Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
As you age, your digestive muscles move slower. Your body makes less acid. Other things can hamper the digestive system, too. These include:
* Increased use of medicines
* Getting less exercise
* Changes in eating habits
* Dental problems
* Loss of muscle tone and elasticity. This could be a factor in hiatal hernias and diverticulosis, which are common in persons as they get older.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
The abdomen is the body region between the lower ribs and the pelvis. Many vital organs make up this body region.
Signs & Symptoms
The type of pain, its location, and other symptoms that come with it point to the cause.
* Mild to severe pain. It can feel dull or sharp.
* Acute (sudden) pain.
* Chronic pain. This is constant pain or pain that recurs over time.
Causes
Abdominal pain can be a symptom of a problem that affects any of the organs. Causes of abdominal pain include:
* Artery diseases, such as a blocked artery or an aneurysm.
* Celiac disease.
* Constipation.
* Crohn’s disease.
* Food poisoning.
* Gallstones.
* Heartburn. Indigestion.
* Infections, such as ones in the digestive tract and urinary tract.
* Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
* Kidney stones.
* Menstrual cramps or ovarian cysts in females.
* Reflux.
* Stomach ulcers.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause. The key is knowing when it’s just a minor problem like a mild stomach ache or when it’s something worse. Pain that persists can be a sign of a medical condition or illness. Very severe abdominal pain usually needs immediate medical care.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Find a comfortable position. Relax.
* Take an over-the-counter pain medicine as directed on the label.
* Apply a heating pad set on low (adults only).
* Don’t wear clothes that fit tight.
* Don’t exercise too hard.
* Use a hot water bottle on the area that aches.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s Disease is a chronic problem that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Other symptoms are fever, fatigue, and, at times, rectal bleeding or drainage. Symptoms occur when the disease flares up. This is followed by periods when symptoms go away or lessen.
With Crohn’s disease, any part of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, can be inflamed. Usually, the colon and the last part of the small intestine, the ileum, are affected.
Treatment for Crohn’s disease includes medicines, nutrition supplements, and surgery.
Resources
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a problem that mostly affects the bowel (the large intestine) and is not caused by any other bowel disease. It can be painful, does not damage the colon or lead to other health problems.
Signs & Symptoms
* Gas, bloating, pain, or discomfort in the abdomen.
* Chronic diarrhea, constipation (or both).
* Mucus in the stool.
Causes
The cause is not known. A person with IBS has an extra sensitive colon. Muscles in the intestines go into spasm, causing symptoms.
Treatment
Changes in eating habits, stress relief, and medications treat IBS.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit. Avoid secondhand smoke.
* Maintain a healthy diet. Lose weight if you are overweight.
* Avoid constipation. Don’t strain to pass stool.
* Exercise to keep abdominal muscles strong. Follow your doctor’s advice.
* When you do sit ups, keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
* Follow proper lifting techniques.
* Wear a weight lifting belt to support the back when lifting.
* Wear a truss. This is a device that holds a hernia in place.
* For mild pain, take an over-the-counter medicine for pain. If even mild pain lasts longer than a week, see your doctor.
Resources
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
The liver is probably the most versatile organ you’ve got. It performs many tasks, including:
* Producing bile (a substance that aids digestion of fats).
* Producing blood proteins.
* Helping blood clot.
* Metabolizing cholesterol.
* Maintaining normal blood sugar levels.
* Forming and storing glycogen (the body’s short-term energy source).
* Manufacturing more than 1,000 enzymes necessary for various bodily functions.
* Detoxifying substances such as alcohol and many drugs.
Liver with Cirrhosis
The liver is equipped to handle a certain amount of alcohol without much difficulty. But drink too much alcohol, too often, for too long, and the vital tissues in the liver break down. Fatty deposits accumulate and scarring occurs. This is known as cirrhosis. It’s most commonly found in men over 45, yet the number of women developing cirrhosis is steadily increasing.
To make matters worse, people who drink too much generally have poor nutritional habits. Since alcohol replaces food, essential vitamins and minerals are missing from the diet. Malnutrition aggravates cirrhosis.
While alcohol abuse is the most common cause of cirrhosis, hepatitis, taking certain drugs, or exposure to certain chemicals can also produce this condition.
Doctors recognize the following as signs of advanced cirrhosis.
* Enlarged liver.
* Yellowish eyes and skin, and tea-colored urine (indicating jaundice). Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
* Itching.
* Hair loss.
* Swelling in the legs and stomach (indicating fluid accumulation).
* Tendency to bruise easily.
* Mental confusion.
Cirrhosis can be life threatening, so get medical attention if you suspect your drinking habits may have gotten out of hand or you have any of the above symptoms. And needless to say, you (or anyone you suspect of having cirrhosis) should abstain from alcohol.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
Kidney stones are hard masses of mineral deposits formed in the kidney(s). They can be as small as a tiny pebble or an inch or more across. They are more common in men.
