Abdominal Disorders

Health Update

Ricky Parker — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:17:24 GMT

I received an email from a lady in England Saturday thanking me for my blog on Bowel Resection Home Recovery. It is a rather earthy blog, one that is quite descriptive and meant primarily for those who may go through what I went through. The blog has now made it to midway down P.2 of a Goggle Search which I believe indicates it is getting some hits. It makes me feel good that some may find the information useful.

I would be remiss if I did not relate some of the recent events surround that abdominal issue. So here it goes.

Monday, June 23 I began to develop a stomach ache. It is what I characterize as a "green apple" stomach ache. No nausea, just pain. It seemed to diminish some, however it kept me up much of the night. It felt like a gall bladder attack, only I had my gall bladder out in November, 2007. So that could not be it. I finally did get to sleep, but it was fitful and I kept waking up with some pain. June 24, Tuesday morning it had abated quite a bit and I took my long walk. However, after I had breakfast it started up again and became quite painful. I lay on the bed hoping it would subside. I took some ant-acid tablets and it seemed to quiet down. I was hungry about lunch, and while I thought perhaps I should not eat, I did have a grilled cheese sandwich. Ho Boy!

The pain was a sharp pain right under my belly button. I found out that is a key symptom. I could did not pass any gas, I couldn't even work up a burp. I tried drinking some diet soda and it just felt worse, and a small burp not worth mentioning. I also had not gone to the bathroom for two days, no BM. Finally I got real sick, I mean break out in a cold sweat, perspiration dripping off me like I had an internal hose turned on, pain that put me on the floor and finally throwing up like I had the dry heaves. Little relief from vomiting.

We did call our Family Dr. and they had me come over right away. It took a little while to get in the waiting room, but not long. I ended up getting sick in the office. Unfortunately I do not throw up quietly, I'm sure I bellowed like a lovesick Moose. They sent me to the ER, I requested I go to Jonesboro as I had been treated there for my surgery and felt they would be in a position to know best.

Our Family Doctor gave me a shot of phenagren for nausea, and a pain medication that really put me in LaLa land. We made it to Jonesobor, more X-rays, and a CT Scan. The Family Dr. hit the diagnosis, he felt it was a small bowel obstruction. That scared the hell out of me. I did not show it, but all I could think of was a recurrence of the cancer, but now in the small intestine. Yet my prognosis from the sesection was excellent, I was told by several physicians that the polyp while malignant was so confined that there should be little or no risk of recurrence. However, once alert to the possibility you can't help but be concerned.

I did not let on my concern, but I was scared. Perhaps a ulcer. Then again, maybe just what the Dr. said, an adhesion or piece of scar tissue causing the bowel to kink.

I was admitted to the hospital Tuesday evening. A nurse ran a hose up/down my nose into my stomach and started draining the fluid build up. It turned out the surgeon who had done my two surgeries was on duty that night, and was I glad to see him. I've gotten to trust him very much. I quietly asked him if there was a mass there and he said no. He said the X-ray indicated a kink on my right side, near where my gall bladder was removed and he felt that was the problem.

About four hours after the hose was inserted into my stomach all hell broke loose in the form of BM's. I could not control myself, soiled my gown, my bed, several times and filled the portable commode a couple of times. Ah, relief!

In the morning the tube was removed by the surgeon. I was put on a liquid diet for two days to see if I tolerated the food movement. I did. I was sent home on Thursday. It turns out that a large percentage of people with abdominal surgery have an obstruction. It is not unusual. Since that time I have been fine. In fact, my system's tolerance of fat in my diet has improved. Maybe something really got unkinked. In addition, the key symptoms for a small bowel obstruction are a pain through the belly button area, and light colored to green vomit.

It is behind me. However, my surgeon told me it could recur at anytime. There is nothing I can take for it, nothing I can do. It may not every occur again, or it may occur in two weeks. I hope not. It was most unpleasant. However, if that is the least of my worries, I'm a lucky fellow.

source : http://yoopertom.blogspot.com/

Stomach Ache – Home Remedies for Stomach Ache

Ricky Parker — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:38:32 GMT

Pain in the belly (abdomen) can come from conditions affecting a variety of organs. The abdomen is an anatomical area that is bounded by the lower margin of the ribs above, the pelvic bone (pubic ramus) below, and the flanks on each side. Although abdominal pain can arise from the tissues of the abdominal wall that surround the abdominal cavity (i.e., skin and abdominal wall muscles), the term abdominal pain generally is used to describe pain originating from organs within the abdominal cavity (i.e., beneath the skin and muscles).

