Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects almost every part of your body. Of these, the digestive system is the most badly affected. While gastrointestinal disorders are commonly experienced by everyone, diabetics have a much higher risk of suffering from indigestion, food poisoning, gallstones and ulcers. Some of the most common gastrointestinal problems experienced by diabetics are:

Gastroparesis: High blood sugar levels can damage the vagus nerve that controls the emptying of the stomach. As a result fo this damage, the muscles of the stomach and intestines do not work optimally leading to a condition known as Gastroparesis. This is a condition where the stomach is not able to empty itself properly and the digestion process is slowed down. Gastroparesis can cause bloating, nausea, pain in the abdomen, heart burn and a loss of appetite. It can also cause undigested food in the stomach to harden and form lumps that block food from moving into the intestines. This disease cannot be cured but can be managed with medication and a special diet.
Ulcers: Stomach ulcers can be described as open sores that develop on the inner lining of the stomach, oesophagus and beginning of the small intestine. These ulcers form as a result of bacterial infections. Diabetes weakens a person s immune system thus reducing their ability to fight these infections and increasing the risk of developing ulcers. Diabetes also increases the risk of bleeding from these ulcers and secondary infections that may arise from it.
Yeast infections: Diabetics are extremely vulnerable to yeast infections. This is aggravated by fluctuation in blood sugar levels and can extend from the mouth to the oesophagus. Common symptoms of this type of yeast infection are pain in the throat and difficulty swallowing. It may also cause heartburn and intestinal bleeding if left untreated.
Celiac sprue: This condition creates gluten allergies and causes the inflammation and thinning of the small intestine s mucosa. In some cases, this condition may interfere with the absorption of food and lead to diarrhoea and weight loss.
Diabetic diarrhoea: Patients who have been suffering from diabetes for a few years may experience an increased urge to pass stools frequently. This is usually related to gastric problems in the colon which cause fluids to move at a faster than normal speed through the small bowel and colon. It may also be caused due to the secretion of fluids in the colon and improper absorption of food.

5 Common Gastric Problems Experienced By Diabetics!!

Diarrhea is never a pleasant experience especially for children. Thankfully, diarrhea does not last long. Loose common stools are the most recognizable symptom of diarrhea. This can often be accompanied by vomiting, nausea, cramps and dehydration. If your child also suffers from fever and weight loss or can see bloody mucus in their stool, you should contact your doctor at the earliest.

Some of the common causes of diarrhea in children are:

Gastrointestinal infections -viruses like rotavirus and parasites like giardia are the most common causes of diarrhea in children. This type of diarrhea can last from 5 to 14 days and can be cured with the help of laxatives and antibiotics.

Food poisoning -diarrhea caused by food poisoning usually lasts for not longer than 24 hours.
Food allergies -diarrhea is a common symptom of a food allergy. It usually stops once you stop eating whatever you are allergic to.
Crohn's disease -this is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive system. With crohn's disease, the loose stool is often accompanied by blood.
Celiac disease -if your body cannot digest gluten, you may be suffering from celiac disease.
Diarrhea is highly contagious. It can spread through

Dirty hands
Contaminated food or water
Direct contact with fecal matter
Touching a contaminated surface

Diarrhea on its own is not a very serious issue. However, it may cause dehydration which can lead to a number of further complications. Some of the signs of dehydration cased by diarrhea are dizziness, dry mouth, dark urine, dry skin and lack of energy. Thus if your child is suffering from diarrhea, give him plenty of water and lots of rest.

To protect your child against diarrhea, all you need are a few lifestyle ensure your child washes their hands well before

Caring for your child at home-

Make washing hands after using the toilet a part of toilet
Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids.
Do not feed them foods that seem to trigger diarrhea.
Wash your hands often, especially after each diaper change, to avoid spreading bacteria in the home.
You should continue breast-feeding when your baby has diarrhea. Breast milk can help ease symptoms of diarrhea and speed up recovery.
Continue your child's regular diet and give more liquids to replace those lost while the diarrhea continues if there are no signs of dehydration.
Use an oral rehydration solution (ors) to replace lost fluids in non-dehydrated children.
Keep all bathroom surfaces clean. It is also a good idea to flush the toilet only after the lid has been lowered.
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
Wash all utensils that have come in contact with raw meat well before using them for anything else.
Keep all raw meats refrigerated or frozen. Once meat has been defrosted, do not freeze the raw meat again.
Food cooked like boiled, fried or those which can be peeled eg boiled egg, banana, orange, boiled rice, etc. Can be eaten when out of home.
Teach your child to only drink from purified sources of water.
Do not wash pet utensils in the same sink used for cooking vessels and food items.
Keep an eye on what your child eats to heck if they may be allergic to anything.

