Colon disease vary in their gravity, some may just be mild irritation while others can be a threat to life. The four most common kinds of colon disease include non-cancerous polyps, ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease and Crohn’s disease.

Polyps

Colon polyps are basically abnormal growths of tissue that appear in the lining of the colon, protruding into intestine’s canal. While polyps are normally not serious, they can develop cancer cells later if not detected early. There are three subtypes of polyps and polyp-related diseases: ordinary polyps, familial adenomatous polposis, and Lynch Syndrome.

Ordinary polyps occur sporadically among people aged 40 to 60. These polyps may progress into cancer within ten years, and thus they are often removed with colonoscopy. Familial adenomatous polyposis or FAP is a hereditary disease that is characterized by the occurrence polyps in the colon by the hundreds or even thousands, with great chances of developing cancer and thus treatment entails removal of the colon. Lynch Syndrome is another hereditary condition that is more common than FAP, although less common than ordinary polyps, and unlike FAP, which occurs as early as age ten, Lynch Syndrome usually appears as late as the 40s or as early as the 20s.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is characterized by the inflammation in the mucosa, the deepest lining of the colon or rectum. Ulcers or small open sores would form on the lining’s surface, producing blood, pus and mucus. Around 500,000 to about two million people in America suffer this disease and most of the patients are below the age 30.

Ulcerative Colitis usually manifests with abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, fevers, or weight loss. Patients who experience excessive bleeding may also develop anemia and malnutrition, especially for children. The symptoms of this disease can disappear and reappear within months or years.

Diverticular Disease

Some people develop pockets in the walls of their colon, these pockets are called dierticula and their presence is what doctors refer to as diverticulosis while their inflammation is called diverticulitis. Complications can happen when infection reaches diverticula. The pockets may rupture causing bowel blockage or leaking of the bowel wall. Another great danger is the introduction of harmful bacteria causing abscesses and even small tears in the colon walls that could lead to life threatening abscesses in the abdomen.

Many people who have diverticular disease may not know about it because diverticulosis usually do not have symptoms. At most, people have mild cramps, constipation and bloating. Diverticulitis on the other hand manifests with abdominal pain, soreness around the lower left side of the abdomen, fever, vomiting, nausea, chills, and cramping. The gravity of these symptoms greatly depends on the extent of complications and infection.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease, which is also known as enteritis or ileitis, is a digestive tract disease characterized by the chronic inflammation of the colon and other parts of the digestive tract. It affects about 500,000 to two million Americans and can recur over a patient’s lifetime. Oftentimes, Crohn’s Disease is hard to detect because it has similar symptoms to other colon disorders like ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

The usual symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, weight loss, fever, anal pain, bloating, anal drainage, rectal abscesses, joint pain, skin lesions and fissure. Some patients bleed to the extent of developing anemia. Crohn’s disease may stunt the growth and development of children due to the malabsorption of protein and other important nutrients.

Crohn’s disease may sometimes result into ulcers that could tunnel to surrounding tissues and areas such as the vagina, and bladder. Fistulas, or abnormal tunnels, may also result from Crohn’s disease.

Knowing about colon diseases is just a small part of keeping one’s digestive health on the right track. Regular checkups for colon disease or other illnesses are necessary to ensure good health and general well being.

It is not known if the abnormal functioning of the immune system is a result or cause of the disease. However it has been found that inheritance of genes, the immune system and the environment all influence the inflammation of the GI tract. It is also taught that the inflammation of the GI tract is the body’s reaction to the antigens in the environment.

When suffering from Crohn’s disease there is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract that may affect any part between the mouth and anus. It usually affects the terminal part of the digestive tract, the start of the large intestine and surrounding the anus. This swelling causes discomfort and damage to the digestive tract.

This disease is sometimes referred to as regional enteritis or ileitis and is quite similar to a condition called ulcerative colitis. These diseases are called inflammatory bowel diseases and display similar symptoms of unpredictable flares and remissions.

