Spider Venom Suggests Pain Solution for IBS

“Fascinating!”

— Dr. Dale

Spider Venom Suggests Pain Solution for IBS

By Yvette Brazier

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310819.php

Venom from spiders and other creatures help scientists by revealing nerve pathways in humans.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder.

If a person has a functional disorder, they experience symptoms, but diagnostic tests do not reveal any structural or biochemical abnormalities.

Doctors do not know what causes IBS, but emotional factors, medication, diet, and hormones may trigger or worsen thesymptoms. Fatty food and stress may provoke it.

According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), around 10-15 percent of people experience IBS worldwide.

The symptoms of IBS include recurrent abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. To receive a diagnosis of IBS, the person should experience at least two of the following:

• Relief with defecation
• A change in frequency of stool
• A change in consistency of stools.

About 40 percent of cases are mild, 35 percent are moderate, and 25 percent are severe.

Not everyone who has IBS consults a doctor, but it is one of the most common disorders seen by physicians. In the United States, between 2.4-3.5 million visits per year are thought to be due to IBS. It accounts for up to 12 percent of all primary care consultations.

Between 60-65 percent of cases involve women, and it is thought that some women with IBS undergo unnecessary abdominal surgery in an attempt to end the problem.

Spider venom highlights key nerve pathways

In the current study, an international team of researchers, from the U.S. and Australia, used spider venom to pinpoint a protein that is involved in transmitting the type of pain felt by people with IBS.

The study was led jointly by Associate Prof. Stuart Brierley, of the University of Adelaide, and Prof. Glenn King, from the University of Queensland - both in Australia - as well as Prof. David Julius, from the University of California-San Francisco, and Dr. Frank Bosmans, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

The team investigated 109 spider, scorpion, and centipede venoms. The strongest result was from the venom of a type of tarantula found in West Africa, known as Heteroscodra maculate.

The venom was found to activate an ion channel, or a protein in nerves and muscles, known as NaV1.1, which also plays a role in epilepsy.

The first finding of the current study was that NaV1.1 could be important in sensing and transmitting pain.

The team then found that NaV1.1 was present in pain-sensing nerves in the intestines, suggesting that the pathological levels of abdominal pain experienced by people with IBS could stem from NaV1.1.

The authors believe that identifying NaV1.1's role in signaling chronic pain is the first step toward creating new treatments.

How can spider toxins help?

Prof. King notes that spider venom is useful for investigating the processes of pain signaling in humans.

"Spiders make toxins to kill prey and defend themselves against predators, and the most effective way to defend against a predator is to make them feel excruciating pain," he says.

Because of this, he explains, we can expect spider venom to be full of molecules that stimulate the pain-sensing nerves in the body.

Scientists can use this information to find new pain pathways, by observing which nerves are activated when they come into contact with the venoms.

13 common mistakes that can aggravate your piles or hemorrhoids

“Good to keep in mind.”

— Dr. Dale

13 common mistakes that can aggravate your piles or hemorrhoids

http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/common-mistakes-that-can-aggravate-your-piles-or-hemorrhoids-v0616/

1. Sitting for long periods of time and leading a sedentary lifestyle

Being overweight can worsen your condition. If you have a desk job and spend most of your free time watching TV or surfing the internet, it will only lead to chronic constipation and more straining on the toilet. Being physically inactive can put more pressure on the veins of the blood vessels around your anal area, so avoid sitting at one place for too long. Make an effort to walk more and take up cardio exercises for your own well-being. Go for a brisk walk or a jog for at least 30 minutes every day to get some form of relief.

2. Lifting very heavy objects on a daily basis

If you have started working out in the gym, it is definitely a positive step. However, don’t overdo it with the weight lifting and completely avoid heavy weight lifting. You will only end up putting more pressure on your clot(s) or external haemorrhoids. Moderate exercising is the way to go until your symptoms start to subside.

3. Ignoring symptoms of constipation or diarrhea

It’s a known fact that suffering from constipation will result in the formation of more external haemorrhoids or what is more commonly called skin tags. The other extreme, which is diarrhea, can also aggravate your piles and worsen the symptoms. If you have been suffering from loose motions or difficulty in passing bowel movements, make a food diary. Evaluate your diet carefully and try to figure out what is causing the constipation or diarrhea and consciously eliminate those food items from your diet. If the diarrhea still persists, consult your physician. These are the medicines that can cause chronic constipation.

