Categories
Our body extricts

The Poop!

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Stool – Healthy and Unhealthy Stool:-

Click to see the  pictures of ->
Bristol  Stool  Chart

This writing might “stink” a little, but this information might serve as an important revelation to many particularly for elderly and persons with contineus stomac problem!

Human poops or  stools, is the waste product of the human digestive system and varies significantly in appearance, depending on the state of the whole digestive system, influenced and found by diet and health.

Normally stools are semisolid, with a mucus coating. Small pieces of harder, less moist feces can sometimes be seen impacted on the distal (leading) end. This is a normal occurrence when a prior bowel movement is incomplete; and feces are returned from the rectum to the intestine, where water is absorbed.

Meconium (sometimes erroneously spelled merconium) is a newborn baby’s first feces. Human feces are a defining subject of humor.

Some persons have bloody stools on and off, usually accompanied by a sight tinch of discomfort. Many times, this doesn’t appear as a threat or danger to them as they often regard it as constipation though they may be passionate lover of fruits and vegetables. This might go  on for some time until one day, bloody stools became really “bloody” and the pain became increasingly painful. Alarmed and paranoid, they call their dear ones who will  recommend  to see the doctor over at his or her clinic.

Now let us see What Does an Ideal Bowel Movement Look Like?

Click to see the pictures

Click for different pictures

Alternative practitioners often ask clients about their stool as part of their assessment. Find out what normal stool should look like, and learn about the causes of green stool, pale stool, yellow stool, blood in stool, mucus in stool, pencil thin stool, infrequent stool, and more.

What Does an Ideal [amazon_textlink asin=’B001U1UKOO’ text=’Bowel Movement’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’5c1f8c56-ee7e-11e6-87a4-8d88514c5f8b’]

Look Like?
An ideal bowel movement is medium brown, the color of plain cardboard. It leaves the body easily with no straining or discomfort. It should have the consistency of toothpaste, and be approximately 4 to 8 inches long. Stool should enter the water smoothly and slowly fall once it reaches the water. There should be little gas or odor.

Stool That Sinks Quickly
Rapidly sinking stool can indicate that a person isn’t eating enough fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, or drinking enough water. This stool is often dark because they have been sitting in the intestines for a prolonged time. Click to learn 5 tips to boost your water intake.

Pale Stool
Stool that is pale or grey may be caused by insufficient bile output due to conditions such as cholecystitis, gallstones, giardia parasitic infection, hepatitis, chronic pancreatitis, or cirrhosis. Bile salts from the liver give stool its brownish color. If there is decreased bile output, stool is much lighter in color.

Other causes of pale stool is the use of antacids that contain aluminum hydroxide. Stool may also temporarily become pale after a barium enema test.

Pale stool may also be shiny or greasy, float, and be foul smelling, due to undigested fat in the stool (see soft and smelly stool).

Soft, Smelly Stool
Soft, foul-smelling stool that floats, sticks to the side of the bowl, or is difficult to flush away may mean there is increased fat in the stools, called steatorrhea. Stool is sometimes also pale. Click to Learn more about the causes of soft, foul-smelling stool.

Mucus in Stool
Whitish mucus in stool may indicate there is inflammation in the intestines. Mucus in stool can occur with either constipation or diarrhea. Click to Read more about the causes of mucus in stool.

Green Stool
The liver constantly makes bile, a bright green fluid, that is secreted directly into the small intestine or stored in the gallbladder. Continue reading about the causes of green stool.

Loose Stool
In traditional Chinese medicine, loose stools, abdominal bloating, lack of energy, and poor appetite can be signs of a condition known as spleen qi deficiency. It doesn’t necessarily involve your actual spleen, but it is linked to tiredness and weak digestion brought on by stress and poor diet. Learn more about the causes of loose stool.

Pencil Thin Stool
Like loose stools, stool that is pencil thin can be caused by a condition known in traditional Chinese medicine as spleen qi deficiency.

Other symptoms of spleen qi deficiency are: easy bruising, mental fogginess, bloating, gas, loose stools, fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools with little odor, symptoms that worsen with stress, undigested food in the stools, and difficulty ending the bowel movement. Spleen qi deficiency can be brought on by stress and overwork.

