Everyone suffers from an upset stomach every once in awhile. Maybe you just have a little cramping, or maybe you are suffering from diarrhea or even constipation. However, when these things seem to be happening more often than not, or they are fairly severe, it could be a sign that something else is going on.
There are plenty of ailments that attack the colon and intestinal areas of the body, and almost all of them can be a real pain in the gut. While you should never diagnose these illnesses yourself, knowing a little something about them and having your doctor do the right tests can help you feel better.
Here are some of the most common stomach ailments that those with severe issues could possibly be suffering from, what some of their signs are, and what you can do about it.
Celiac Disease Or Gluten Intolerance
Recently, more and more people are finding that they at least have an intolerance to gluten, if not full blown celiac disease. This is an illness in which the gluten in wheat, rye, and barley cause extreme sensitivity in the small intestine. It can cause a person’s body to not absorb the nutrients it needs in order to be healthy.
Left unchecked, this illness can lead to malnourishment. The main treatment is for sufferers to go on a gluten free diet, which has also recently become a popular diet fad. Most GF foods are higher in calories, actually making them bad for weight loss diets. But their lack of gluten makes them good for people sensitive to this sticky substance.
If you find that when you eat foods like bread and pasta you get diarrhea, stomach cramps, or even start to feel foggy, you may at least have an intolerance. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s Disease is also being heard of more, and is an illness that affects the small intestine and the colon. Some people will only have issues in one area, while some can have both. It has been found that stress and diet can actually aggravate the symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of this illness include those felt with a wheat intolerance, as well as fatigue and blood in your stool. If you experience these things, you doctor can perform a colonoscopy and take biopsies to find out what is really wrong, and even to rule out cancer.
Ulcerative Colitis
The same myriad of illnesses for both diseases above could be a sign of ulcerative colitis, which is another illness that can affect your colon, as well as your rectal area. It is a form of Irritable Bowel Disease, and so is Crohn’s.
Your doctor is the only one that can diagnose you for these, and often the only help is a complete diet change.