Kidney Stones
Signs & Symptoms
Some kidney stones cause no symptoms. Small ones can be passed, without pain, when you urinate. When symptoms occur, they include:
* Crampy pain that comes and goes. The pain starts in the lower back, travels down the side of the abdomen, and into the groin area. The pain can be severe.
* Bloody, cloudy, or dark-colored urine.
* You may need to pass urine often. You may pass only small amounts of urine. You may only be able to pass urine in certain positions.
* Nausea and vomiting. Fever and chills (if an infection is also present).
Causes
* Too much calcium in the urine or in the blood.
* High levels of uric acid in the blood.
* A diet high in oxalic acid. This is in spinach, leafy vegetables, rhubarb, and coffee.
* Repeated urinary tract infections.
* Mild dehydration that persists.
* Family history of kidney stones.
* Living in certain parts of the U.S. Areas of the southeast have the highest rates.
In some cases, the cause is not known.
Treatment
If the stone is small and can be passed in the urine, treatment may be just drinking plenty of fluids. For stones too large to be passed, lithotripsy using ultrasound is a common treatment. With this, shock waves are directed to the stone location and break the stone into fragments. Drinking fluids helps flush the fragments from the person’s system.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Drink lots of fluids. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.
* Eat a well-balanced diet. Vary food choices.
* Save any stone you pass in your urine. Take it to your doctor. Its contents can be analyzed. Follow your doctor’s advice to prevent and treat kidney stones.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
The colon and rectum form the large bowel. The colon is the upper 5 to 6 feet. The rectum is the last 6 to 8 inches. When abnormal cells grow in the colon, a cancerous tumor may form. Colon tumors grow slowly. They may get big and block the bowel.
Signs & Symptoms
Colon and rectal cancers can occur without clear symptoms. For this reason, screening is important. When symptoms occur, they include:
* A change in bowel habits for 2 or more weeks or constipation or diarrhea for 1 or more weeks.
* Frequent gas pains, cramps, bloating, or feelings of fullness in the abdomen
* Red or dark blood in or on the stool or rectal bleeding. Pencil thin stools.
* Fatigue and/or iron deficiency anemia in men and older women
* A feeling that the bowel does not empty completely
* Weight loss for no known reason
Causes, Risk Factors & Care
Risk factors for colon and rectal cancers:
* Polyps (benign growths that can become cancerous over time). Most colon and rectal cancers develop from polyps.
* Family history of colon or rectal cancer. Unless it is treated, an inherited condition called Familial Polyposis puts a person at a very high risk.
* Having ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
* Aging. Colon and rectal cancers occur most often in people over age 50.
* Smoking. Heavy alcohol use.
* Eating a diet high in animal fat and low in fiber
* Lack of exercise and/or being very overweight
Finding and treating the cancer early is vital. Treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
Self-Care / Prevention
Self-Care:
* Schedule and go to follow-up exams.
* Join a cancer support group.
* Follow a high fiber, low-fat diet. Eat whole-grain breads and cereals. Have at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits a day.
Prevention
Colon and rectal cancers are completely curable if found early. Have screening tests as advised by your doctor.
* High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test
* Flexible sigmoidoscopy
* Colonoscopy
How often testing needs to be done depends on the test(s) given. {Note: If you have a family history of colon polyps or colon or rectal cancers, screening tests may need to be started sooner than age 50.}
* Have colon polyps removed.
* Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Limit fat.
When to Seek Medical Care
Contact Doctor When:
* You have any symptoms of colon and rectal cancer listed on this page.
* You need to schedule screening tests for colon and rectal cancer. Follow the schedule your doctor advises.
Resources
The National Cancer Institute
800.4.CANCER (422-6237)
The American Cancer Society
800.227.2345
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
Lactose is the natural sugar in milk. A person with lactose intolerance lacks enough of the enzyme, lactase, to digest this sugar.
Signs & Symptoms
* Nausea.
* Cramps.
* Bloating.
* Gas.
* Diarrhea.
These symptoms start about 30 minutes to 2 hours after you eat or drink foods with lactose.
Causes
* The body can’t make the enzyme lactase. This can occur from birth or over time.
* Digestive diseases.
* Injury to the small intestine.
Asian Americans, African Americans, and American Indians are more prone to lactose intolerance.
Treatment
Symptoms can be controlled with self-care measures.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Eat fewer dairy foods. Some people with lactose intolerance can tolerate dairy foods if they have small amounts at a time.
* Have lactose-free dairy products. Have ones that reduce lactose with bacterial cultures. Examples are buttermilk, yogurt, and acidophilus milks.
* Take over-the-counter drops or pills that have the enzyme lactase when you have dairy foods.
* If the above measures don’t help, don’t have products with milk, milk solids, and dairy whey. Have soy milk instead. Products marked “parve” are milk free.