Crohn’s disease usually occurs in young people between the ages of 15 and 35, and is more common in North America and Europe. Even the whites, cigarette smokers and those with a Jewish ethnic background are more prone to the disease. However a person cannot be declared to be suffering from Crohn’s disease just by the presence of these diseases. It is necessary to have a physical examination that includes blood and tool tests and an examination of the patient’s medical history. The imaging tests used for diagnosing Crohn’s disease are barium x-rays and numerous forms of endoscopy where a flexible camera holding a camera is inserted into the digestive tract.

There is not much knowledge for the cause of Crohn’s disease; however it has been proven that nutrition or emotional stress can indeed aggravate the symptoms of Crohn’s disease. This is why a person has to maintain a healthy diet that has sufficient calories, nutrients and proteins when suffering from Crohn’s disease. Children with Crohn’s disease need supplemental nutrients like enteral and parenteral nutrition.

Statistics show that the incidence and prevalence of cases of Crohn’s disease has increased steadily since the past 50 years in United States. In fact, the United States has the highest rates in the world while Asia and South America have the lowest rates. Crohn’s disease is more prevalent in men than women and is more prevalent in urban than rural areas.

As Crohn’s disease is a debilitating disease, the right medical treatment and measures have to be adapted so that the discomfort from flares can be handled. It is possible to live a normal life when suffering from Crohn’s disease with the right treatment and lifestyle changes.

Causes of Crohn’s Disease

The common Causes of Crohn’s Disease :

People with a family history of ulcerative colitis (another inflammatory bowel disorder) also run a higher risk of getting the disease.

Stress is thought to exacerbate the illness which can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus.

Most recent research has concentrated on mycobacteria. A diet low in fibre and high in chemicals is also suspected to have a role in the illness.

Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease

Some Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease :

Crampy abdominal (belly area) pain

Persistent, watery diarrhea

Diarrhea.

Fever

Fatigue

Loss of appetite.

Treatment of Crohn’s Disease

Since there is frequently a bacterial infection along with Crohn’s disease, antibiotics are often used to treat this problem. Two that are commonly used are ciprofloxacin (trade name: Cipro) and metronidazole (trade name: Flagyl).

The anti-bacterial agent Metronidazole has been shown to be effective in treating lesions in the gut, but long-term use can lead to seizures.

Other drugs which can be effective include sulfaslazine, immunosuppressive drugs and corticosteroids.

Abdominal cramps and diarrhea may be helped by medications, which often lessen the inflammation in the colon. More serious cases may require steroid drugs, antibiotics, or drugs that affect the body’s immune system.

A small number of patients, who temporarily need extra nutrition, may need periods of feeding by vein (intravenously).

sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), Dipentum, Asacol, Rowasa, and Pentasa belong to a group of drugs called the 5-aminosalicylates. These drugs are most useful in maintaining a remission, once the disease is brought under control. They are most effective when the disease is present in the colon. These are available in oral and enema preparation.

Causes of Parkinsons Disease

Common Causes and Risk factors of Parkinsons Disease

Free radicals.

Accelerated aging.

Environmental toxins.

Genetic factors.

Trauma.

Carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hydrocephalus.

Signs and Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease

Common Sign and Symptoms of Parkinsons Disease

Depression and other emotional changes.

Difficulty in swallowing.

Chewing, and speaking.

Urinary problems.

Constipation.

Skin problems.

Sleep disruptions.

More than 4.5 million Americans are believed to have Alzheimer’s disease and by 2050, the number could increase to 13.2 million. Approximately 65,800 victims die and 350,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease are diagnosed each year. America is not alone in dealing with this terrible affliction. In every nation where life expectancy has increased, so has the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is becoming tragically common. It is estimated that there are currently 26 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease. This figure is projected to grow to more than 106 million people by 2050.

