Posts Tagged ‘Stomach pains’
Gallstones
Monday, April 6th, 2009
Diagnostic summary:
Asymptomatic or biliary colic with irregular pain-free intervals of days or months; real-time ultrasonography provides definitive diagnosis.
General considerations
‘Western diet’ – induced disease; 20% of women and 8% of men over the age 40; 20. In the US 20 million have gallstones; each year 1 million more develop gallstones; > 300,000 cholecystectomies annually due to gallstones; (more…)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Monday, March 16th, 2009
Diagnostic summary
Crohn’s disease
Intermittent bouts of diarrhoea, low-grade fever, and right lower quadrant pain.
Anorexia, weight loss, flatulence, and malaise.
Abdominal tenderness, especially right lower quadrant, with signs of peritoneal irritation and an abdominal or pelvic mass.
X-rays how abnormality of terminal ileum.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal disorder seen in general practice, and represents 30-50% of all referrals to gastroenterologists. It has been estimated that approximately 15% of the population has complaints of IBS, with women predominating two to one (it is likely that an equal number of males have IBS but they do not report symptoms as often).
The etiology of the increased colonic motility seen in IBS has been attributed to physiological, psychological, and dietary factors. A diagnostic summary of IBS is described as a functional disorder of the large intestine with no evidence of accompanying structural defect; characterized by some combination of; abdominal pain, altered bowel function (constipation or diarrhoea), hypersecretion of colonic mucus, dyspeptic symptoms (flatulence, nausea, anorexia), varying degrees of anxiety or depression. (more…)