Eating certain foods in excess is thought to worsen spleen qi deficiency. Offending foods include fried or greasy foods, dairy, raw fruits and vegetables, and cold drinks, all believed to cause “cold” and “dampness” in the body. Dietary treatment of spleen qi deficiency involves eating warm, cooked foods. Ginger tea and cinnamon tea are also warming.

Pencil thin stool can also be caused by a bowel obstruction. Benign rectal polyps, prostate enlargement, colon or prostate cancer are some of the conditions that can cause obstruction.

Infrequent Stool
With constipation, infrequent or hard stool is passed with straining. Learn about the causes of infrequent stool.

Pellet Stool

Pellet stool is stool that comes out in small, round balls. In traditional Chinese medicine, pellet stool is caused by a condition known as liver qi stagnation. Liver qi stagnation can be brought on by stress. Lack of exercise can worsen the problem. Find out more about the causes of pellet stool.

Yellow Stool
Yellow stool can indicate that food is passing through the digestive tract relatively quickly. Yellow stool can be found in people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, chest pain, sore throat, chronic cough, and wheezing. Symptoms are usually worse when lying down or bending. Foods that can worsen GERD symptoms include peppermint, fatty foods, alcohol, coffee, and chocolate.

Yellow stool can also result from insuffient bile output. Bile salts from the liver gives stool its brownish color. When bile output is diminished, it often first appears as yellow stool. If there is a greater reduction in bile output, stool lose almost all of its color, becoming pale or grey.

If the onset is sudden, yellow stool can also be a sign of a bacterial infection in the intestines.

Yellowing of stool can be caused by an infection known as Giardiasis, which derives its name from Giardia, an anaerobic flagellated protozoan parasite that can cause severe and communicable yellow diarrhea. Another cause of yellowing is a condition known as Gilbert’s Syndrome. This condition is characterized by jaundice and hyperbilirubinemia when too much bilirubin is present in the circulating blood.

Dark Stool
Stool that is almost black with a thick consistency may be caused by bleeding in the upper digestive tract. The most common medical conditions that cause dark, tar-like stool includes duodenal or gastric ulcer, esophageal varices, Mallory Weiss tear (which can be linked with alcoholism), and gastritis.

Certain foods, supplements, and medications can temporarily turn stool black. These include:

*Bismuth (e.g. Pepto bismol)

*Iron

*Activated charcoal

*Aspirin and NSAIDS (which can cause bleeding in the stomach)

*Dark foods such as black licorice and blueberries

Stool can be black due to the presence of red blood cells that have been in the intestines long enough to be broken down by digestive enzymes. This is known as melena (or melaena), and is typically due to bleeding in the upper digestive tract, such as from a bleeding peptic ulcer. The same color change (albeit harmless) can be observed after consuming foods that contain substantial proportion of animal bloods, such as Black pudding or Ti?t canh. The black color is caused by oxidation of the iron in the blood’s hemoglobin (haemoglobin). Black feces can also be caused by a number of medications, such as bismuth subsalicylate, and dietary iron supplements, or foods such as black liquorice, or blueberries. Hematochezia (also haemochezia or haematochezia) is similarly the passage of feces that are bright red due to the presence of undigested blood, either from lower in the digestive tract, or from a more active source in the upper digestive tract. Alcoholism can also provoke abnormalities in the path of blood throughout the body, including the passing of red-black stool.

Dark stool can also occur with constipation.

If you experience this type of stool, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

Blue Stool
Prussian blue, used in the treatment of radiation cesium and thallium poisoning, can turn the feces blue. Also, substantial consumption of products containing blue food dye (things such as blue koolaid or grape soda)

Bright Red Stool
When there is blood in stool, the color depends on where it is in the digestive tract. Blood from the upper part of the digestive tract, such as the stomach, will look dark by the time it reaches exits the body as a bowel movement. Blood that is bright or dark red, on the other hand, is more likely to come from the large intestine or rectum.

Conditions that can cause blood in the stool include hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulitis, colon cancer, and ulcerative colitis, among others.

Eating beets can also temporarily turn stools and urine red.

