- Hemorrhoids

- Laxative dependency

- Umbilical or inguinal hernias (output of the abdominal contents through areas where it has weakened the abdominal wall). These increase with excessive force needed for the deposition.

- Prolapse of the uterus or rectum (out of the rectum or uterus through the anus)

- Occurrence of colon diverticula (small pouches that form in the colon wall by the difficulty to pass stool)

How I can prevent constipation?

- A balanced diet rich in fiber, including bran, fruits and vegetables often helps- Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day

- Hot drinks like tea, coffee or hot water may stimulate bowel movements

- Prunes, kiwis or prune juice may also be beneficial

- Drinking less white bread and the integral type, less sugar pies and

- Exercising regularly improves digestion and reduces stress. Getting used to have regular bowel habits. The best time is usually an hour after breakfast. Do not be rushed. We must sit at least 10 minutes, regardless of whether they can pass feces or not.

- Immediately go to the bathroom as the need arises deposition

When should I see a doctor?

Although constipation is a very common disorder and usually due to dietary alterations and inconsequential, it can sometimes be the first sign of serious illness or due to alterations in the gut that will require treatment, sometimes surgery for resolution. So consult your doctor if constipation is not resolved by the measures described above, or if a persistent constipation has been developed in an unexpected way. Your doctor will evaluate the importance and severity of symptoms of constipation and can advise on the type of drugs that can be used and which are basically:

- Stool softeners. They increase the volume of stool and make them more lubricated, making it easier disposal.

- Stimulant laxatives to help work the muscles of the intestine. There are many different combinations of laxatives available without a prescription, but it is prudent to be the physician who set the decision which one to use.

credit to: Dr. Antonio Barrasa Shaw, Dr. Torben Nathan, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Ove Schaffalitzky de Muckadell, Dr. Dan Rutherford

We talked about when the feces constipation are so harsh that are difficult to remove, or when the stool frequency is too low. In most cases it is not particularly dangerous, but can be a symptom in the context of other diseases that could well be hidden at first. If a person over 40 years developing a permanent constipation (or any other change in bowel habits) should consult a physician for an accurate diagnosis.

What causes constipation?

Most cases of constipation are caused by poor diet that lacks enough fiber and water. This is often compounded by a sedentary or low physical activity.

Other less common causes of constipation are:

- Certain medications like painkillers with codeine, morphine derivatives, calcium channel blockers and beta blockers (drugs to treat hypertension and certain heart problems), antidepressants and antacids.- Irritable bowel syndrome

- Hypothyroidism

- Back pain

- Chronic kidney disease

- Colon cancer

- Excess calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia)

- Neurological diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, spinal cord injuries or other

- Prolonged stays in bed after surgery or trauma injuries

- Movement disorders of the bowel or pelvis muscles responsible for the deposition.

What are the symptoms of constipation?

- Cramping and pain with bowel movements

- Feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation

- Bloating in the stomach area

credit to: Dr. Antonio Barrasa Shaw, Dr. Torben Nathan, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Ove Schaffalitzky de Muckadell, Dr. Dan Rutherford

The symptoms of an upset stomach include occasional heartburn, taste of bile in the mouth and stomach pain may be worse if you take spicy, coffee, citrus, fatty foods, onions, tomato sauce, alcohol or chocolate. In some cases, milk can ease the pain. Other symptoms include irregular bowel movements, constipation and painful bowel movements.

What are the possible causes?

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Typically, the problem is caused by reflux of acid from the stomach up into the esophagus to the throat. It usually feels like a burning in the chest or stomach. GERD can be caused by the opening of the muscles around the upper stomach because the stomach is being pressured due to pregnancy or obesity. Drinking coffee, eating citrus fruits, fatty foods, onions, tomato sauce, chocolate or drink alcohol often worsen the condition, because it causes the muscle of the upper stomach to relax and facilitate the passage of acid into the esophagus.Ulcers

Gastroduodenal ulcers have similar symptoms and therefore often confused with gastroesophageal reflux. If symptoms also include weight loss and black-colored stools, it is important to see a doctor promptly to determine if the cause is or not an ulcer. Nine out of ten cases (nearly 100% of duodenal ulcers and 80% of gastric ulcers), the ulcer is caused by a bacterium called helicobacter pylori. This bacteria can be treated with high doses of anti-ulcer and antibiotics, while reducing the risk of new ulcers.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Another cause could be irritable bowel syndrome, often appearing as a pain aggravated by eating and relieved by defecation. IBS occurs when a change in bowel movement with no other identifiable disorder and worsens especially in situations of stress and anxiety. Drink plenty of water regularly and often defecate help.

