Ibs is a common intestinal disorder causing pain in the stomach, gas, diarrhea and constipation. The condition affects millions of people around the world, mostly women. It may not fully be cured, but the condition can be kept under control diet and lifestyle changes and in severe cases with medication and treatment. The most common affected age groups are between 6 to 18 and 41 to 60. 

Causes: there are several triggers to ibs although doctors are yet to determine a specific cause. Because ibs happens more in women than men, some people believe that hormones are responsible for it. Other studies suggest that ibs is triggered when
A. The colon becomes hypersensitive reacting to an external stimulation
B. The bowel muscles spasm causing diarrhea or constipation
C. The muscles in the bowel don't squeeze normally, causing diarrhea or constipation
D. There is an imbalance in chemicals like serotonin and gastrin which are responsible for the communication between the brain and the digestive system
E. Certain bacteria in the bowel can cause this condition
So far, there are no extensive studies to back any of these theories. 

Signs and symptoms: people with ibs have symptoms that can include diarrhea and /or constipation, sometimes alternating with each other, stomach cramps, gas and bloating and a belly that sticks out. Stress may, in some cases, aggravate the problem.

Diagnosis: unfortunately there are no specific tests to identify ibs as the causes itself can vary in a big spectrum. Using your symptoms as a guide, the doctor may run tests to check for food allergies, lactose intolerance, reactions to any medications you may be taking like blood pressure drugs, infection in the stomach, enzyme deficiencies where the pancreas isn't releasing enough enzymes to digest the food properly and inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease. You may have to undergo a colonoscopy or endoscopy, blood tests, stool tests and allergy tests for your doctor to devise a treatment that can best treat your specific symptoms.

Treatment: because the symptoms and causes are so varied, there is no one specific treatment of ibs. You will need to identify and understand your specific triggers to isolate it and then make changes accordingly in conjunction with lifestyle change and medication.

Lifestyle changes: look at ibs as a trigger to make you move into a healthier lifestyle and improved diet. Here are some basic changes that your doctor may prescribe
- avoid coffee tea and sugary sodas
- drink 8 glasses of water per day and time your water intake as per your food
- limit fatty foods, milk and cheese
- add wholesome fiber to your food. 
- relax and get some me time
- add a good quantity of regular exercise

There is nothing here that you already didn't know can lead to a healthier life. It's just that you'll have to take it seriously now that the doctor has prescribed it for you. If you suspect that you are suffering from ibs, consult your expert medical practitioner today!

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Who Is at Risk?

The gallbladder can be found under the liver and is a pear shaped organ. This four inch organ is responsible for storing bile, which is a combination of the various fluids as well as fat and cholesterol. These are essential for the body and its metabolism, as the bile helps in breaking down the food that enters the digestive system. With the help of the gallbladder, this bile divides the food into smaller parts within the intestine. This ensures that the energy released by the food is more easily absorbed into the bloodstream. There are a host of problems that can attack the gall bladder including stones, infection and more.

Let us find out the symptoms of a gallbladder attack and the various ways in which it may be successfully treated.

    Pain: One of the most common symptoms of a gallbladder attack includes pain. This can be felt in the section that lies in the middle and the upper right portion of the abdomen. The patient may initially experience mild pain that comes and goes intermittently. Eventually, if the pain is not treated, it can start to radiate on a constant basis and hold the patient in its grip.
    Nausea: Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of any gallbladder related problem. Chronic cases usually end up experiencing these symptoms. Nausea and vomiting in such conditions are a result of digestive problems like acid reflux which can be caused due to the gall bladder condition.
    Fever: If there is an infection in the gall bladder, then the patient may also experience fever and chills. This will require immediate treatment and the prescription of antibiotics. If it is not treated on time, the problem can become serious and dangerous.
    Loose Motions: Diarrhoea is a problem faced by many patients suffering from this condition along with jaundice and lighter coloured stools.

Treatment: Mostly, doctors will recommend surgical methods to deal with gall bladder attacks and conditions. A laparoscopic surgery may be conducted to remove the gallbladder. Also, medication will be prescribed to dissolve the gallstones that may have been caused by cholesterol. The patient will also have to undertake many lifestyle changes in order to successfully treat this condition over a period of time.

One will have to avoid greasy and oily food. Also, the fat intake of the patient will have to be reduced so that the cholesterol build up does not affect the gallbladder again. The patient will also have to add fibre to his or her daily diet, in the form of fruit and oats. This will help in improving the bowel movements as well.

The Symptoms and Treatment of Gallbladder Attack

Dealing with liver Cirrhosis largely depends on its stage. While it is good to know and read about Cirrhosis, referring to some qualified medical personnel is the best course of action. If a person is already undergoing medical treatment, there are simple ways to deal with this condition.