The first sign of Alzheimer disease is a continuous pattern of forgetting things. This starts to affect a person’s daily life. He or she may forget where the grocery store is or the names of family and friends. This stage of the disease may last for some time or quickly progress, causing memory loss and forgetfulness to get worse.

Although some kinds of memory loss are normal parts of aging, the changes due to aging are not severe enough to interfere with the level of function. Many different diseases can cause dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is by far the most common cause for dementia in the United States and in most countries in the world.

Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not know what causes AD, and there is no cure.

There is no cure for AD and no way to slow the progression of the disease. For some people in the early or middle stages of AD, medication such as tacrine (Cognex) may alleviate some cognitive symptoms. Donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Reminyl) may keep some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. A fifth drug, memantine (Namenda), was recently approved for use in the United States. Combining memantine with other.

The likelihood of having Alzheimer’s disease increases substantially after the age of 70 and may affect around 50% of persons over the age of 85. Nonetheless, Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging and is not something that inevitably happens in later life. For example, many people live to over 100 years of age and never develop Alzheimer’s disease.

AD drugs may be more effective than any single therapy. One controlled clinical trial found that patients receiving donepezil plus memantine had better cognition and other functions than patients receiving donepezil alone. Also, other medications may help control behavioral symptoms such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression.

The tracer, called Pittsburgh Compound-B, was used during a PET scan on a woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease 10 months before her death. The tracer showed plaque build-up in the same areas of the brain where plaques were found upon autopsy.

Alexander disease, which affects mostly males, usually begins at about 6 months of age. Signs and symptoms of the infantile form typically include an enlarged brain and head, seizures, stiffness in the arms and legs, mental retardation, and delayed physical development. Less frequently, onset occurs later in childhood (the juvenile form) or adulthood. Common problems in juvenile and adult forms of Alexander disease include speech abnormalities, swallowing difficulties, and poor coordination. Infantile Alexander Disease leads to symptoms in the first two years of life; while some children die in the first year of life, a larger number live to be 5-10 years old. Alexander disease belongs to leukodystrophies, a group of diseases which affect growth or development of the myelin sheath. In Alexander disease, the growth of the white matter of the brain, or myelin sheath, is affected.

Cerebellar disease also occurs in this disorder. In most cases, Alexander disease appears to occur randomly for unknown reasons, with no family history of the disease. In an extremely small number of cases, it is thought that the disorder may have affected more than one family member. Affected children survive a few weeks to several years. The juvenile form usually presents between four and ten years of age, occasionally in the mid-teens. Survival is variable, ranging from the early teens to the 20s-30s. Prior to the identification of the genetic features, other names were used to describe the clinical features and pathology of Alexander disease, such as hyaline panneuropathy and dysmyelinogenic leukodystrophy. These terms are no longer used.

Because the genetic defect in Alexander disease is known, genetic testing on a blood sample can be used to diagnose most cases of Alexander disease. There is no medication for Alexander disease. Treatment, which is symptomatic and supportive, primarily consists of attention to general care and nutritional needs, antibiotic therapy for infections, and management of associated complications such as anti-epileptic drug therapy for seizures. A suggestive diagnosis can also be made from the clinical symptoms, including enlarged head size, combined with radiological studies and negative tests for other leukodystrophies. Surgical interventions, including placement of a feeding tube and/or shunting for hydrocephalus, may also be required. Orthopedic surgery for scoliosis has been reported in a case of Alexander disease.

Due to the incurable and exhausting nature of the disease care-management of Alzheimer’s is vital. The character of the principal caregiver is frequently taken by the partner or a good relative. Carers may themselves sustain from strain, over-work, depression, and being physically strike or struck. Nonetheless, Alzheimer’s disease is not a natural region of aging and is not something that necessarily happens in late living. For instance, many folk lively to over 100 years of age and never produce Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms alter as the circumstance develops, and it may head to disarray, personality changes and an overall difference in behavior. People with this disease normally expect extensive maintenance during the sophisticated stages of the disease. Alzheimer disease are classified as intermittent or nonfamilial, which means they do not seem to operate in families.