4. Maintaining poor hygiene

In India, the heat and high humidity levels can be a piles patient’s worst enemy. If you don’t take a shower every day and keep your anal area clean and dry, the irritation and itching will go from bad to worse. Remember to keep toilet paper handy with you when you go to the toilet. Thoroughly wash your genital area with warm water and after that, gently pat the area dry. Don’t rub toilet paper or any cloth against your anal area to avoid any burning sensation. During your menstrual cycle, switch to sanitary napkins specifically made for sensitive skin to avoid any rashes.

 5. High stress and anxiety levels

If you have a demanding job or if you’re going through a stressful phase, take some time out to de-stress if you have to. Leading a stressful life will lead to anxiety and depression which will in turn make your haemorrhoids flare up. Find an activity that calms you down and if need be, take two to three days off from work until you stress levels go down. This really helped me while I was suffering from chronic anal fissures and piles.

6. Overusing laxatives

Your gastroenterologist is going to prescribe stool softeners and laxatives to get some relief from the symptoms of piles. Usually, these tablets or syrups are meant to be taken for not more than one week. Don’t abuse these laxatives and make a habit of popping these tablets regularly. If you’re still feeling constipated, go natural and switch to Isapgol for immediate relief. You could also try these home remedies for constipation.

7. Reading or using your smartphone while sitting on the toilet

Remember not to spend more than 10-15 minutes maximum on the toilet. Straining on the pot will lead to more anal skin tags and bleeding. When you’re reading your morning newspaper or scrolling through various social media apps, you lose track of time and end up putting a lot of pressure on the blood vessels. Set a timer for 10 minutes on your phone and once that time is up, get off your commode! If possible, use Indian toilets to facilitate your bowel movements.

8. Using scented wet wipes

Be careful while buying wet wipes. As far as possible, avoid them because most wet wipes are scented and contain irritants like alcohol which will cause excruciating pain on the affected areas. If you want to keep your anal area clean and devoid of any faecal matter, opt for asitz bath.

9. Using your nails or scratching

Anal itching is a persistent problem for those suffering from piles or haemorrhoids. As far as possible, avoid scratching your anal area because it will only result in more pain. The last thing you want is a burning sensation down there throughout the day. Ask your doctor to prescribe topical ointments or gels to get rid of the itching.

10. Drinking too much coffee

Just like alcohol, coffee can also cause dehydration and irritate your stomach lining. Caffeine is also known to be the leading cause of constipation, so cut down drastically on your caffeine consumption. Here’s how to deal with caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

11. Sitting on hard or rough surfaces for too long

As far as possible, you need to avoid putting any form of pressure on your anal area. Avoid sitting on the floor for prolonged periods of time and if your chair at work isn’t comfortable enough, keep a small pillow handy to sit on.

12. Not answering nature’s call on time

When your body is signalling that you have to go no.2, drop whatever it is that you are doing and evacuate your bowels. Controlling the urge to defecate will only put more pressure on the veins around your anal area. Schedule your timings to go to the toilet according to your bowel movements and stick to that routine.

13. Avoiding surgical treatment

In some cases, despite undergoing the traditional medical treatment for hemorrhoids or even anal fissures, the symptoms can still persist. If you have made adequate lifestyle and diet changes but you still notice blood in your stools along with symptoms such as excessive pain, swelling and itching down there, it is time to consult a general surgeon. Here’s what you need to know about hemorrhoid surgery. Don’t be embarrassed by your condition and seek the treatment required instead of suffering in silence.

How to Get a Colonoscopy in 14 Anxiety-Filled Steps

“Hilarious read!”

— Dr. Dale

How to Get a Colonoscopy in 14 Anxiety-Filled Steps

By Dawn Weber

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-weber/how-to-get-a-colonoscopy-_b_10468020.html

It happens to almost everyone eventually. You’re going along living your life, dreaming your dreams and merrily walking around without ever having a tube inserted in your personal regions, when all of a sudden . . .

BAM!

It’s time for your first colonoscopy.

Yes, despite your best efforts to avoid such a situation, chances are you will one day find your brown eye staring down the business end of a colonoscope — a long flexible tube with a small camera — either due to your age or the fact that you’re having GI problems. Here at the Center for Too Much Information (CTMI), we’ve put together a handy guide for women in the latter situation, as we, um, have a woman “friend” who had this experience. Read on:

• Suffer painful symptoms for several weeks. Dread telling any doctors about it, because you think it will lead to medical staff poking around in your coal hole, although you will soon find out you’re wrong about this. Be sure to begin worrying incessantly and imagining the worst.