A stomachache can be all of these or just plain mid-body misery. And the possible causes are equally diverse and mysterious: gallstones, lactose intolerance, ulcers, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, stress, overeating. Or not eating enough. Or eating improperly prepared food in an unhygienic restaruant (For more details, read about irritable bowel syndrome on page 322.)

Some kids get abdominal pain because they ate too much of something, ate a food that was too spicy or greasy, ate a food they have an allergy to, or ate food that sat around in the fridge for too long and went bad. The pain is the body's way of telling you that your stomach and intestines are having a tough job breaking down or digesting this food. For example, some people have lactose intolerance, which means they have a tough time digesting lactose, a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy foods. Whatever the cause, funky foods can quickly make your tummy feel funky!

Home Remedies for Stomach Ache

Eat an herb which aids digestion, such as ginger (ginger-ale, or ginger snaps), peppermint (gum and candy cane as long as it is real peppermint) or Aloe Vera Juice (an anti-parasitic that tastes terrible but aids digestion). Similar herb teas that help digestion include mint, ginger or chamomile tea.

Take a small piece of ginger and grate it. Thereafter, squeeze out its juice. Apply the juice on the bottom of your belly and massage gently. It is an effective home remedy for stomach ache.

Drink regular tea with freshly squeezed lemon or honey. This will definately help in the relaxation of the stomach. Do not put sugar in the tea if you are drinking it with lemon or honey. This will make the tea useless.

Eat yogurt. It contains bacteria your stomach is lacking during an upset stomach. My microbiology professor and others have said this and I personally tried it and it works.

Eat yogurt. It contains bacteria your stomach is lacking during an upset stomach. My microbiology professor and others have said this and I personally tried it and it works.

Loosen your belt. If your stomach is distended from IBS, you can loosen your belt. If you're tightly buttoned and belted up, try switching to comfortable, loose clothing, which can ease the pressure on your aching stomach, says Dr. Borum. (It's obvious only after you think of it.)

Take the charcoal from the fire and mash it up in a small cup(preferably plastic so it don't shatter when mashing up the charcoal)add just enough water to cover the smashed charcoal and drink it. I have seen the military do this before so i know that it will work. It will be pretty hard to get it down because it tastes really bad but you will feel alot better if you get it down guaranteed.Or if you have charcoal tablets just take however many the package says. I promise this will work.

Strain and offer warm or at room temperature (depending on your child’s preference) in 1?2 cup doses as needed.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/stomach-ache-home-remedies-for-stomach-ache-412296.html

Characteristics Of The Abdominal Pain

Ricky Parker — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:45:02 GMT

The following information, obtained by taking a patient's history, is important in helping doctors determine the cause of pain:

The way the pain begins. For example, abdominal pain that comes on suddenly suggests a sudden event, for example, the interruption of the supply of blood to the colon (ischemia) or obstruction of the bile duct by a gallstone (biliary colic).

The location of the pain. Appendicitis typically causes pain in the right lower abdomen, the usual location of the appendix. Diverticulitis typically causes pain in the left lower abdomen where most colonic diverticuli are located. Pain from the gallbladder (biliary colic or cholecystitis) typically is felt in the right upper abdomen where the gallbladder is located.

The pattern of the pain. Obstruction of the intestine initially causes waves of crampy abdominal pain due to contractions of the intestinal muscles and distention of the intestine. Obstruction of the bile ducts by gallstones typically causes steady (constant) upper abdominal pain that lasts between 30 minutes and several hours. Acute pancreatitis typically causes severe, unrelenting, steady pain in the upper abdomen and upper back. The pain of acute appendicitis initially may start near the umbilicus, but as the inflammation progresses, the pain moves to the right lower abdomen. The character of pain may change over time. For example, obstruction of the bile ducts sometimes progresses to inflammation of the gallbladder with or without infection (acute cholecystitis). When this happens, the characteristics of the pain change to those of inflammatory pain. (See below.)

