ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS

THE CAUSES OF ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO ACCERTAIN. SYMPTOMS OF ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE;

1.       NAUSEA OR VOMITING ;  THIS IS A VERY UNPLEASANT FEELING IN THE PIT OF THE  STOMACH. SOMEONE WHO IS NAUSEATED  MAY FEEL WEAK, SWEATY AND PRODUCE LOTS OF SALIVA. INTENSE NAUSEA OFTEN LEADS TO VOMITING WHICH FORCES STOMACH  CONTENTS  UP THE ESOPHAGUS AND OUT OF THE MOUTH.

2.       FREQUENT WATERY STOOLS  ; THIS IS AN INCREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OF BOWEL MOVEMENTS AND THE DISCHARGE OF WATERY, LOOSE STOOLS.  THIS IS WHEN THE INTESTINE PUSH STOOLS  THROUGH  BEFORE  THE WATER IN THEM CAN BE  REABSORBED BY THE  BODY. IT IS THE BODY’S WAY OF QUICKLY CLEARING OUT ANY VIRUSES OR BACTERIA.

3.       CONSTIPATION  ;  CONSTIPATION OCCURS WHEN  BOWEL MOVEMENTS ARE DIFFICULT TO PASS.  SOME PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED WITH FREQUENCY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT THAT A HEALTHY PERSON  HAS A BOWEL MOVEMENT EVERYDAY. THIS MAY NOT BE TRUE. IF YOUR STOOLS ARE  SOFT AND PASS EASILY, YOU ARE NOT CONSTIPATED. LACK OF FIBER AND INADEQUATE WATER IN THE DIET ARE COMMON CAUSES OF CONSTIPATION. OTHER CAUSES INCLUDE TRAVEL, LACK OF EXERCISE,  DELAYING BOWEL MOVEMENTS, MEDICATION, PAIN DUE  TO HEMORRHOIDS AND OVERUSE OF LAXATIVES. THE SOLUTION TO CONSTIPATION IS TO EAT PLENTY OF HIGH- FIBER FOODS SUCH AS FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND WHOLE GRAINS.

4.       ULCERS  ;  AN ULCER IS A SORE IN THE LINING OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. ULCERS DEVELOP WHEN SOMETHING DAMAGES THE PROTECTIVE LINING OF THE  GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. THIS  ALLOWS STOMACH ACID AND ENZYMES TO EAT AWAY AT THE  WALL OF THE STOMACH OR UPPER SMALL INTESTINE.

SYMTOMS MAY INCLUDE A  BURNING OR SHARP PAIN IN THE ABDOMEN BETWEEN THE NAVEL AND THE END OF THE BREASTBONE. THE PAIN OFTEN OCCURS BETWEEN MEALS AND MAY WAKE YOU UP DURING THE NIGHT.  THE PAIN CAN BE RELIEVED BY EATING SOMETHING OR TAKING AN ANTACID.  ULCERS CAN CAUSE BLEEDING IN THE STOMACH WHICH MAY PRODUCE DARK RED, BLACK OR TARRY BOWEL MOVEMENTS.

5.       APPENDICITIS  ;   THIS IS  MOST COMMON IN PEOPLE AGED 10 -30 YEARS. THE APPENDIX IS A  SMALL SAC EXTENDING FROM THE LARGE INTESTINE. IT  IS NORMALLY SELF –CLEANING AND DOES NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS. HOWEVER IF ITS OPENING BECOMES BLOCKED, BACTERIA CAN BUILD UP AND THE APPENDIX MAY BECOME INFLAMED AND INFECTED. THIS  CONDITION IS KNOWN AS APPENDICITIS. 

SYMPTOMS OF APPENDICITIS INCLUDE;

# PAIN THAT BEGINS AROUND THE NAVEL OR UPPER STOMACH AND MOVES TO THE LOWER RIGHT ABDOMEN OVER THE COURSE OF 2 TO 12 HOURS.

# NAUSEA AND VOMITING

# LOSS OF APPETITE

# CONSTIPATION

#FEVER

6 . IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME   ;  THIS IS A COMMON DISODER OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT. IT IS A FUCTIONAL BOWEL DISORDER WHICH MEANS THAT THE FUCTION OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT IS DISTURBED.  THE SYMPTOMS OF THE IBS INCLUDE ; 

,ABDOMINAL BLOATING, PAIN,  GAS, MUCUS IN THE STOOL, FEELING THAT YOUR  BOWEL MOVEMENT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED AND   IRREGULAR BOWEL HABIT S WITH EITHER CONSTIPATION OR DIARRHEA.

THERE IS NO PARTICULAR WAY OF  PREVENTING  IBS,  HOWEVER   THE SYMPTOM S EITHER IMPROVE OR WORSEN DUE TO DIET, STRESS, MEDICATIONS OR EXERCISE. IDENTIFYING THE ONES  THAT TRIGGER  YOUR SYMPTOMS MAY HELP YOU TO EITHER AVOID OR MINIMIZE ATTACKS.

7.       HEART BURN  ;  HEARTBURN IS CAUSED BY STOMACH ACIDS BACKING UP INTO THE LOWER ESOPHAGUS, THE TUBE THAT LEADS FROM THE MOUTH TO THE STOMACH.  THE MEDICAL  TERM FOR HEARTBURN IS GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE. THE ACIDS PRODUCE A BURNING SENSATION AND DISCOMFORT BETWEEN THE RIBS JUST BELOW THE BREASTBONE.  ANOTHER SYMPTOM IS SOUR OR BITTER FLUID BACKING UP INTO THE THROAT OR MOUTH. IT CAN OCCUR AFTER OVEREATING OR IN REACTION TO A MEDICATION. TO AVOID HEARTBURN ;

#EAT SMALLER MEALS AND AVOID LATE NIGHT SNACKS.

#AVOID  FOODS THAT BRING ON HEARTBURN. FOODS LIKE CHOCOLATE, CAFFEINE- CONTAINING FOODS, FATTY OR FRIED FOODS AND CARBONATED  DRINKS MAY WORSEN HEARTBURN.

#ALCOHOL WHICH IRRITATES THE STOMACH AND ESOPHAGUS MAY WORSEN SYMPTOMS.

# STOP SMOKING  --THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE SMOKING  PROMOTES HEARTBURN. IF YOUR HEARTBURN IS AS A RESULT OF SMOKING, QUITTING WILL BRING RELIEVE.

#LOSE WEIGHT IF YOU ARE  OVERWEIGHT ; OVERWEIGHT WORSENS HEARTBURN.

#AVOID TIGHT –FITTING CLOTHES SUCH AS TIGHT BELTS AND WAISTBANDS.

# RAISE THE HEAD OF YOUR BED SIX INCHES BY PLACING A FOAM WEDGE OR THICK TELEPHONE BOOK UNDER THE MATTRESS OR LEGS OF THE BED FRAME.

# DON’T LIE DOWN TOO SOON AFTER EATING. TRY TO STAY UPRIGHT FOR AT LEAST TWO TO THREE HOURS AFTER EACH MEAL.

# AVOID LARGE MEALS AND SNACKS BEFORE BEDTIME.

# OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS FOR HEARTBURN ALSO HELP BUT OF COURSE, YOU NEED YOUR DOCTOR’S PRESCRIPTION FIRST.