The disease can start many years before it is finally diagnosed. In its earlier stages, short-term memory departure is the almost popular symptom, frequently initially thought to be caused by aging or emphasize by the sufferer. Later symptoms include disarray, ire, climate swings, word dislocation, long-term memory departure, and the general withdrawal of the sufferer as his or her senses drop. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are mostly reported to a physician when memory-loss causes worry, and on suspecting Alzheimer?s disease, the doctor or healthcare specialists will affirm the diagnosis with a behavioral appraisal and cognitive tests, frequently followed by a mind read. Over moment, folk with the disease suffer their power to believe and cause understandably, evaluate situations, resolve problems, focus, recall helpful data, go maintenance of themselves, and still talk.

No treatment has been organize to reverse the disease, and it is not known whether current treatments slow the progression, or simply manage the symptoms. Many preventative measures have been suggested for Alzheimer’s disease, but their value is often uncertain: mental stimulation, exercise and a balanced diet are usually recommended, both as a possible prevention and as a sensible way of managing the disease. Combining memantine with other AD drugs may be more effective than any single therapy. One controlled clinical trial found that patients receiving donepezil plus memantine had better cognition and other functions than patients receiving donepezil alone. Also, other medications may help control behavioral symptoms such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression.

Autoimmune inner ear disease is a rare disease occurring in less than one percent of the 28 million Americans with a hearing loss. Both allergy and traditional autoimmune disease such as ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjoegren’s syndrome, cogan’s disease, ulcerative colitis, wegener’s granulomatosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma can cause or be associated with AIED. The condition has been suggested to be more common in female patients who may or may not have concomitant systemic autoimmune disease than in male patients. Autoimmunity occurs with loss of homeostatic control in the immune system. Host tissues become recognized as foreign and induce damaging vasculitis and fibrosis. Veldman described a continuum of autoimmunity. On one end, organ specific responses with organ specific autoantibodies and T cells produce tissue alteration.

The symptoms of autoimmune inner ear disease are abrupt hearing departure in one ear progressing quickly to the second ear. The hearing departure can advance over weeks or months. Vestibular role may be lost gradually so that intense symptoms do not happen, but patients may produce ataxia and unsteadiness more evident in dark with long-term, multilateral vestibular hypofunction. More experience with the disease has revealed this to be a rare finding and it is not considered a routine occurrence in the syndrome. Outer Ear symptoms that may be attributed to allergy include chronic itching or frequent infections of the ear canal. Meniere?s disease in one or both ears may sometimes be aggravated by allergies. Diagnosis of autoimmune inner ear disease is difficult and is often mistaken for otitis media until the patient develops a loss in the second ear.

There are several protocols for treatment of autoimmune inner ear disease. Treatment goals in autoimmune inner ear disease include improving speech thresholds to levels treatable with hearing aids in severely affected patients and recovery of hearing to near normal levels in those with mild to moderate losses. Most patients with autoimmune inner ear disease respond to the initial treatment of steroids, prednisone, and methotrexate, a chemotherapy agent. Some patients may benefit from the use of hearing aids. In persons with response to steroids, in most cases a chemotherapy type of medication such as cytoxan or will be used over the long term. The medicine can be put right into the inner ear under local anesthesia, or through the use of tiny ear tubes put in place surgically. Not all people respond to steroid therapy the same way. Treatment in some people results in better hearing, or better discrimination or both.

The immune system is made up of organs and cells that work together to defend the body against attacks by outside invaders such as bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the body’s immune system reacts against itself and produces antibodies to attack its own healthy cells and tissue. Autoimmune disorders can be directed mainly at one part of the body, such as the thyroid gland or the pancreas, or they can spread widely throughout the body, as in the case of diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases, and some have similar symptoms. This makes it hard for your health care provider to know if you really have one of these diseases, and if so, which one. Getting diagnosed can be frustrating and stressful. In many people, the first symptoms are being tired, muscle aches and low fever.