• Google your symptoms on WebMD, otherwise known as www.It’sProbablyFatal.com. Obtain lots of information, all of which basically boils down to “Could be nothing. Could be cancer.” Proceed to have nervous breakdown.

• A month later at your annual OB/GYN appointment, discuss problems with physician. Although he used to briefly examine your rear prison purse in addition to your front lady garden, he tells you insurance companies no longer allow him to open the back door until after age 45. “It’s probably nothing. You’ll be fine,” he says, recommending fiber and water (which you already consume) and sending you on your way.

• Two months later, head to family doctor and tell her about ongoing problems. “It’s probably nothing. You’ll be fine,” she says, also prescribing water and fiber (which again, you already consume). She doesn’t examine area either. You’re finding out that oddly, no one wants to look inside your butt, even when you’re paying them.

• Symptoms continue for several more months, so you make an appointment with a specialist, who is concerned enough to prescribe a colonoscopy. You are relieved that someone will finally be looking at your balloon knot. You are horrified that someone will finally be looking at your balloon knot. And snaking a hose all the way up your Hershey Highway.

• As colonoscopy approaches, begin dreaming of snakes — in doctor’s offices, in toilets, in your underpants. For good measure, make repeated visits to WebMD/It’sProbablyFatal.com and continue to scare yourself silly. Chant It’s probably nothing. You’ll be fine until you fall asleep.

• On day before procedure, limit diet to such satisfying items as water, tea and lemonade. Obtain can of chicken broth. This is your lunch. Later that afternoon, open giant prescription bottle of MoviPrep, a.k.a. Colon Blow. This is your dinner.

• Gather fully charged iPad, ten-pack of toilet paper and a change of underwear. Sprint to bathroom and strap yourself to toilet, for it will be your new home. Over the next eight hours, you will excrete digested food from as far back as the Carter administration exiting your rear at speeds approaching the sound barrier. At times you think you will be done with your terrifying mission.But lo — you will be wrong.

• Around midnight, attempt to sleep. Note the word “attempt” here, because thanks to the fact that you can’t eat, drink, or take any of your usual fun array of sleeping pills, you will be wide awake, starving and riddled with worry. Your partner’s snoring keeps you up, so you head to the couch, where your growling stomach keeps you up. Seriously contemplate eating throw pillows.

• Arrive at hospital the next morning and check in. Thanks to anxiety and eight hours of tossing and turning, you’re half asleep, yet still conscious enough to be scared, well, shit-less. (See what we did there?)

• Allow medical staff to prep you for procedure, and smile weakly at their attempts to cheer you up with poo-related humor. You’re desperately trying to forget the fact that they’ll soon be doing things to you that are almost illegal in several states, so you ask for anesthesia. The nurse obliges, but you feel nothing at first and tell her, “I don’t think you gave me enough. I’m-really-nervous-so-you’ll-probably-need-to-inject-more-‘cause-I-don’t-feel-a-thing-and . . .Zzzzz.”

• Wake up groggy and half-naked with faces all around you, as if you’ve slept through your first orgy. The doctor says everything looks fine, and you’re suddenly very happy because of the great news, not to mention the awesome anesthesia. Despite your liaison with the pooper python, you feel no pain in your ass. In fact, you feel no pain at all.

• Head into recovery area. A nurse checks your vitals and says that you have to pass a large amount of gas before she can let you go. You cheerfully oblige her request in front of God and everybody, because you know this is the quickest route to food. Also you are still high as a kite.

• Giggle as spouse helps you dress and ties your shoes. As you haven’t eaten since dinnertime two days ago, demand that he takes you to Taco Bell at once! and post-haste!He reminds you that you’ve recently drank 64 ounces of MoviPrep/Colon Blow. Hmm. Taco Bell . . . Colon Blow. Even in your purple haze, you realize this is not a wise combination, so he takes you to Bob Evans, where you consume everything on the breakfast menu. And the contents of the butter dish. With a spoon.

Well, there you have it, folks, a handy guide for your first trip down the old dirt road. You can see that a colonoscopy is a pain-free way to lose a little weight and freak way the hell out about nothing, as well as a chance to get naked, sleep and fart.

In front of total strangers.

___________________________________________________

We at the Center for Too Much Information do not advise doing what our, um, “friend” did. Between the start of the problem and and the symptoms being waved off by two doctors, it was eight months before, um, “she” found a specialist who took her concerns seriously. Remember, some insurance companies don’t even require referrals for specialists — hers did not. And as another dear friend once said, if something isn’t right, get checked. It’s probably nothing. You’ll be fine.

Butt (see what we did there?) . . .

. . . it’s better to know for sure.