Get treated in the early stages: Liver being one of the most self-healing organs, a person has good chances of healing, if a donor donates partial-liver. A doctor eradicates the distorted portion of the liver and replaces the same with a partial transplant from the donor. For the donor, it takes about 3-4 months to grow back the donated portion of the liver, while the patient might take 10-12 months to fully recover. This is possible in the early stages of Cirrhosis.
Stop the catalyst of liver Cirrhosis: It is essential to stop the underlying cause of Liver Cirrhosis. Stuff like saturated fat, alcohol, salt, OTC pain relievers, excess sugar etc should strictly need to be avoided to ensure the progression of liver Cirrhosis is slow. Studies have shown that moderate consumption of coffee can help to deal with Liver Cirrhosis.
Sodium free food: It is advised by most doctors that Cirrhosis patients refrain from consuming sodium-rich food. It helps a cirrhosis patient to bypass edema and ascites. This is extremely challenging, since food without sodium tastes bland and unappetizing. It is therefore suggested that healthy herbs, paprika, pepper etc are consumed to make up for sodium.
A balanced diet: A liver Cirrhosis patient should be extremely careful when it comes to choosing the right diet. They should consume lots of fresh fruits and green vegetables. While consumption of animal protein is not advised, the quota of protein should be fulfilled from peas, tofu, quinoa, etc.
A good exercise regime: Patients with liver Cirrhosis should ensure that an adequate exercise regime is followed so that the muscles do not get wasted. Exercise for half an hour also helps to lose weight and negate the chances of water retention in the body. Exercise should also be followed by lots of sleep, so that the body gets enough time to recover from the stress of exercise.
Avoid NSAIDs: If a person is suffering from liver Cirrhosis, using drugs such as naproxen, aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen etc should be strictly avoided for mild pain and inflammation. These drugs can be highly toxic for a person suffering from Cirrhosis. It is wise to consult a doctor before consuming any medication.
Stay away from infection: A patient with liver Cirrhosis suffers from a compromised immune system. It is therefore advised that a patient stays away from possible bacteria, viral and such other chronic infection. Any infection can result in inflammation of the bile duct that causes scarring of the liver tissue.

Liver Cirrhosis - 7 Ways To Deal With The Problem!

It is gastrointestinal bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, commonly defined as bleeding arising from the oesophagus, stomach, or duodenum. Blood is often observed in vomit (hematemesis) or in the stool (melena). Upper gastrointestinal bleeding denotes a medical emergency and typically requires hospital care for primary diagnosis and treatment. The incidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is 50-150 individuals per 100,000 annually. Depending on its severity, it carries an estimated mortality risk of 11%.

The causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are as follows:

Oesophagal causes (gastrorrhagia):

Oesophagal varices
Esophagitis
Oesophagal cancer
Oesophagal ulcers
Mallory-Weiss tear
Gastric causes: 

Gastric ulcer
Gastric cancer
Gastritis
Gastric varices
Gastric antral vascular ectasia
Dieulafoy's lesions

Duodenal causes
Duodenal ulcer
Vascular malformation, including aorto-enteric fistulae
Hematobilia or bleeding from the biliary tree
Hemosuccus pancreaticus or bleeding from the pancreatic duct
Severe superior mesenteric artery syndrome
The signs and symptoms of upper gastrointestinal bleeding are as follows:

Hematemesis - Vomiting of blood
Melena - Blood in the stool
Hematochezia - Passage of fresh blood through the anus, usually in or with stools
Syncope - Loss of consciousness (fainting)
Presyncope - State of lightheadedness, muscular weakness, blurred vision, and feeling faint
Dyspepsia   IndigestionEpigastric painHeartburnDiffuse abdominal pain
Dysphagia - Difficulty in swallowing. Weight lossJaundice - Yellow discolouration of the skin, mucous membranes, and sclera
The diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is made when hematemesis is present. In the absence of hematemesis, an upper source of GI bleeding is likely in the presence of at least two factors among - Black stool, age < 50 years or blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio 30 or more

If these findings are absent, consider a nasogastric aspirate to determine the source of bleeding. If the aspirate is positive, an upper GI bleed is greater than 50%, but not high enough to be certain. If the aspirate is negative, the source of a GI bleed is likely lower. The accuracy of the aspirate is improved by using the Gastroccult test. Also, the following diagnostic tests are done:

Orthostatic blood pressure
Complete blood count with differential counts
Hemoglobin level
Type and crossmatch blood
Basic metabolic profile, BUN,
Coagulation profile
Serum calcium
Serum gastrin
Endoscopy
Chest radiography
Nasogastric lavageAngiography (if bleeding persists and endoscopy fails to identify a bleeding site)
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be managed in the following ways:

Airway management and fluid resuscitation using either intravenous fluids and or blood
Medications to stop the bleeding (Proton-pump inhibitors are often given in the emergency)
Surgical intervention
Treating the consequences (like anaemia) that the bleeding may have caused
Precautions are taken to prevent re-bleeding

What Are The Reasons Behind Ulcer?