* Read food labels. Many food products contain small amounts of lactose. These include bread and other baked goods, instant mashed potatoes, breakfast and diet drinks and bars, and mixes for biscuits, cookies, and pancakes.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
Constipation is having trouble passing stool or having hard stools. “Regularity” does not mean that you have a bowel movement every day. Normal bowel habits range from 3 movements a day to 3 each week. What is more important is what is normal for you.
Signs & Symptoms
* A hard time passing stool. Not being able to pass stool. Having very hard stool.
* Straining to have a bowel movement.
* Abdominal swelling. The feeling of continued fullness after passing stool.
Causes
* Drinking too few fluids. Not eating enough dietary fiber.
* Not being active enough.
* Not going to the bathroom when you have the urge to pass stool.
* Misuse of laxatives.
* A side effect of some heart, pain, and antidepressant medicines, as well as, antacids, antihistamines, and water pills.
* Chronic illnesses that slow the digestive tract. Examples are diabetes and an underactive thyroid.
* Cancer or other diseases of the bowel.
Treatment
Self-care usually treats constipation. You may also need to talk to your doctor about health problems and medicines that could cause the problem.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Eat foods high in dietary fiber. Examples are bran, whole-grain breads and cereals, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
* Drink at least 1-1/2 to 2 quarts fluids every day. Have hot water, tea, etc. to stimulate the bowel.
* Get enough exercise.
* Don’t resist the urge to pass stool.
* If you take antacids or iron supplements and get constipated easily, discuss the use of these with your doctor.
* Take stool softeners (e.g., Colace), fiber supplements (e.g., Metamucil), “stimulant” laxatives (e.g., Ex-Lax), or enemas, as directed on the label and by your doctor.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
A peptic ulcer is a sore in the stomach or first part of the small bowel.
Peptic Ulcers
Signs & Symptoms
* A gnawing or burning pain is felt in the abdomen between the breastbone and navel. The pain often occurs between meals and in the early hours of the morning. It may last from a few minutes to a few hours and may be relieved with eating or antacids.
* Appetite and weight loss.
* Nausea or vomiting dark, red blood or material that looks like coffee grounds.
* Bloody, black, or tarry stools.
* Paleness and weakness if anemia is present.
Causes
* An infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria. This is the main cause.
* The repeated use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium.
A small percentage of peptic ulcers are caused by Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. With this rare disorder, the body makes excess acid.
Family history, smoking, caffeine, and making excess digestive acids play a role in peptic ulcers. So does stress, especially some types of physical stress (e.g., severe burns and major surgery).
Treatment
Treatment includes medicines to treat the problem and surgery, if needed.
Questions to Ask
Self-Care / Prevention
* Take medications as prescribed.
* Eat healthy foods. Include foods high in fiber.
* Don’t have coffee (regular and decaffeinated); tea and soft drinks with caffeine; and fruit juices high in acid like tomato juice. Don’t have alcohol or foods that bother you.
* Don’t use aspirin and other NSAIDs. Follow your doctor’s advice for prescribed NSAIDs.
* Try over-the-counter antacids or acid controllers (with your doctor’s okay). Use them on a short-term basis. Don’t try to self- medicate an ulcer.
* Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
Abdominal & Urinary Conditions
Help for an Inflammatory Bowel Disorder
The lower section of your small intestine is called the ileum. It’s connected to your colon. When the ileum (and sometimes the colon) becomes chronically inflamed, the condition is called Crohn’s disease. Early symptoms include:
* Cramps and pain on the lower right side of the abdomen, usually after a meal.
* Diarrhea.
* Slight fever.
* Nausea.
* Loss of appetite and weight loss.
* Sores in the anal area. At times, rectal bleeding. Joint pains.
* Fatigue.
Most cases of Crohn’s disease are diagnosed in persons younger than 30, but can occur in persons older, too.
Crohn’s disease tends to run in families and is more common among Caucasians, especially Europeans and people of Jewish heritage. (Doctors also suspect environmental factors may be partially to blame.)
Crohn’s disease is quite unpredictable: It comes and goes, triggering attacks off and on for months or years. Nevertheless, treatment is fairly successful and consists of medications – usually aspirin-like drugs, corticosteroids, immune modifiers, and possibly antibiotics, should an infection occur. Doctors recommend bed rest, especially during severe attacks, use of a heating pad to relieve abdominal cramps, and drinking as many liquids as possible to prevent dehydration.
(About 70 percent of those with Crohn’s disease undergo surgery. But it’s usually not a cure: Crohn’s tends to recur in another portion of the intestine.)
Certain foods like milk, eggs, or wheat may irritate the intestines, and avoiding these foods in all forms seems to help control flare-ups (although it doesn’t cure the condition). Avoid drinking alcohol-it, too, irritates your system. As for other dietary measures, a diet high in vitamins, protein, and carbohydrates and low in fiber is standard treatment.
Note: Crohn’s disease can mimic other intestinal diseases and can only be diagnosed by a physician. If you experience any of the symptoms described, get medical attention.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine