Colitis Treatment Information

Because irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms may include diarrhea, constipation or a combination of both, the recommended prescriptions and over the counter medications for irritable bowel syndrome vary depending on the individual. For example, Zelnorm is used to treat IBS with constipation, but it should not be used by those who suffer from IBS with diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms typically include abdominal (stomach) pain that is relieved by a bowel movement. It is believed that the pain may be caused by muscle spasms, so anti-spasmodic medications for irritable bowel syndrome are sometimes prescribed. The idea being that reducing the muscle spasms or contractions may relieve the pain, relax the intestines and possibly prevent diarrhea. Anti-spasmodic medications, like most prescription drugs, are not intended for long term use, so a complete treatment program which includes dietary changes and other therapies may be recommended as well.

Anti-depressants are sometimes prescribed for IBS. Depression is not commonly one of the irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms, but studies have shown anti-depressants may block pain receptors in the brain. Most prescribed medications for irritable bowel syndrome target pain relief. Stress and anxiety sometimes accompany irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms and anti-depressants may help relieve these, as well as the pain.

Over the counter medications for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea include Kaopectate, Imodium and other anti-diarrhea products. But though they may be effective for slowing diarrhea, they will not help to relieve the other irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms. Herbal and botanical remedies may be effective for the relief and control of IBS with diarrhea or constipation, but there is no conclusive evidence that they work. There are only user testimonials. What works for one may not work for everyone and natural does not always mean safe. Herbs and botanicals should only be purchased from reliable companies. Doctor consultation is often recommended, but most doctors know very little about herbal and botanical treatment. A better source for information may be an herbalist or doctor of naturopathic medicine.

Irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms may include excessive gas, bloating or feeling that the stomach is swollen. If these symptoms are present, recommended over the counter medications for irritable bowel syndrome may include Gas-X or other anti-gas products. Herbs and botanicals designed to prevent or relieve gas are also available.

Irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of other more serious conditions such as colitis and Crohn's disease. If you have some or many irritable bowel syndrome signs and symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor. A complete physical exam or other tests may be necessary to learn what is causing your pain. Your doctor can also help you decide if over the counter or prescription medications for irritable bowel syndrome or other therapies are right for you.

For more information about irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive problems, visit www.digestive-disorders-guide.com

It has been seen in some recent studies that patients who have been suffering from ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease were able to reduce their inflammation through Omega 3 fatty acids.

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are inflammatory diseases that generally occur in the intestine area and can be controlled with recommended diet. Such diet also applies to irritable bowel syndrome. In Bologna and Turin, Italy a medical study was conducted, where for a period of one year doctors administered thirty-nine Crohn's disease patients with fish oil capsules three times a day. These patients were already in remission for eight months. Another group of thirty-nine patients, who were having similar remission, were given capsules that contained neutral oils. The fish oil capsules were formulated in such a manner that fishy odor was reduced and the assimilation of Omega 3 DHA and EPA was improved.

It was important to reduce the fishy odor for the study because until the study was over, the physicians and their patients were not be certain about which of the patients had been given fish oils and which ones were not. After ingesting 2.7 grams of DHA and EPA for a year (the Omega 3 oils healing elements) on a regular basis, twenty-three out of the total number of patients who received fish oils were still in a state of remission. The study brought out the result which showed that only eleven out of the total thirty-nine patients of the other group stayed in remission.

Ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory diseases have been reduced greatly with the help of Omega 3 oil because it works like an anti-inflammatory medicine. The diseases such as Crohn's disease occur in the large intestine sporadically causing inflammation. It can be extremely painful and individuals who are going through this disease are the best source to tell you about the excruciating pain.

Whether it is ulcerative colitis or any other inflammatory disease, bowel tissues contain abnormally high levels of prostaglandins that cause severe inflammation from Omega 6 ARA. The hormone like substance called prostaglandin helps to regulate other activities within the body that have inflammatory responses. In patients who stayed in remission by taking fish oil, red blood cell levels of ARA had dramatically decreased. But, the Omega 3 DHA and EPA levels had increased significantly.

In ulcerative colitis and crohn's disease the bowel tissues show unwanted high levels of ARA that produce prostaglandins. Some other studies with fish oil supplements showed that there have been substantial decrease in rectal bleeding and patients who lost weight started to gain weight.

Cancer in any form is dreadful. Not only because the word itself terrorizes our mind, the visuals we recall are too scary. Once it sets in, it is very difficult to get rid of it in totality and one has to surrender to whatever treatment methods are available. Injuries to nearby organs, side-effects, trauma for the body and mind as a whole plus social stigma are some realities that stay with the victim for the rest of his/her life.

I can suggest three mantras: One, prevention is better than cure. Two, either you change your lifestyle, or make some necessary additions to counter the cancer threat. Three, try alternative medicines or therapies.

WHY GIVE OPTION ON LIFESTYLE?

If you belong to the western world, (as per Wikipedia) chances are that you are more susceptible of catching this type of cancer. But you cannot move to the other part of the world for only this reason. Moreover, how would you know for sure that you could be a victim? Only for this reason I mentioned that either you change your lifestyle or...

IS CHANGING LIFESTYLE EASY?

Definitely not. We are all part of a society and have our stated norms of behavior, work culture, food (solids & liquids) consumption pattern, ways of recreation are all set. To some extent we can change our habits like avoiding late nights, getting full sleep, exercising etc. But today's expenses need extra work both physically and mentally. Somewhere we have to compromise which we cannot compensate with something beneficial.

A fully nourishing lunch induces sleep so some people either don't have proper lunch, or combine it with coffee and both are harmful. Work pressure forces to go either for smoking, extra cups of coffee, or for over the counter pills as they are easily accessible. Even these have harmful after-effects.

WHAT COULD BE DONE HERE?

Remember Edison, who invented the Electric Bulb? He slept for just four hours and always got up refreshed. Develop a habit of sleeping less. Easier said than done, may be your answer. To counter I present two incidents.

1. I was working on a project and could not sleep for 3 days. The fourth evening, somehow I had to accompany my boss to an overnight musical concert. When we departed, I was totally refreshed and went back to office.

2. Many of my hostel friends developed the habit of sleeping at three in the morning to get up by seven. The same pattern holds good twenty years after passing out.

It is all in the mind. You can train it the way you want. Think about the soldiers at war zone or the police personnel who hardly get time to sleep. When these people can manage why can't you? Try meditation, even a 30-minute trance is enough to compensate for a full night's sleep.

HELP YOUR BOWEL DISCHARGE EASILY.

The most common cause for rectal/colon/anus cancer is constipation. Piles is the first reaction. Eat veggies or fruits that have roughage e.g. Carrot, Radish, Lettuce. Those veggies that do not dissolve in full. Eat fruits whole, as the skin acts as roughage. If not allergic to Banana, it acts as a good bowel cleaner.

Drink plenty of plain water (not disguised as beer or canned juices). Avoid the lift when possible.

Get the wonder product "Isabgol" which is neither a fruit nor vegetable nor a medicine. It is the husk of the Psyllium plant seed. This husk absorbs water, becomes slippery and aids bowel to discharge without pressure. You can consume this either with water, curd, fruit juice or sprinkle liberal amounts in any dish as it is tasteless.

TRY ALTERNATE THERAPIES

No system of medicine is foolproof. Doctors do not admit the fallacies. For example, Homoeopathy has no medicine for high blood pressure but works wonders for skin diseases. Colitis, skin ulcers, burns & wounds are treated in no time. It has no side-effects as well. Ready made mixtures are available over the counter for hundreds of diseases that you can try.

As always, there are no shortcuts to success. Trial and error should be your mantra. Find out what suits your body, your taste and let your mind guide you. After all if you catch the dreaded disease, your mind suffers the most.

Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic disease. As such, any chronic health condition being a long term illness, invariably causes stress and anxiety. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes not only pain, but also symptoms such as diarrhea and gas that are not easy to deal with in social and professional situations. This leads to continued mental stress and has every tendency to lead the patient towards the risk of depression.

Recent research findings suggest patients who show symptoms of depression and anxiety report a lower quality of life and could perhaps be at an increased risk of a relapse. Another study showed that patients with Crohn's disease who received some psychological treatment spent fewer days in the hospital and took fewer sick days. What is important is to break the seemingly vicious cycle of depression increasing the IBD and vice versa. Counseling plays an important part in making the patient aware of his illness and that he can play an active part in treating is depression.

The best known treatment for Ulcerative Colitis is with natural Aloe Vera which has been showing promising results. Its anti inflammatory action on the inner linings of the intestines plays a major role in arresting further irritation of the bowels as also in regenerating dead cells in the inner linings of the intestines. Aloe Vera heals, and if taken regularly, it restores your digestion and absorption. This increases nutrition intake in the body. Simultaneously, the patient can be put on a course of mild anti depressants and weaned off after a few months.

Treating irritable bowel syndrome with drugs may give short-term relief but always lead to severe side-effects. Knowing that there is no identified cure for this illness and that all drugs give only temporary relief should lead the doctor and the patient to a smart management of the disease as well as weaning oneself away from drugs. As said before, preference should be given to treating the patient with Aloe Vera juice, since this not only manages the overall condition of the body, but also improves the general well-being of the body.

Once the patient experiences a prolonged period of absence from the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, his general mental condition improves considerably. Instead of giving in to depression and anxiety, he begins to experience hope and relief from a chronic illness. As his mental attitude turns positive, his mood generally remains more cheerful than before, leading to a gradual improvement of his health.

Clinical Presentation: Every year throughout the world more than 5 million people-most of them kids younger than 1 year-die of acute infectious looseness of the bowels. Although death is really a uncommon outcome of infectious diarrhea within the United States, morbidity is substantial.

It is estimated that you will find more than 200 million episodes each year, resulting in 1.8 million hospitalizations at a price of $6 billion per year. The morbidity and mortality attributable to diarrhea are largely due to loss of intravascular volume and electrolytes, with resultant cardiovascular failure. For example, adults with cholera can excrete a lot more than 1 L of fluid per hour.

Contrast this with the typical volume of fluid lost daily within the stools (150 mL), and it is clear why massive fluid losses connected with infectious diarrhea can lead to dehydration, cardiovascular collapse, and death. Gastrointestinal (GI) tract infections can present with primarily upper tract symptoms (nausea, vomiting, crampy epigastric pain), small intestine symptoms (profuse watery diarrhea), or large intestine signs or symptoms (tenesmus, fecal urgency, bloody looseness of the bowels).

Sources of infection consist of person-to-person transmission (fecal-oral spread of Shigella), water-borne transmission (Cryptosporidium), food-borne transmission (Salmonella or S aureus foods poisoning), and overgrowth following antibiotic administration (Clostridium difficile).

Etiology: A wide range of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa can infect the GI tract. However, in the majority of instances, symptoms are self-limited, and diagnostic evaluation isn't performed. Individuals presenting to medical attention are biased toward the subset with more severe signs or symptoms (eg, high fevers or hypotension), immunocompromise (eg, HIV or neutropenia), or prolonged duration (eg, chronic diarrhea defined as lasting 14 days). An exception is large outbreaks of food-borne sickness, in which epidemiologic investigations may detect individuals with milder variants of illness.

Pathogenesis: A comprehensive approach to GI tract infections starts using the classic host-agent-environment interaction model. A quantity of host elements influence GI tract infections. Individuals at extremes of age and with comorbid conditions (eg, HIV infection) are at higher risk for symptomatic infection.

Medications that alter the GI microenvironment or destroy typical bacterial flora (eg, antacids or antibiotics) also predispose individuals to infection. Microbial agents responsible for GI sickness could be categorized according to kind of organism (bacterial, viral, protozoal), propensity to attach to various anatomic sites (stomach, little bowel, colon), and pathogenesis (enterotoxigenic, cytotoxigenic, enteroinvasive).

Environmental elements can be divided into three broad categories based on mode of transmission: (1) water borne, (2) foods borne, and (three) individual to person. GI tract infections can involve the stomach, leading to nausea and vomiting, or affect the small and large bowel, with looseness of the bowels as the predominant symptom.

The term "gastroenteritis" classically denotes infection of the stomach and proximal little bowel. Organisms causing this disorder consist of Bacillus cereus, S aureus, and a quantity of viruses (rotavirus, norovirus). B cereus and S aureus produce a preformed neurotoxin that, even in the absence of viable bacteria, is capable of causing disease, and these toxins represent major leads to of foods poisoning.

Although the exact mechanisms are poorly understood, it's thought that neurotoxins act locally, through stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system having a resultant improve in peristaltic activity, and centrally, through activation of emetic centers within the brain. The spectrum of diarrheal infections is typified by the diverse clinical manifestations and mechanisms via which E coli can trigger diarrhea.

Colonization from the human GI tract by E coli is universal, usually occurring within hours following birth. Nevertheless, when the host organism is exposed to pathogenic strains of E coli not normally present in the bowel flora, localized GI illness or even systemic sickness may occur.

You will find five major classes of diarrheogenic E coli: enterotoxigenic (ETEC), enteropathogenic (EPEC), enterohemorrhagic (EHEC), enteroaggregative (EAEC), and enteroinvasive (EIEC). Functions typical to all pathogenic E coli are evasion of host defenses, colonization of intestinal mucosa, and multiplication with host cell injury.

This organism, like all GI pathogens, should survive transit via the acidic gastric environment and be able to persist within the GI tract despite the mechanical force of peristalsis and competition for scarce nutrients from existing bacterial flora. Adherence can be nonspecific (at any part from the intestinal tract) or, a lot more commonly, particular, with attachment occurring at well-defined anatomic areas.

Once colonization and multiplication happen, the stage is set for host injury. Infectious diarrhea is clinically differentiated into secretory, inflammatory, and hemorrhagic kinds, with different pathophysiologic mechanisms accounting for these diverse presentations. Secretory (watery) diarrhea is caused by a quantity of bacteria (eg, Vibrio cholerae, ETEC, EAggEC), viruses (rotavirus, norovirus), and protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium).

These organisms attach superficially to enterocytes in the lumen of the small bowel. Stool examination is notable for the absence of fecal leukocytes, even though in uncommon instances there's occult blood in the stools. Some of these pathogens elaborate enterotoxins, proteins that improve intestinal cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production, primary to net fluid secretion. The classic example is cholera.

The bacterium V cholerae creates cholera toxin, which leads to prolonged activation of epithelial adenylyl cyclase within the small bowel, primary to secretion of massive amounts of fluid and electrolytes into the intestinal lumen. Clinically, the patient presents with copious diarrhea ("rice-water stools"), progressing to dehydration and vascular collapse without having vigorous volume resuscitation.

ETEC, a common trigger of acute diarrheal sickness in young kids and the most typical trigger of looseness of the bowels in travelers returning to the United States from developing countries, creates two enterotoxins. The heat-labile toxin (LT) activates adenylyl cyclase in a manner analogous to cholera toxin, whereas the heat-stable toxin (ST) activates guanylyl cyclase activity.

Inflammatory diarrhea is really a result of bacterial invasion of the mucosal lumen, with resultant cell death. Patients with this syndrome are usually febrile, with complaints of crampy lower abdominal discomfort as nicely as diarrhea, which might contain visible mucous. The term dysentery is utilized when there are substantial numbers of fecal leukocytes and gross blood.

Pathogens connected with inflammatory looseness of the bowels consist of EIEC, Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Entamoeba histolytica. Shigella, the prototypical trigger of bacillary dysentery, invades the enterocyte through formation of an endoplasmic vacuole, which is lysed intracellularly. Bacteria then proliferate within the cytoplasm and invade adjacent epithelial cells.

Production of a cytotoxin, the Shiga toxin, leads to local cell destruction and death. EIEC resembles Shigella both clinically and with respect towards the mechanism of invasion of the enterocyte wall; however, the specific cytotoxin associated with EIEC has not yet been identified. Hemorrhagic diarrhea, a variant of inflammatory diarrhea, is primarily triggered by EHEC.

Infection with E coli O157:H7 has been connected with a quantity of deaths from the hemolytic-uremic syndrome, with a number of well-publicized outbreaks related to contaminated foods. EHEC leads to a broad spectrum of clinical disease, with manifestations including (1) asymptomatic infection, (2) watery (nonbloody) looseness of the bowels, (three) hemorrhagic colitis (bloody, noninflammatory diarrhea), and (4) hemolytic-uremic syndrome (an acute illness, primarily of children, characterized by anemia and renal failure). EHEC doesn't invade enterocytes; nevertheless, it does create two Shiga-like toxins (Stx1 and Stx2) that closely resemble the Shiga toxin in structure and function. After binding of EHEC towards the cell surface receptor, the A subunit of the Shiga toxin catalyzes the destructive cleavage of ribosomal RNA and halts protein synthesis, leading to cell death.

Clinical Manifestations: Clinical manifestations of GI infections vary depending on the on website of involvement For instance, in staphylococcal foods poisoning, symptoms develop several hours after ingestion of foods contaminated with neurotoxin-producing S aureus. The symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning are profuse vomiting, nausea, and abdominal cramps.

Diarrhea is variably present with agents leading to gastroenteritis. Profuse watery (noninflammatory, nonbloody) diarrhea is connected with bacteria that have infected the small intestine and elaborated an enterotoxin (eg, Clostridium perfringens, V cholerae). In contrast, colitis-like symptoms (lower abdominal pain, tenesmus, fecal urgency) and an inflammatory or bloody diarrhea occur with bacteria that more generally infect the large intestine.

The incubation period is usually longer (> 3 days) for bacteria that localize towards the large intestine, and colonic mucosal invasion can occur, causing fever, bacteremia, and systemic symptoms.

In order for the doctor to know more about what is happening to you during the early stages of you being diagnosed with colitis, you will have to undergo some tests. Yet the probability of what you are about to endure with your first colitis attack will be much more intense and far less hospitable than anything your doctor or consultant requires to undertake.

At the doctor's surgery, you will be asked to provide samples of blood, urine and probably a stool. This will be used to analyse precisely what you have and how your system is adjusting and coping so far. They will probably want to have a look at your rectum and the lowest part of your bowel to confirm the inflammation. Quite simply, you should recognise and accept that being diagnosed with colitis really does make you leave your inhibitions at the proverbial door. You just have to recognise the fact that it is essential to gather as much information about your condition as possible and if you consider that if you had an eye problem the doctor would want to examine you eye, so in that respect it really is no difference. It is important to retain this attitude as it can prove beneficial throughout your colitis experience.

In all probability, you will be put on a course of medication. This is normally categorised into two distinct types. The first is anti inflammatory medication which will assist in reducing the inflammation and once it is under control it will be used to try and prevent the infected part of the bowel becoming inflamed again. The second type is steroids. There is no getting round this, but to enable your body to fight colitis it needs a helping hand. And this will take the form of steroids.

No doubt you will have heard about steroids and the effects that they can have on the body and probably someone you know will say with alarm "you should not take these". If you have come across this or are very wary of taking such medication then perhaps this little piece of advice will create a realistic view of the matter for you. When you are in pain, real pain, when moving hurts, when walking hurts, when going to the toilet hurts, when literally doing nothing hurts you need help. And that means effective help. And that comes in the form of steroids. You will probably be given them in both tablet and foam form (especially if your colitis is restricted to the left hand side of the bowel). That is right, foam as well! It is imperative for your disease management that you take the anti inflammatory and steroid medications in the exact amounts that your doctor prescribed for you.

This ideas can be quite vicious in its ferocity and it take a period of time for the medication to bring the attack back under control. Without it, the inflammation of the large bowel and all the symptoms related to that will go unchecked, bring even greater pain and discomfort to the sufferer. To really understand what it is like to endure a colitis attack and understand what is required to get through it and how to start living again, it is very beneficial to discover those who have the exact experience of what you now face.

Pet wellness advice today takes a look at cat pancreatitis, the lack of awareness by cat owners, causes, care and preventative measures.

The job of the pancreas is to produce digestive enzymes and secrete hormones used in the metabolic process. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, and when inflamed, the digestive enzymes break away causing damage to the pancreas and the liver.

When a dog has pancreatitis he will show signs of illness that make it obvious to his owner that something is wrong - usually vomiting and abdominal pain. The symptoms in cats however are more mild, easy to miss or be mistaken for something else.

Symptoms of Pancreatitis in Cats

The most common signs in a cat are lethargy and lack of appetite. However if you are a cat owner you know that cats often sleep and lounge all day and are picky eaters and it is for this reason that cat owners don't sense that something is wrong until it's too late.

Causes of the Disease

Although high in debate, traditional veterinarians tend to believe there is nothing specific that causes this disease in most pets. However, recent studies have shown that in a small percentage of pets pancreatitis has been linked to trauma of the pancreas, viral or parasitic infection, and exposure to organophosphates, which is a toxin commonly found in pesticides. Some medications are also considered to be the culprit of pancreatitis such as; Phenobarbital, Prednisone, other catabolic steroids, and Diuretic drugs.

Dr. Karen Becker tells me in her experience the majority of cats with pancreatic illness first develop inflammation in their GI tract. You may be familiar with some of these conditions such as gastritis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Becker goes further into detail by saying that the underlying reason for a vast majority of GI tract inflammation in pets is food allergies.

Processed Pet Food and Pancreatitis

A majority of commercial cat food contains allergenic ingredients that a cat's GI tract objects to over time. If you're feeding him the same food 365 days a year, it is possible the cat can developed an allergy to the protein source in the food. Once again, we hear and read about the many evils of processed pet food, which is why pet wellness practices steer pet owners away from processed foods and closer to raw food diets and natural pet health care.

Another problem with processed pet food is its lack of natural enzymes, which are biologically appropriate for your pet. Biologically appropriate food supplements the enzymes produced by the pet's body which reduces pancreatic stress. When a cat is fed only processed food, over time the cat's pancreas can develop chronic inflammation and stress from over working to produce the enzymes needed to digest its meals.

The carbohydrate-dense ingredients in most commercial pet foods require high levels of insulin to process. This is also extremely taxing to the pancreas because the other job of the pancreas is to secrete insulin. When a cat's pancreas is over worked and can no longer do its job well, the result is pancreatitis.

Pet Wellness Advice: If Your Cat Has Been diagnosed with Pancreatitis

If your cat is vomiting, sluggish and shows loss of appetite or fever, it is imperative that you seek veterinary attention for your cat. Do not just assume this is a cat's normal behavior. Dr. Becker suggests the cat owner seek the professionalism of an integrative or holistic vet in order to best manage your cat's condition and get him back to good health.

Cat owners should also seriously consider their cat's diet and type of food intake. Turning their meals into natural / raw food is something many pet owners are taking on these days, and with the information we have on store bought pet food and pancreatitis, amongst many other various issues, utilizing the impact of natural pet health care is highly advised.

When your cat's pancreatic situation is stabilized, one of the best things you can do to reduce the risk of another flare up is to supplement his diet with digestive enzymes. You can do this by providing the cat a constant supply of enough digestive enzymes to help him process the food he consumes in order to reduce the workload on the pancreas and reduce organ stress.

a. The pet owner can feed him pancreatic tissue, an option that is quite unappealing to most pet owners.

b. The pet owner can add a digestive enzyme supplement to his cats' meals.

When it comes to domesticated companion animals the best pet wellness practice is to feed a raw diet and practice natural pet health care. There is no way however to provide these pets with the same level of naturally occurring enzymes they would find if they were feeding in the wild, so any domesticated pet can be enzyme deficient and requires a supplement in their daily meals.

Unfortunately, pancreatitis often reoccurs. It's a serious disease that can result in complications like diabetes, hepatic lipidosis, bleeding and clotting disorders, and even brain damage. For these reasons Dr. Becker suggests pet wellness practices be put into action by working with a holistic vet and use natural pet health care to keep your cat strong and healthy and to prevent reoccurring pancreatitis. She also recommends you give your cat a high quality probiotic and transition him to a carb and grain free protein diet to reduce the risk of future episodes of cat pancreatitis.

Failure to obtain biopsies during endoscopy misses important treatable intestinal conditions

Thousands of people are undergoing endoscopic exams daily without having tissue samples obtained. Sadly, though their exams may visually appear normal, under the microscope there are often microscopic findings that explain the symptoms that will respond to directed therapy. The gut is lined with superficial cells that contain a few immune cells that release chemical mediators that attract other cells to the area and fight off foreign invaders.

Several cells only seen microscopically play a role in digestive symptoms

Lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells are the immune cells that are normally present in small numbers in the surface cells of the gastrointestinal tract. A few lymphocytes are present in the tips of the surface cells that are a type of epithelial cell. These lymphocytes act as the body's scouts. They survey the barrier of the gut to the inside of the body, looking for signs of potential invading infectious agents. Once an attack is perceived, they signal reinforcements to join them on the front lines.

Lymphocytes are immune cells detected early in celiac disease and cause bowel symptoms

When persistent increased numbers of lymphocytes are present in the surface cells, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gut exists. In the duodenum, autoimmune reaction to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals is a common but frequently missed cause of chronic inflammation known more commonly as celiac disease or Sprue.

Eosinophils and mast cells are allergy cells that cause bowel inflammation often due to food

Eosinophils and mast cells are types of immune cells involved in allergy reactions in the body. They are less commonly present in the gastrointestinal lining except when there are parasites, food allergies, or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders are less common and a newly recognized condition, mastocytic enterocolitis, is diagnosed when excess mast cells are present in the small bowel and colon. However, mast cells may be difficult to see on biopsies without a special stain for tryptase, an enzyme present in mast cells that are immunologically activated.

Allergic esophagus condition may mimic reflux but is due to food and eosinophils

The esophagus normally contains no eosinophils. The two exceptions gastroesophageal acid reflux in which small numbers, up to 6-7 usually and no more than 10-12 per high power field (40X magnification) are found in the lower esophagus only not in the mid or upper esophagus. Allergic eosinophilic esophagitis is diagnosed when 15 or more eosinophils per high power field are found in more than two fields or more than 20 to 24 per high power field in one field are seen or lesser numbers are present in the upper esophagus. Mast cells that are activated have also been found associated with allergic eosinophilic esophagitis and their presence supports allergic esophagitis over reflux as the cause of the increase eosinophils though it is believed some people have both conditions coexisting.

Allergy and immune cells in the stomach and intestines found microscopically cause symptoms

In the stomach and small intestine more than 10 eosinophils per high power field defines eosinophilic gastroenteritis. In the small intestine and colon more than 20 mast cells per high power field found in association with otherwise unexplained diarrhea is now termed mastocytic enterocolitis. This newly recognized and described entity is previously unrecognized cause of diarrhea in some patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome who may have been told they have a normal colon exam though no biopsies were done. Similarly, more than 20 lymphocytes per 100 epithelial cells in the colon are found in lymphocytic colitis, another form of microscopic inflammation of the intestine resulting in diarrhea that may be inappropriately diagnosed as IBS.

Gluten grains wheat, barley and rye cause increased lymphocytes with normal blood tests

In many of these patients, gluten sensitivity is to blame and the lymphocytic colitis is felt to represent a colonic form of celiac disease. In celiac disease, 30 or more lymphocytes in the tips of the villi per 100 epithelial cells is the earliest sign of gluten injury occurring before the villi become flattened or blunted. This finding may noted before the specific blood tests, anti-endomysial (EMA) and anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibodies appear in the blood even though the intestine is damaged enough to result in nutrient malabsorption and diarrhea. Anti-gliadin antibodies are often present however when significant intra-epithelial lymphocytosis is present along with symptoms that respond to gluten free diet. Lesser degrees of intra-epithelial lymphocytosis have been proposed as highly suggestive of early celiac disease and or gluten sensitivity, in the range of 20-25 per 100 epithelial cells.

Colon can be affected early with microscopic signs only

In the colon, the presence of eosinophils is considered one of the earliest findings of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. In the right colon more than 20 eosinophils per high power field and in the left colon greater than 20 per high power field is considered abnormal and suggests eosinophilic colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel disease or a parasitic infection.

Allergy cells release chemicals causing pain, diarrhea, and sometimes constipation

Eosinophils and mast cells release chemicals that irritate the bowel, increase permeability (cause leaky gut), increase contractions of the gut, increase intestinal secretions and heighten pain. Both cells are related to allergies including food allergies. It is therefore not difficult to conceive of a link to adverse food reactions in the development of intestinal irritation.

Most digestive symptoms should be evaluated by scope examination and blood tests

The important point to be aware of if you have gastrointestinal symptoms and are undergoing or have undergone an endoscopic examination is that a normal appearing intestinal lining does not exclude the presence of damage or irritation sufficient to cause symptoms of pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea nor exclude impaired digestion and absorption. Blood tests exist that can help screen for celiac disease, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis but biopsies of intestinal lining is usually required for definitive diagnosis.

Normal appearing gut lining may not be normal, make sure you get biopsies

Only through obtaining tissue samples that are examined under the microscope can abnormal types and number of inflammatory cells be identified. It is through biopsies of normal appearing intestinal lining that the correct diagnosis of various microscopic forms of gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases is confirmed. So, if you are preparing to undergo an endoscopic exam, I encourage you to insist that your doctor perform biopsies even they believe your exam looks normal. Based on the information I have reviewed above, a normal exam should be tip off that one of these microscopic conditions might be to blame for your symptoms.

References:

Al-Haddad S, and Ridell RH. "The role of eosinophils in inflammatory bowel disease." Gut 2005; 54:1674-1675.

Guilarte M et al. "Diarrhoea-predominant IBS patients show mast cell activation and hyperplasia in the jejunum." Gut 2007; 56:203-209.

Jakarte S et al. "Mastocytic enterocolitis. "Increased mucosal mast cells in chronic intractable diarrhea." Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2006; 130:362-367.

Kirsch R et al. "Activated mucosal mast cells differentiate eosinophilic (allergic) esophagitis from gastroesophageal reflux disease." Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 2007; 44: 20-26.

Liacouras CA. "Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders." Practical Gastroenterology March 2007. 53-67.

Rubio CA et al. "Lymphocytic esophagitis: a histologic subset of chronic esophagitis." Am J Clin Pathol. 2006; 125(3): 432-437.

Yousef MM et al. "Duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytes in disorders of the esophagus and stomach." Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2006; 4:631-634.

Most people who have severe cases of Crohn's disease are always on the lookout for new treatments that can help them feel better, for example homeopathy crohns treatments. Though there are medications and diets you can try, they certainly don't work well for everyone. Then there's those that don't like to take prescriptions because the side effects can often be worse than the problem they are meant to clear up. Others want to try alternative options such as homeopathy Crohns treatments, but have no idea what it entails or what it might do for them.

Though these treatments don't work for everyone, it might not hurt to talk to your doctor about trying some of the alternative methods available to you.Should you decide to see someone about homeopathy for Crohn's, you should be ready to give a detailed description of your health, your symptoms, and what treatments you are currently following with your therapist. You will have to list all of your medications, give details about your diet, and talk about your lifestyle. You also have to talk about your symptoms in a way that you might find embarrassing, but you should remember that they need all of this information to come up with a treatment plan that will work best for you.

Homeopathy will not be a cure for Crohn's, but rather is another way to try to deal with your symptoms. The methods used will concentrate on your most debilitating problems first, and that is why you have to be very detailed about what is going on with your body.

This type of treatment will zero in on your problems, but will also focus on treating your whole self. That means that homeopathy Crohns treatments will deal with the physical, mental, and emotional dynamics of your life to give a more complete result. The belief is that emotions and thoughts can contribute to your physical state, and they should not be ignored during treatment.

Your treatment will consist of natural plants that are meant to help boost your immune system and deal with your symptoms. Many of these plants will not be things you will be familiar with, and remember that it is okay to ask what they are and what they are meant to do. You should always ask when you are not sure about something, as stress and uncertainty are not good for you when you are battling this condition. Your therapist should be more than willing to tell you what you need to know.

When you embark on homeopathy Crohns treatments, it is important that you let your doctor know what you are doing and what you are taking. There can be reactions between the plants and the medications that you are already taking, and that can be very problematic for you.

You should never abandon your medical doctor to try something else, and you should always be very open and honest about what you are going to do and what you might want to try. Your doctor might express concern about following a homeopathy crohns treatment, and might even try to talk you out of it, but they should be willing to work with you if it is something that is very important to you.

We can be grateful to American Indians for a multitude of herbal and natural medicines. Pau d'arco has a been used as a medicine by the indigenous people of the rainforest. The Pau d'arco tree is a broad-leaf evergreen that grows to a height of 125 feet and produces violet colored flowers which accounts for it's often being called the "trumpet tree". It grows well in Peru and Argentina high in the Andes. It can be found growing in the low-lying areas of Paraguay and Brazil. It's use goes back in history to before the Incas. Pau d'arco tree was used to make hunting bows and as a medicine. It was observed by indigenous people that when the tree was alive and even after it was cut down, it never developed growth of mold, mildew, or fungi.

The Guarani and Topi Indians refer to the tree as "tajy, which means "to have strength and vigor" i.e. good health. Tribal medicine people peeled off the tree's bark in long strips. They then separated the inner and outer layers and used the inner bark to make healing teas. Pau d' arco has crystalline oxygen infused in it's inner bark, which is rich in iron, calcium, selenium, vitamins A, B-complex and C., magnesium potassium and sodium. These pau d'arco nutrients make give it antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal action which stimulates the immune system and fights disease. Indigenous people of South America have used pau d'arco for treating malaria, anemia, colitis, respiratory problems, colds, cough, flu, fungal infections, fever, arthritis and rheumatism, poor circulation, skin irruptions and sexually transmitted disease.

Lapachol, which is a photochemical, is present in the inner bark of pau d'arco trees has been documented as an effective natural medicine for use in treating abscesses and tumors. However, for it to be used to treat conditions such as cancer, the amount of lapachol, found in pau d' arco, required to provide and effective dosage, would be toxic if used as the exclusive treatment. It can however, be used along with other cancer treatments. Pau d'arco is given free by the Argentina government to cancer patients and also leukemia patients because of it's blood purifying qualities and because it has been know to reduce pain caused by cancer and it's treatment because of pau 'd arco's anti-inflammatory effect.

Pau d'arco contains selenium which is one of our body's natural defenses against yeast infections, vaginally as well as for topical skin treatment. It's antifungal action aids in the elimination of candida. Because of it's antifungal properties, it is useful for fighting fungi that promotes athlete's foot and other skin infections caused by fungi. It has also been shown to be effective in treating other infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, strep, and dysentery. Pau d'arco has a cleansing ability so is very useful for relieving intestinal infections, destroying parasites, and restoring colon health. A number of infection fighting substances known as napthoquinones seem to destroy certain disease causing bacteria, without destroying beneficial bacteria. This makes it an excellent natural antibiotic.

As a preventative, pau d'arco has been shown to help build our immune system with the stimulation of macrophages that fight disease. Pau d'arco has a high iron content that contributes to the elimination of wastes, the assimilation of nutrients and increasing oxygen supply to needed areas of the body. It helps improve hemoglobin and red blood cell corpuscles.. It therefore can be used for relief from chronic fatigue. Pau d'arco blood cleaning qualities makes it an excellent anti-allergy, anti-rhumatic, astringent, and cardiotonic. It is also often used to balance high blood pressure. It helps tone, balance and strengthen the heart. Pau d'arco helps to neutralize the poisons involving the liver which aids the liver in it's blood cleansing function.. By improving the health of our blood and it's flow we greatly increase the effectiveness of our immune system.

Pau d'arco is very useful in treatment and relief of colds, flu, herpes and hepatitis because of it's antiviral qualities. It therefore is an excellent alternative or synthetic prescription or over-the -counter cold and flu "treatments" that often only suppress symptoms without actually curing the cause or may carry the risk of unwanted, sometimes harmful, side effects e.g drowsiness, etc.

With our concern about the undesired side effects of prescription antibiotics i.e. destroying beneficial bacteria or becoming ineffective because of bacterial mutation, we can find in pau d'arco ,a powerfully effective natural antibiotic alternative. As is true of many natural health care remedies, pau d'arco has many general health care benefits beyond the specific intended purpose. For example, if we use pau d'arco for relieving a cold, we will also benefit from it's cleansing action of our blood and liver, fighting of yeast infection, elimination of intestinal parasites, etc. We an also benefit from it's general immune building properties while treating a specific health condition. Once again, we benefit from the experience and wisdom of indigenous people, as they discovered and developed the use of pau d'arco another of Nature's powerful gifts, a natural antibiotic.