Other less common diseases

Among other, less frequent and require a visit to a specialist include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are chronic intestinal inflammation.

What steps can you take?

- See your doctor to establish the cause of symptoms.

- After being diagnosed, follow the treatment.

- If initial treatment fails, return to your doctor. Most cases of gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcers can be treated successfully with medication for ulcers, requiring sometimes also use antibiotics.

- If the cause is irritable bowel syndrome, do not take neutralizing stomach acid. Have no effect.

What are the warning signs?

- Black stools (melena). They are bloody digested and adopted the color similar to tar or grease car.

- Nausea or vomiting blood or looks like coffee grounds

- Unintentional weight loss

- Paleness and fatigue due to unexplained iron deficiency

- Sudden and sharp pain.

All these symptoms require a doctor’s diagnosis and the cause may be due to a serious illness.

credit to: Dr. Felipe Calvo Martínez, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Dan Rutherford

Sports efforts can cause asthma attacks or aggravate symptoms of asthma and known. Exercise Asthma is a very particular type of asthma that required treatment. Asthmatics are advised to practice sports, with the condition to avoid extreme stress. Treatment is essential and allows many athletes maintain their level of competition. Only some types of severe asthmas require a reduction in sporting activity.

Viral infections

Most of the pictures asthmatics are worse in winter, especially during colds. People with asthma should monitor their peak flow and its output end in order to tailor treatment in case of declines. This often requires double the dose of inhaled corticosteroids for several weeks, because the symptoms often require time to disappear.It is recommended that people with chronic respiratory failure come to your annual flu vaccination.

Aspirin

Aspirin can cause asthma attacks in people with allergies. The allergic to aspirin often have nasal polyps. Asthma attacks induced by aspirin can be serious.

Other drugs such as ibuprofen may involve the same consequences.

The allergen present in the aspirin is present in certain foods, so you should consult a dietitian to learn about foods that pose a risk if you are diagnosed with asthma induced by aspirin.

Snuff and smoke cigarette

People with asthma should not smoke! Cigarette smoke causes:

- Lung Cancer

- Pulmonary Infections

- Chronic bronchitis

- Emphysema

- Bronco, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially in asthmatic smokers

- A worsening of asthma in children whose parents smoke.

Pollution

Especially from cars, trucks and factories.

Has not demonstrated that it may cause asthma, but aggravate the symptoms and asthma.

Asthmatics are advised to avoid leaving the days of high pollution, and especially not play outdoor sports these days.

credit to: Dra. Angela Simpson, Dr. Luis Alberto Ramos Neira

- Close the windows of the house.

- Close the windows of the car.

- Avoid the parks and gardens, especially in the early afternoon.

- Find places where the pollen count is lower, as the sea.

Allergens in the workplace: occupational asthma

Some asthmatics find that their asthma is aggravated especially after working. In fact, they are exposed to irritants or allergens that will exacerbate his asthma.

Other people develop asthma for some time after starting a new job. Asthma is induced by substances that have been exposed.Must diagnose this type of asthma, because:

- The best treatment is to change workplace.

- If exposure continues, the only thing that will happen is that the disease becomes worse.

In general, this type of asthma has been the shorter the duration of exposure, the greater the chance of cure. Since the diagnosis is often difficult, you need go to a doctor specializing in occupational medicine and respiratory diseases. Professionals are exposed contact:

- The aerosol paints containing diisocyanates

- The flour and yeast (bakers)

- Latex gloves (health professionals)

- Cyanoacrylate Adhesives

- Platinum salts

- Laboratory animals

- Welding fumes

- Products used in the manufacture of soaps.

Numerous other substances can cause occupational asthma, although it is important to remember that this is a rare disease.

Once the occupational asthma is diagnosed, it is necessary:

- A professional relocation

- A change of working methods

- A total career change.

credit to: Dra. Angela Simpson, Dr. Luis Alberto Ramos Neira

Many people own pets while being allergic to their hair. The presence of an animal at home has on the ongoing allergic bronchial inflammation, as well as triggering asthma attacks.