Blood in stool doesn’t always appear bright red. Blood may be also present in stool but not visible, called “occult” blood. A test called the Fecal Occult Blood Test is used to detect hidden blood in stool.

Silver Stool
A tarnished-silver or aluminum paint-like stool color characteristically results when biliary obstruction of any type (white stool) combines with gastrointestinal bleeding from any source (black stool). It can also suggest a carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater, which will result in gastrointestinal bleeding and biliary obstruction, resulting in silver stool.

 

You may click to see white stool:–>   : Should I be concerned

Note: Speak with your doctor about any change or abnormality concerning bowel movements.

YOU MAY CLICK TO SEE :Doctors explain exactly how often you should be pooping and give tips for regularity

Resources
http://gracemagg.blogspot.com/2008/07/poop.html
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/gettingdiagnosed/a/stools.htm
http://www.healingwatersaz.com/colon.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_feces

Categories
Diagnonistic Test

Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography (PTCA)

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Definition:

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTHC or PTC) is a radiologic technique used to visualize the anatomy of the biliary tract. A contrast medium is injected into a bile duct in the liver, after which X-rays are taken. It allows access to the biliary tree in cases where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been unsuccessful. Initially reported in 1937, the procedure became popular after a 1952 report in the English-language literature.

CLICK & SEE
It is an x-ray test that can help show whether there is a blockage in the liver or the bile ducts that drain it. Since the liver and its drainage system do not normally show up on x-rays, the doctor doing the x-ray needs to inject a special dye directly into the drainage system of the liver. This dye, which is visible on x-rays, should then spread out to fill the whole drainage system. If it does not, that means there is a blockage. This type of blockage might result from a gallstone or a cancer in the liver.

It is predominatly now performed as a therapeutic technique. There are less invasive means of imaging the biliary tree including transabdominal ultrasound, MRCP, computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasound. If the biliary system is obstructed, PTC may be used to drain bile until a more permanent solution for the obstruction is performed (e.g. surgery). Additionally, self expanding metal stents can be placed across malignant biliary strictures to allow palliative drainage. Percutaneous placement of metal stents can be utilised when therapeutic ERCP has been unsuccessful, anatomy is altered precluding endoscopic access to the duodenum, or where there has been separation of the segmental biliary drainage of the liver, allowing more selective placement of metal stents. It is generally accepted that percutanous biliary procedures have higher complication rates than therapeutic ERCP. Complications encountered include infection, bleeding and bile leaks.
Why the test is performed?
Bile is a by-product of protein metabolism. It is created in the liver and excreted into the intestines via the bile ducts. If bile cannot be removed from the body, it collects in the blood and is seen as a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice).

Also, the pancreas creates digestive fluids which drain via a common bile duct into the intestine, and thus obstruction can prevent the drainage of the fluids and may cause pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

A PTCA test can help identify whether a blockage is causing the jaundice and pancreatitis.

How do you prepare for the test?
Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to lidocaine or the numbing medicine used at the dentist’s office. Also tell your doctor if you could be pregnant. If you have diabetes and take insulin, discuss this with your doctor before the test.

Most people need to have a blood test done some time before the procedure, to make sure they are not at high risk for bleeding complications. If you take aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or other medicines that affect blood clotting, talk with your doctor. It may be necessary to stop or adjust the dose of these medicines before your test.

You will be told not to eat anything on the morning of the test so that your stomach is empty. This is a safety measure in the unlikely case you have a complication, such as bleeding, that might require repair surgery.

What happens when the test is performed?
You lie on a table wearing a hospital gown. An IV (intravenous) line is inserted into a vein in case you need medicines or fluid during the procedure. An area over your right ribcage is cleaned with an antibacterial soap. Then the radiologist may take a picture of your abdomen with an overhead camera. Medicine is injected through a small needle to numb the skin and the tissue underneath the skin in the area where the dye is to be injected. You may feel some brief stinging from the numbing medicine.

A separate needle is then inserted between two of your ribs on your right side. A small amount of xray dye is injected, and some pictures are taken that are visible on a video screen. Your doctor adjusts the placement of the needle until it is clear that the dye is flowing easily through the ducts (drainage tubes) inside your liver.

Because taking the x-ray pictures sometimes requires a significant amount of time, the doctor replaces the needle with a softer plastic tube. First, the syringe holding the dye is detached from the top of the needle, leaving the needle in place. The doctor then gently pushes a thin wire through the needle and into the duct where the needle has been sitting. Next the needle is pulled out, sliding over the outside end of the wire. The wire is left with one end inside the liver to hold the position where the needle had been. A thin plastic tube similar to an IV line is slid along the wire, like a long bead on a string, until it is in the same place where the needle was. The wire is then pulled out, and the dye syringe is attached to the tube.

More dye is injected through the plastic tube, and pictures are taken with the video camera as the dye spreads inside the liver. If there is no blockage, the dye drains out of the liver through the bile ducts and begins to show up on the x-ray in the area of your small intestine. Once all of the needed pictures have been taken, the plastic tube is pulled out, and a small bandage is placed over your side. The whole test usually takes less than an hour.

Risk Factors:
It is possible to have serious bleeding from this test. In some cases, blood leaks to the outside surface of the liver and causes a buildup of blood there. In other cases, blood can leak directly into the liver’s drainage system, in which case it might start showing up in your intestine, causing a bloody bowel movement. It is less likely that you could develop an infection after the test. The only soreness you are likely to have is at the skin surface where the needle went in. This should last for only a day or two.

In rare cases, the dye used in the test can damage your kidneys. This kidney effect is almost always temporary, but some people have permanent damage.

As with all x-rays, there is a small exposure to radiation. In large amounts, exposure to radiation can cause cancers or (in pregnant women) birth defects. The amount of radiation from the video x-ray in this test is very small-too small to be likely to cause any harm. (The people performing the test on you will wear lead shields, since they would otherwise be exposed to this radiation over and over, which could be more of a danger.)

Must you do anything special after the test is over?
Call your doctor right away if you have pain in your right abdomen or shoulder, fever, dizziness, or a change in your stool color to black or red.

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
You may be told a few early results of your test as soon as the test is done. It takes a day or two for the radiologist to review the x-rays more thoroughly and to give your doctor a full report.

RESULTS:-

Normal Result:-The bile ducts are normal in size and appearance for the age of the patient.

Abnormal Results:-The results may show that the ducts are enlarged, which may indicate the ducts are blocked. The blockage may be caused by infection, scarring, or stones. It may also indicate cancer in the bile ducts, liver, pancreas, or region of the gallbladder.

You may click & See:
*Blocked bile ducts
*Cholangitis (infection in common bile duct)
Special considerations:-
A PTCA may be done if an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ( ERCP) cannot be performed or has failed in the past.

An MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) is a newer, non-invasive imaging method, based on MRI, which provides similar views of the bile ducts.

Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/percutaneous-transhepatic-cholangiography.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percutaneous_transhepatic_cholangiography
http://www.healthline.com/adamcontent/percutaneous-transhepatic-cholangiogram

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Akebia

Botanical  Name: Akebiae Caulis;/ Akebia trifoliata

Family: Lardizabalaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales
Genus: Akebia
Pinyin Mandarin Name: Mu Tong
Common English Name: Akebia; Akebia Stem

Part Used: Stem (caulis)

Nature: Cool
Taste: Bitter

Species & their Habitats:

*Akebia chingshuiensis T. Shimizu, native to Taiwan
*Akebia longeracemosa Matsumura, native to China and Taiwan
*Akebia quinata (Houttuyn) Decaisne – Chocolate Vine or Five-leaf Akebia, native to China, Japan and Korea
*Akebia trifoliata (Thunberg) Koidzumi – Three-leaf Akebia, native to China, Japan and Korea

a) Akebia trifoliate subsp. australis (Diels) T. Shimizu
b)Akebia trifoliata subsp. longisepala H. N. Qin
c)Akebia trifoliata subsp. trifoliata

Invasive plant
Akebia quinata is listed under the National Pest Plant Accord as an “unwanted organism” in New Zealand since it is an invasive plant.
DESCRIPTION: This group consists of hardy, semi-evergreen, climbing plants that are natives of Japan, China, and Korea. They are grown for their pretty flowers and foliage. The flowers of these plants are followed by interesting, sausage-shaped, edible fruits. They are suitable for growing over hedges, low trees, bushes, or stumps. A. quinata (Fiveleaf Akebia) is a large, vigorous climber that grows from 28 to 40 feet high. The leaves consist of five, notched, green leaflets that are flushed with red. In mid-spring, racemes of fragrant, reddish-purple flowers are produced. Male and female flowers are separate, but borne on the same inflorescence; the females at the base and the males at the tip. The dark purple fruits are 2 to 4 inches long; black seeds are embedded in white pulp. A. trifoliata (Threeleaf Akebia) is also a large vine growing up to 28 feet high. The leaves consist of three, shallowly lobed leaflets. The dark purple flowers are produced in racemes, in mid-spring. The light violet fruits grow 3 to 5 inches long, usually in groups of three.

click & see the pictures

POTTING: Akebias will thrive in regular, well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade. They grow better in light rather than heavy soil. These vines need a mild spring to bear flowers and a long, hot summer to produce fruit. In mild climates, these vines may become a little over vigorous and will need to be pruned. Once in a while, excessively long shoots may be trimmed back and in late fall or early spring, they may be thinned a bit.

PROPAGATION: Seeds, layering and cuttings are all methods of propagation. Seeds can be sown as soon as they are ripe in pots or shallow boxes filled with sandy soil, in a greenhouse or cold frame. Cuttings may be inserted in pots of sandy soil in a closed frame for a few weeks until they form roots, or in sandy soil outdoors covered with a bell jar or hand light. Layers may be made by fastening the ends of shoots to the ground with wooden pegs until they form roots.

Medicinal Uses:

A pungent, bitter herb that controls bacterial and fungal infections and stimulates the circulatory and urinary systems and female organs. It is a potent diuretic due to the high content of potassium salts.  Internally for urinary tract infections, rheumatoid arthritis, absence of menstruation, and insufficient lactation.  Taken internally, it controls gram-positive bacterial and fungal infections.
This herb is used to treat symptoms of difficult urination, insomnia, absent menstruation, sore tongue and throat, joint pains, poor circulation, and deficient lactation (TCM: internal damp heat).
Meridians Entered: Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder
Traditional Usages and Functions
Promotes urination and drains heat from the Heart via the Small Intestine; promotes lactation and unblocks blood vessels.

Common Formulas Used In

Dianthus; Gentiana.
Pharmacological & Clinical Research
*Oral and Intravenous preparations of Akebia Caulis showed a very marked diuretic effect in rabbits. This effect was not produced by the ash and was therefore not due to the presence of potassium, but to some other active ingredient. Akebia Caulis had a mild antidiuretic effect when injected intravenously into anesthetized dogs, but increased urine output when given to healthy human volunteers.
*Decoctions of Akebia Caulis had an inhibitory effect in nonpregnant and pregnant mouse uterus specimens, but a stimulatory effect in mouse intestine specimens.
Cautions & Contraindications:
*Contraindicated during pregnancy and in the absence of interior damp-heat.

*This herb easily injures the fluids and should be used with extreme caution in patients with any sign of yin deficiency.
Do not overdose: acute renal failure was reported following a dose of 60

Cautions in Use
Do not use during pregnancy. Use with extreme caution where there are deficient-Yin conditions since akebia strongly promotes urination.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.acupuncture-and-chinese-medicine.com/akebia.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akebia
http://www.botany.com/akebia.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/25983/4.%20Akebia%20Caulis.htm

http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm

Categories
Diagnonistic Test

Barium Swallow (Upper Gastrointestinal Series or “Upper GI Series”)

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Definition:A barium swallow, or upper GI series, is an x-ray test used to examine the upper digestive tract (the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine). Because these organs are normally not visible on x-rays, you need to swallow barium, a liquid that does show up on x-rays. The barium temporarily coats the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and intestine, making the outline of these organs visible on the xray pictures. This test is useful for diagnosing cancers, ulcers, problems that cause narrowing of the esophagus, some causes of inflammation in the intestine, and some swallowing problems.