Normally the immune system’s army of white blood cells helps protect the body from harmful substances, called antigens. Examples of antigens include bacteria, viruses, toxins, cancer cells, and foreign blood or tissues from another person or species. The immune system produces antibodies that destroy these harmful substances.

Autoimmune disorders are diseases caused by the body producing an inappropriate immune response against its own tissues. Sometimes the immune system will cease to recognize one or more of the body’s normal constituents as “self” and will create autoantibodies – antibodies that attack its own cells, tissues, and/or organs. This causes inflammation and damage and it leads to autoimmune disorders.

The immune system is a network of organs, cells and molecules that work together to defend the body against attacks by foreign (not of the body) invaders such as germs, bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. When one of these invaders (antigens) tries to break into the body, the body’s first line of defense is the skin and mucous membranes. The skin and mucous membranes house macrophages (white cells of the tissues) and antibodies. The macrophages job is to digest the antigens while the antibodies trap the antigens that got away.

Autoimmune diseases are the third most common category of disease in the United States after cancer and heart disease; they affect approximately 5%–8% of the population or 14–22 million persons. Autoimmune diseases can affect virtually every site in the body, including the endocrine system, connective tissue, gastrointestinal tract, heart, skin, and kidneys. At least 15 diseases are known to be the direct result of an autoimmune response, while circumstantial evidence implicates >80 conditions with autoimmunity. In several instances, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and myocarditis, the autoimmune disease can be induced experimentally by administering self-antigen in the presence of adjuvant (collagen, myelin basic protein, and cardiac myosin, respectively).

Coeliac disease is a lifelong condition of the small intestine (bowel). Gluten is a mixture of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin. It is found in wheat, barley and rye. When combined with water gluten becomes sticky and forms the familiar texture of dough. gluten causes the immune system to produce antibodies that attack the delicate lining of the bowel, which is responsible for absorbing nutrients and vitamins from food.

Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat (and similar proteins of the tribe Triticeae which includes other cultivars such as barley and rye). Upon exposure to gliadin, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reaction. That leads to flattening of the lining of the small intestine, which interferes with the absorption of nutrients. The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. While the disease is caused by a reaction to wheat proteins, it is not the same as wheat allergy.

There’s no cure for coeliac disease, but it can be controlled by following a gluten-free diet for life. This allows the damaged villi to recover and nutrients can then be absorbed normally again and symptoms disappear.

The risk of someone with coeliac disease developing bowel cancer is believed to be no more than that of someone who doesn’t have coeliac disease, provided they stick to a gluten-free diet.

If you have celiac disease and eat foods with gluten, your immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Gluten is a protein in wheat, rye and barley. It is found mainly in foods but may also be in other products like medicines, vitamins and even the glue on stamps and envelopes.

Coeliac disease is an inflammatory disease of the upper small intestine and results from gluten ingestion in genetically susceptible individuals. Inflammation may lead to the malabsorption of several important nutrients. Clinical and mucosal recovery after institution of a gluten free diet is objective evidence that the enteropathy is gluten induced. In 1950, Dicke observed the central role of gluten in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease Coeliac disease is closely related to dermatitis herpetiformis.In dermatitis herpetiformis, skin rash and a similar small intestinal enteropathy to that of coeliac disease are typically present, and both respond to withdrawal of gluten.

In people with coeliac disease, the small intestine becomes inflamed when foods containing gluten are consumed. This inflammation damages the lining of the small intestine, which normally has tiny, finger-like projections called villi that are responsible for absorbing nutrients from food. When the villi are damaged, they may flatten out, making it much more difficult for you to absorb nutrients.

Coeliac disease is a genetic disease, meaning that it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered, or becomes active for the first time, after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.