What to do?

The ideal would be separated from the animal. But you must know that for some months the beneficial effects will not be apparent because the hairs will persist in many corners of the house. The improvement will be evident when the hairs have disappeared completely.If it is impossible to separate from the animal, it will take to reduce the amount of allergens in the home. How?

- Wash the animal twice a week.

- Use a vacuum cleaner with special filters and bags and thick double wall.

- Install an electrical filter system and change air filters regularly.

- Get rid of carpets and rugs.

- Neuter male cats.

Food

Many people believe they have food allergies, however, true allergies are very rare, affecting only 5% of children and 1% of adults.

Food allergies are mostly related to:

- Fish

- Shellfish and crustaceans

- Peanuts and some other nuts

- Certain fruits, especially exotic, such as kiwis, lychees, etc..

Food allergies are often serious and manifest themselves shortly after eating the food is at the moment in which those affected became aware of their allergy.

How are you allergies can be dangerous, our advice is to consult an allergist, who will:

- Confirm the allergy by skin tests (prick tests) and blood tests.

- Provide advice and treatment to prevent accidents.

In some asthmatics, asthma can be aggravated by certain foods, but this is often difficult to determine. The diagnosis can be made by hospitalizing the person and making follow a special diet: initially, only a few selected foods, and thereafter, if the asthma improves, gradually reintroduce foods to monitor respiratory function. This allows us to find the food poorly tolerated, often tend to be the eggs, milk or wheat.

credit to: Dra. Angela Simpson, Dr. Luis Alberto Ramos Neira

The mites are arthropods of the class of arachnids (spiders) to tiny size, they measure about 0.3 mm.

They live in warm, humid and very abundant in the dust. We find in most houses, especially in bedding, carpets, mattresses, pillows and carpets, where they find their livelihood, as well as the peeling of the skin.

The mites cause very allergenic proteins. These proteins will trigger an inflammatory process in the bronchi, causing asthma attacks.

Since mites are found in most of the rooms, allergies are constantly exposed to this invisible danger

The only way to avoid the crisis is to eliminate the mites.Anti mites

Physical measures

- Avoid carpets.

- Preferably use pillows, mattresses and pillows made in synthetic materials.

- Avoid soft toys or wash frequently.

- Place the stuffed animals in the refrigerator at night: the cold kills the mites.

- Pass the vacuum regularly to prevent accumulation of dust on carpets.

- Wash bedding every two weeks at 55 ° C, which kill mites and will eliminate certain allergens.

- Certain detergents can destroy allergens washable.

- Fan rooms and beds, especially in cold and dry regions.

- Enter the cushions and mattresses in a plastic sleeve.

- Fight against moisture and keep the temperature between 18 and 20 ° C.

Chemical measures

- The acaricides, are products that are in the form of liquid solutions or shampoos acaricides that can be used in carpets.

- Start by vacuuming before applying acaricide.

- Repeat the process every month or two on average.

Environmental measures

Stays high, above 1000-1200 meters, are very favorable for people allergic to dust mites because they are very low due to cold temperatures and dry air.

credit to: Dra. Angela Simpson, Dr. Luis Alberto Ramos Neira

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that manifests itself in patients by:

- Cough

- A diminished ability to breath

- A feeling of respiratory discomfort

- A feeling of chest tightness

- Beeps breathing.

Most asthmatics have no signs between attacks, while some experience a continued breathing discomfort. The asthmatic suffering an inflammation of the airway walls.Many asthmatics are allergic, and the presence of allergens in their environment that produces the inflammation of the airways. For example, household dust, mites, cats, dogs, etc.

In some cases it is not possible to determine the cause of asthma.

Avoiding triggers

Whatever the cause of asthma, what triggers the crisis are the same:

- Viral illness (colds, flu, bronchitis)

- Cold Air

- Sport

- Thrills, laughter

- Pollution

- Snuff

- Products and particular substances in the workplace

- Allergens in house cats, dogs, dust mites, cockroaches, molds, food allergies, medications (aspirin).

If you think you have an allergy, talk with your doctor, who will perform tests to inquire about his or her allergies.

credit to: Dra. Angela Simpson, Dr. Luis Alberto Ramos Neira

The doctor can diagnose by the symptoms that tell the parents and the child, plus listen to your chest. It is very useful to measure lung capacity by a flowmeter (peak flow meter), a simple device that measures the speed with which the child exhales from his lungs. This measurement can be done in the office and at home, which is particularly effective in very intermittent or in cases triggered by exercise or that become apparent at night.