The liver is a vital organ in our body because it performs many important functions. This includes filtering harmful substances in our blood, producing bile to facilitate digestion of food, storing energy and nutrients as well as producing hormones and enzymes that the body uses for performing essential functions. However, too much consumption of alcohol can affect the liver, lead to serious consequences related to our health, and also result in an alcohol-related liver disease (ALD). An ALD may, in turn, cause disruption of the digestion process and weaker immune system. It may even increase the risk of developing cancer.

Causes:

As the name suggests, the prime cause behind the development of alcohol-induced liver disease is the consumption of alcohol for a long duration. However, some of the other causes behind the development of alcohol-induced liver disease include the presence of an existing liver disease such as fatty liver or hepatitis, inherited liver disease, or a liver disease induced due to excessive or prolonged consumption of certain drugs.

Alcohol-induced liver diseases (ALD) can be of three types. 

Alcoholic fatty liver disease: Alcoholic fatty liver disease or steatosis occurs due to the deposition of fats in the liver, which is an end result of excessive alcohol consumption.
Alcoholic hepatitis: Too much of alcohol consumption can also lead to liver inflammation, which is called alcoholic hepatitis.
Alcoholic cirrhosis: This alcoholic-liver disease occurs when the liver is scarred due to excessive consumption of alcohol. In this case, the healthy and soft liver tissues are replaced with dead and hard tissues.
Symptoms: Some of the signs and symptoms, mostly related to ALD, are not noticed in the initial stage. It is only after a few years that the symptoms may appear. Some of the common symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite and weight loss, swelling in the abdomen as well as the legs, feet, and ankles, a yellowish appearance of the skin, itchy skin with hair loss, and bleeding and complications such as liver cancer or ascites.

Diagnosing alcohol-related liver disease is based on your history of alcohol consumption. But, there is no single test that can detect this type of disease, so a combination of tests will be suggested by your physician before a specific type of alcoholic liver disease is diagnosed.



Ayurvedic Treatment

Ayurveda is known to be greatly beneficial for the treatment of alcohol-induced liver diseases. The use of natural ingredients like herbs can not only treat the liver disease but also promote the overall well-being of the liver. The treatment will include abstinence from alcohol, as it is very important when it comes to undoing the damage that alcohol has caused to your liver.

There are some home remedies also which are only supportive in case of Alcoholic fatty liver, but if you are suffering from alcoholic hepatitis and ALD related liver cirrhosis you must need proper line of treatment under a well experienced and expert Ayurvedic doctor. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Alcohol Related Liver Diseases - Ways Ayurveda Can Help With It!

Gastroparesis is a condition when your stomach feels full and heavy even after it has been more than a couple of hours after meal. Generally, it takes maximum 1 &   hours for the stomach to feel empty, but if the time taken for it is more, then this is a condition of gastroparesis. It means there is some change in your normal digestion process.

In this circumstance, the food in your stomach doesn t digest easily and creates a lump. As a result, you have hard time digesting your food. It also means the nerves connected to the stomach are not functioning well. There are a number of reasons for which you can get gastroparesis.

Diabetes is one of the most common causes of making you feel fuller.
Disorders in the nervous system, mainly Parkinson s disease or cerebral attack can create this problem.
Some medicines, especially antidepressants or anti-inflammatory in nature and certain painkillers can cause this problem.
Gastroparesis shows a number of symptoms:

Occasional vomiting as you feel unnecessarily fuller. When you vomit, it gives out chunks of undigested food
A feeling of nausea
You feel full after you have eaten very little
Bloating and pain in your abdomen
There is alteration in the blood sugar level
You don t feel like eating due to loss of appetite
You lose considerable weight as you don t eat much
A possibility of suffering from malnutrition, again due to lack of appetite
How it can be treated?
When you identify the reason for gastroparesis, then treating it becomes easier. If diabetes or nerve disorder is creating the problem, leave it to your doctor to treat. For other causes like lack of appetite, there are some natural ways of treating it.

Have frequent smaller meals. This way you don t push yourself to eat much and at the same time, the body doesn t lack nutrition and energy
Avoid fibrous fruits
Avoid high carbohydrate and high fat foods, which takes time to digest
Intake foods which you can swallow, like soups or stew. They are healthy and are also easy to digest
If the problem still persists, consult your doctor who may prescribe some medicines to stimulate the stomach muscles. They generally have no side-effects. There are some medicines which can control your vomiting and nausea. There are some surgical treatments for gastroparesis, where the doctors place a feeding tube in your small intestine. A gastric venting channel is another option, which helps you to get relief from excessive gas formation in your stomach, thus accelerating the process of digestion.

Gastroparesis - Nausea on Regular Basis Can be a Sign of it

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