How to Deal with Diarrhea in Children?

Cystitis is a painful condition when due to the inflammation of the urinary bladder, an individual is unable to comfortably relieve himself/herself. Such conditions are often painful and cause irritation and frustration among the patients. But it should also be noted that cystitis is not an uncommon infection of the urinary tract and can be treated well. Furthermore, homeopathy tries to use the body s own defence to cure diseases and infections; thus this is a very natural form of treatment, which is used to cure cystitis.

The common symptoms of this disease include the urge to frequently relieve oneself, an increase in the number of times one goes to urinate, painful urination and at times all these are accompanied with vomiting and nausea.

Homeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition. The homeopathic remedies for cystitis are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting the homeopathic remedies for cystitis. 

Cantharis: When the main cause of your cystitis is an inflamed bladder, Cantharis is the best remedy. Such inflammations are often accompanied with burning sensations in the urinary tract apart from a frequent urge to relieve oneself. Cantharis seems to do wonders when it comes to treating any kind of inflammation or infection. As for the burning sensation, it provides immediate relief to this. It might take some time before the cystitis is completely cured with Cantharis, but at least the patient gets some relief, gradually leading to its complete cure. The urinary tract is a very sensitive area of the human body. Any infection or inflammation in the area should be dealt with carefully. Thus, an experienced homeopathic practitioner is the right person to come to your aid. Also, it needs to be seen first whether homeopathy suits you in general or not.

Apis Mellifica: Apis has more than one use when it comes to treating cystitis. First, it is seen that Apis helps in reducing pain and burning effect while urinating in this condition, which might give rise to corroded skin. Second, it is used to treat individuals of all ages. It can be administered in the right dosage to an infant who has problems in passing urine. It can also be given to young boys who have developed cystitis due to kidney infections. Moreover, it can be used to cure cystitis in any individual who is suffering from chronic inflammation of the bladder.

Thus, Cantharis and Apis are the two most effective homeopathic remedies to cure cystitis occurring in an individual. It is always recommended to consult a specialized homeopath before taking any medication.

How To Treat Cystitis With Homeopathy?

There are many types of cancer that may affect the human body. Bladder cancer is one such cancer that is caused when there is an abnormal growth and accumulation of the cells in the bladder. This kind of growth may cause mutations which can then manifest into tumours that may or may not be malignant. 

Let us find out more about the causes and risk factors of bladder cancer.

Transitional cell carcinoma: In this kind of bladder cancer, the transitional cells that line the inner region of the uterus and urethra will expand when the bladder is full. Further, these cells will end up contracting when the bladder is empty. This will lead to numerous complications which can cause the formation of tumours as an end result.
Squamous cell carcinoma: The squamous cells are those that are usually found in the bladder as a response to any kind of infection or even irritation in the area. These cells become cancerous over a certain period of time. This is also one of the most common types of bladder cancer in the US, as per various medical reports.
Adenocarcinoma: This kind of cancer usually starts in the cells that make mucus and form glands for the production of the same, in the bladder. This is a rather rare form of bladder cancer.
Risk factors: There are a number of risk factors that may affect the manifestation of the abnormal cell growth which can lead to any one of the above types of bladder cancer. Let us learn more about these risk factors.
Smoking: Smoking does not merely cause lung cancer, but it is also capable of causing chemicals from tobacco to accumulate in your urine and lead to several complications, including the increase of abnormal cell growth in the bladder. These chemicals may also cause widespread damage to the lining of your bladder.
Diabetes medication: One of the side effects of taking certain types of diabetes medication may be seen in the bladder and its cells. Pioglitazone is one such medicine which can cause these kinds of complications.
Chronic bladder inflammation: Repeated bladder infections may cause an unhealthy amount of persistent inflammation, which can lead to the growth of cells in an abnormal manner. This can lead to damage of the bladder s inner lining. In such a case, bladder cancer becomes a risk for the patient.
Family history: A family history of the condition also leaves the person susceptible to this disease. Colorectal cancer instances or Lynch syndrome cases in the family can increase the risk of contracting bladder cancer. This is due to the fact that the faulty gene can affect the various organs of the urinary area.