However, the best diagnostic aid is the good response to treatment test is often prescribed to symptoms.

Asthma Medication

Very often it is necessary to administer medication to the child to:

- Eliminate the symptoms, allowing the social reintegration through play and exercise

- Mitigating the body’s allergic reactions and relieve inflammation of the airways

- Reduce or eliminate long-term effects of inflammation on the lungs, allowing normal development.Medications for asthma are basically like those used in adults, with some peculiarities. They are classified into two groups:

Bronchodilators

Quick-impact, relaxing the bronchial muscles and relieve symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. They are part of the emergency treatment of an acute asthma attack.

Inflammatory

O prophylactic, which act in the longer term, reducing airway inflammation.

Both groups can be combined.

Bronchodilators

There are three types of drugs:

Beta-agonists: they act on receptors in the muscles of the small bronchi, causing relaxation. Action may have a short, 3 to 4 hours, as salbutamol or terbutaline, or a more lasting effect, such as salmeterol, reaching up to 12 hours and is very useful for exercise-induced asthma and nocturnal symptoms although it is not suitable for children under 4 years. These drugs (and in general all that is given through inhalation) inhaled dose dependent, so that children are required to use the devices and adapters that ease of administration (inhalation chambers). It is recommended that the nurse or the doctor will recommend the most appropriate for their age.

Anticholinergic Ipratropium as they block the effect of the nerves, preventing the muscles contract, the effect of nerve stimulation, allowing the opening of the airways. The effect is mild, so rarely used in children as usual.

Theophylline is administered orally, but because of its side effects are deprecated.

Inflammatory

Corticosteroids, reduce inflammation of the airways, and the tendency to contract. Inhaled are usually given, although in severe cases are used orally. They are very effective, but due to its potency and potential side effects must assess its use.

Chromones: cromolyn and nedocromil, act also reducing inflammation of the bronchi, and are particularly suitable for mild asthma in children. Administered by inhalation was well tolerated, but have no immediate effect so that they can not be used in crisis.

Leukotriene receptor antagonists: montelukast and zafirlukast. Are relatively new. Blocked the contraction mediated by inflammation in the lung. However, due to its recent marketing and use have not been tested in children under 6 and 12 years respectively, so they have little use in the pediatric field.

What are the prospects for long term?

As mentioned at the beginning, 50% of children diagnosed with asthma than the disease as they grow older and it seems that the lighter the more likely to cure asthma exist.

Moreover, with proper treatment and well controlled, the asthmatic child able to participate like other children in play and exercise normally.

credit to: Dr. Stuart Crisp, Dr. Stephen Greene, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Finn Rasmussen, Dr. Alvar Ocano Pueyo

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, so that between 1 and 2% of all children suffer from asthma attacks during childhood, and between 15 and 20% of all children suffer from an attack of difficulty breath and wheezing, but fail to develop asthma. However, about 50% of children diagnosed with asthma come to heal on reaching adulthood.

Generally, children have asthma attacks during viral colds, also irritants and allergies can cause it, such as:

- Tree or grass pollens

- Skin, hair and animal dander

- Foods such as milk or eggs

- House dust mites

- Mushrooms and microscopic fungi.What makes child asthma get worse?

There are a number of irritants that exist in the environment that contribute to worsening asthma attacks.

- Exposure to substances that are allergic

- Snuff smoke (cigarettes or pipe)

- Common Colds

- Pollution and dust

- Efforts and exercise (this does not mean you should not do exercise, but to implement a specific medication before).

When to see a doctor?

Parents should take their children to the doctor at the mere suspicion of having asthma, according to the symptoms described above. If your child is already diagnosed, and medication does not work or seems to make it worse, do not hesitate to consult with your doctor, and whether there is any respiratory tract infection.

It is urgently necessary to consult a doctor if:

- The child has difficulty breathing

- The skin or lips change color and become very pale or bluish

- Shortness of breath worsens dramatically

- The crisis of asthma is much worse than usual.

credit to: Dr. Stuart Crisp, Dr. Stephen Greene, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Finn Rasmussen, Dr. Alvar Ocano Pueyo