The duration of the pain. The pain of IBS typically waxes and wanes over months or years and may last for decades. Biliary colic lasts no more than several hours. The pain of pancreatitis lasts one or more days.

What makes the pain worse. Pain due to inflammation (appendicitis, diverticulitis, cholecystitis) typically is aggravated by sneezing, coughing or any jarring motion. Patients with inflammation as the cause of their pain prefer to lie still.

What relieves the pain. The pain of IBS and constipation often is relieved temporarily by bowel movements. Pain due to obstruction of the stomach or upper small intestine may be relieved temporarily by vomiting which reduces the distention that is caused by the obstruction. Eating or taking antacids may temporarily relieve the pain of ulcers of the stomach or duodenum because both food and antacids neutralize (counter) the acid that is responsible for irritating the ulcers and causing the pain.

Associated signs and symptoms. The presence of fever suggests inflammation. Diarrhea or rectal bleeding suggests an intestinal cause of the pain. The presence of fever and diarrhea suggest inflammation of the intestines that may be infectious or non-infectious (Crohn's disease)

For More Info: http://www.medicinenet.com/abdominal_pain/page2.htm

Abdominal Pain in Children

Ricky Parker — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:13:13 GMT

Abdominal pain is a common problem in children. Although most children with acute abdominal pain have self-limited conditions, the pain may herald a surgical or medical emergency. The most difficult challenge is making a timely diagnosis so that treatment can be initiated and morbidity prevented. This article provides a comprehensive clinical guideline for the evaluation of the child with acute abdominal pain.

The term "recurrent abdominal pain" as currently used clinically and in the literature should be retired. Functional abdominal pain is the most common cause of chronic abdominal pain. It is a specific diagnosis that needs to be distinguished from anatomic, infectious, inflammatory, or metabolic causes of abdominal pain. Functional abdominal pain may be categorized as one or a combination of: functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal migraine, or functional abdominal pain syndrome (see table below titled "Recommended Clinical Definitions of Long-Lasting Intermittent or Constant Abdominal Pain in Children").

The most common medical cause is gastroenteritis, and the most common surgical cause is appendicitis. In most instances, abdominal pain can be diagnosed through the history and physical examination. Age is a key factor in evaluating the cause; the incidence and symptoms of different conditions vary greatly over the pediatric age spectrum. In the acute surgical abdomen, pain generally precedes vomiting, while the reverse is true in medical conditions.

Abdominal pain and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as vomiting or diarrhea, are common chief complaints in young children presenting in emergency departments (ED). It is the emergency physician’s role to differentiate between a self-limited process such as viral gastroenteritis or constipation and more lifethreatening surgical emergencies. Extra-abdominal conditions such as pneumonia or pharyngitis caused by streptococcal infection also can present with abdominal pain and must be considered.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common reasons for a parent to bring his or her child to medical attention. The evaluation of a "tummy ache" can challenge both parents and the physician. Possible causes for a child's abdominal pain range from trivial to life threatening, with little difference in the child's complaints. Fortunately, abdominal pain in a child most often improves quickly. The difficulty for a parent or caregiver lies in deciding which complaints need emergency care and which do not.

Bacteria and viruses are responsible in case of abdominal pain due to infections. Gastroenteritis and stomach flu are some of the examples of infections that can cause stomach aches. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation and irritation of stomach and the gastrointestinal passage. Extra care must be taken by travelers, as the food and drinks can be contaminated at new locations and can lead to traveler’s getting diarrhea.

Abdominal pain in children may be mild or serious. It can be termed serious, if it is accompanied by diarrhoea and sickness or if it has lasted continuously for more than three hours or if it is accompanied by fever and the child’s neck glands are found swollen and his throat red or if the pain persists for several days.

The character of abdominal pain vary according to the site of the pain and the underlying cause. Thus in case of colic, a frequent cause of this problem, the pain may be sudden and spasmodic. There may be faintness, nausea and perhaps vomiting. The patient lies on his back and folds the legs and presses them over the abdomen to put pressure on it, which gives a sense of relief.
source:http://www.articlesbase.com