Bladder Cancer - Risk Factors Associated With it!

If you are finding certain symptoms like stomach pain, cramping, frequent diarrhoea, weight loss of your child or fever, then there are chances that he is suffering from crohn's disease. Crohn's disease is a bowel disease that causes swelling and inflammation along the digestive tract of your child. Mostly, it affects the end of the small intestine, but it can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus.

Causes behind the disease
It is not common in children, but if your child is showing symptoms, then one of the following may be the reason:
1. Immunity system of the child,
2. Genetics, and
3. Environment.
The main cause behind such a disease can be any of the above. However, it has been found that if you have someone suffering from this disease in the family, then your child has more chances of getting affected by it.

Diagnosing crohn's disease
If you find the above-mentioned symptoms in your child, then it is better to take him or her to a doctor. Mostly, this disease is chronic in nature, meaning that it will continue even if it is treated. However, with proper treatment the symptoms can be reduced.
For diagnosing this disease the following tests may be done
1. Different lab tests that include a blood test for blood count and white blood cell count, and stool test to look for the bacteria that cause the inflammation and urine.
2. X-ray for detecting whether your child is suffering from crohn's disease and what is the exact position of it in the digestive tract.
3. If further required, they may do an endoscopy to find out the exact location and get more details.

Complications arising out of crohn's disease
If your child is suffering from this disease and is left without treatment for long, he or she may suffer from the following complications.
1. When the disease thickens, it may obstruct the intestinal walls by swelling of the intestine. Thus, the space from where the digestive matter passes becomes less and may lead to bowel obstruction.
2. Fissures may develop at the mucus membrane of the anus.
3. Fistulas or ulcers can occur as they tunnel through the affected area to the nearby tissues. All these are painful for your child to bear.
4. Your child cannot absorb the nutrients of the food like any other child and hence there are chances that they suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

With such problems that may not seem very huge in the beginning, your child may lose his appetite and forget about normal living. Thus, the moment you find any such symptoms, discuss them with your doctor.

What You Must Know About It if Your Child Suffers From Crohn's Disease

In most cases, pain anywhere in the body can be explained as a symptom of some other problem, but sometimes, there is no reason for abdominal pain. This type of pain is known as chronic functional abdominal pain. This is a gastrointestinal disorder that cannot be explained through X-ray or laboratory findings. It can be triggered by altered sensitivity to nerve impulses in the brain and gut. People suffering from this condition are often so debilitated by the pain that it becomes the central focus of their life.

This condition cannot be cured, but with proper treatment, it can be managed so that it does not affect the quality of your life. The aim of treatment for this condition is to control the symptoms and improve functioning. When it comes to treating this condition, the patient s relationship with his or her doctor plays an important role as the condition cannot be proven through any form of testing and it has a great psychological effect on the person. Regular checkups are also a key to managing this condition effectively.

The first step towards achieving this is to identify possible emotional and situational triggers. Maintaining a journal that records these experiences can help with this. Further treatment is usually either through psychological treatment or antidepressants.

Psychological treatment is based on the understanding that the brain can block pain by diverting attention elsewhere. Nerve impulses that travel from the abdomen to the brain must pass through a type of  gate  that is controlled by nerve impulses generated by the brain. When these impulses close the gates, pain is blocked while when these gates are open, the pain can be magnified. Psychological treatment for chronic functional abdominal pain can be in the form of relaxation techniques, imagery, hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy. While relaxation techniques such as meditation and hypnosis help a person shift focus from the pain, cognitive behavioral therapy teaches a person how to change thoughts and perceptions in order to control the pain.

Antidepressants can also act as pain relievers. This form of medication stimulates the production of brain signals that close the  gates  of nerve transmissions. This blocks the pain but can take several weeks to be effective. Some people may experience side effects such as drowsiness and nausea and hence should never be taken without a doctor s supervision. In some cases, antidepressants may also be combined with cognitive behavioral therapy or medication to regulate bowels.

Ways to Treat Chronic Functional Abdominal Pain!

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