allows the contents of the abdomen to travel down into the scrotum in boys or into the labia in girls.
2. Direct hernias – These occur as a result of weakness in the abdominal wall. Since the abdominal wall weakens as we age, this type of hernia is more common in the middle-aged and elderly.

Inguinal hernia – The intestines enter the scrotum.

There are also other, less common, places where hernias can occur:

1. Femoral hernias – These occur at the top of the thigh.
2. Umbilical hernias – In the belly button.
3. Incisional hernia – In a site of a previous abdominal surgery.

There are more types, but they are even less common.

How does it feel?

Hernias can present in one of 3 ways:

1. Asymptomatic – This will just show as a swelling in the area of the hernia. Sometimes an aching sensation can be felt. In these hernias, usually the doctor will be able to push the contents of the hernia back into the abdomen.
2. Incarcerated – These hernias can’t be returned to the abdomen. In these cases, if a part of the intestines is trapped in the hernia and can’t be returned, it might get obstructed, causing nausea and vomiting, among other things.
3. Strangulated hernia – If the intestines in the hernia are obstructed by being stuck in the hernia sac, blood will not flow in that area of the intestine sufficiently. Death of this part of the intestines may happen, which can cause it to rupture.

How is it discovered?

Usually the appearance of the hernia is enough to recognize it. Sometimes an ultrasound or CT scan might be performed.

How is it treated?

The only treatment is surgery. Surgery isn’t always urgent and doesn’t always have to be performed right away. You should consult your doctor, who will advise you on the urgency of the surgery. Remember that in some cases the hernia may become trapped and strangulated, so surgery is important.

What happens after treatment?

If discovered and treated on time, hernias shouldn’t pose any danger.

This movie demonstrates hernias visually:

The bottom line: How do I avoid it?

If the hernia is indirect (the one that happens because of a defect during development) there’s not much you can do about it. On the other hand, you can prevent direct hernias by following these steps:

1. Avoid becoming overweight – The pressure in your abdomen rises when you’re overweight, which can increase the risk of your abdominal contents protruding through a hernia. Diet and exercise should help you maintain a healthy weight.
2. Avoid rapid weight loss – Many crash dieting programs may be lacking in nutrients which are needed for muscle strength. This causes the muscle in the abdomen to become weaker.
3. Stop smoking – Smoking can lead to a chronic cough, which raises the pressure in the abdomen.
4. Avoid constipation and straining – This will also raise the abdominal pressure.
5. When lifting heavy objects, use your legs – If you use the back and not your legs, you’re running the risk of developing an inguinal hernia.

Had a hernia or have any questions about it? Hit us in the comments.

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3. Diverticulitis – Or Why A Diet Rich in Fiber is Important For You

Danger Level: Medium 

What is it?

Celiac Sprue (or just celiac for short) is a disease causing the gut to absorb poorly the food that we eat.

Who gets it?

One out of every 113 people in the United States has the disease (that’s almost 1%!). It is more common in Caucasians, especially of European origin. It can happen in childhood, but also can appear suddenly in the elderly.

What causes it?

People with celiac, for unknown reasons, are sensitive to a type of protein called gliadin, which is part of gluten. Since gluten is present in wheat, barley, rye and oats, they have to avoid all foods that contain them. This includes most breads, pasta and cereals. It’s a little known fact, but gluten can also be found in French fries, soups and even candy.

Pasta – One of the many things celiac patients have to avoid.

The gluten in the diet damages the intestine, so that it is unable to absorb the food you eat (whether it contains gluten or not).

How does it feel?

It can vary, going from diarrhea and weight loss (because of the inability of the intestine to absorb food), to anemia and bone diseases (because of problems with absorbing specific things in food, like iron and calcium).

How is it discovered?

There are a few things that can be done in order to discover celiac in a patient:

1. Blood tests: can find special antibodies in your blood (these are molecules that usually fight infections). These antibodies rise only in celiac, but it’s not known whether they cause the disease or just appear in it.

2. Biopsy of the intestine: Although these antibodies will appear in celiac, it is necessary to do a biopsy in order to be certain that we’re talking about celiac. That’s because we wouldn’t want to start the (pretty harsh) treatment without being completely sure 100% that this is indeed the disease.

The biopsy will show that the intestine is damaged. That damage will magically disappear after starting treatment, which is also part of the diagnosis.

How is it treated?

The only treatment, unfortunately, is a completely gluten-free diet. People with celiac have to check the ingredients on foods they buy to see that they actually don’t contain gluten. 

What happens after treatment?

As said before, the intestines will “magically” heal and all the symptoms of the disease will go away.

A not well known but important fact is that celiac patients have a bigger chance of developing lymphoma (a type of cancer) than the rest of the population.

Celiac is a genetic disease, so avoiding it is not an option. What you can do, once you know you have it, is avoid foods that contain gluten. You can find a list of such foods here. You can also try one of the various resources on the Web, like Sure Foods Living.

Related posts:

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2. What NOT To Eat, and Why – No. 2 – Doughnuts
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