CLICK & SEE

An upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series looks at the upper and middle sections of the gastrointestinal tract. The test uses barium contrast material, fluoroscopy, and X-ray. Before the test, you drink a mix of barium (barium contrast material) and water. The barium is often combined with gas-making crystals. Your doctor watches the movement of the barium through your esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine (duodenum) on a video screen. Several X-ray pictures are taken at different times and from different views.

A small bowel follow-through may be done immediately after a UGI to look at the rest of the small intestine. If just the throat and esophagus are looked at, it is called an esophagram (or barium swallow).

Upper endoscopy is done instead of a UGI in certain cases. Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look at the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine (duodenum).

Why It Is Done:-
An upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series is done to:

1.Find the cause of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing, vomiting, burping up food, belly pain (including a burning or gnawing pain in the center of the stomach), or indigestion. These may be caused by conditions such as hiatal hernia.

*Find narrow spots (strictures) in the upper intestinal tract, ulcers, tumors, polyps, or pyloric stenosis.

*Find inflamed areas of the intestine, malabsorption syndrome, or problems with the squeezing motion that moves food through the intestines (motility disorders).

*Find swallowed objects.

Generally, a UGI series is not used if you do not have symptoms of a gastrointestinal problem. A UGI series is done most often for people who have:

1.A hard time swallowing.
2.A history of Crohn’s disease.
3.A possible blocked intestine (obstruction).
4.Belly pain that is relieved or gets worse while eating.
5.Severe heartburn or heartburn that occurs often.

How To Prepare for the Test:-
Tell your doctor and the x-ray technicians if you :

1.Are taking any medicine.

2.Are allergic to any medicines, barium, or any other X-ray contrast material.

3.Are or might be pregnant. This test is not done during pregnancy because of the risk of radiation to the developing baby (fetus).

4.You may be asked to eat a low-fiber diet for 2 or 3 days before the test. You may also be asked to stop eating for 12 hours before the test. Your doctor will tell you if you need to stop taking certain medicines before the test.

The evening before the test, you may be asked to take a laxative to help clean out your intestines. If your stomach cannot empty well on its own, you may have a special tube put through your nose and down into your stomach just before the test begins. A gentle suction on the tube will drain the stomach contents.

If you are having the small bowel follow-through after the UGI series, you will need to wait between X-rays. The entire small bowel follow-through exam takes up to 6 hours, so bring along a book to read or some other quiet activity.

You may be asked to sign a consent form. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form (What is a PDF document?) .
How It Is Done
A UGI series is usually done in your doctor’s office, clinic, or X-ray department of a hospital. You do not need to stay overnight in the hospital. The test is done by a radiologist and a radiology technologist.

You will need to take off your clothes and put on a hospital gown. You will need to take out any dentures and take off any jewelry. You may not smoke or chew gum during the test, since the stomach will respond by making more gastric juices and this will slow the movement of the barium through the intestines.

You might also be asked to swallow some tablets that “fizz,” causing air-bubbles to be released in your stomach. This might make you feel like burping, but try not to. You will get better pictures if you can keep yourself from burping.

The x-ray technician may ask you to stand or lie in different positions over the next few minutes, to help spread around the liquid you have swallowed. Most often, the x-ray pictures are taken while you lie on your back on a table. The x-ray machine or the table is moved a few times so it can take pictures of all of the internal structures. You are asked to hold your breath for each picture so that your breathing movement does not blur the image.

You will lie on your back on an X-ray table. The table is tilted to bring you to an upright position with the X-ray machine in front of you. Straps may be used to keep you safely on the table. The technologist will make sure you are comfortable during changes in table position.

You will have one X-ray taken before you drink the barium mix. Then you will take small swallows repeatedly during the series of X-rays that follow. The radiologist will tell you when and how much to drink. By the end of the test, you may have swallowed 1cup to 2.5cups of the barium mixture. See a picture of a barium swallow test.

The radiologist watches the barium pass through your gastrointestinal tract using fluoroscopy and X-ray pictures. The table is tilted at different positions and you may change positions to help spread the barium. Some gentle pressure is put on your belly with a belt or by the technologist’s gloved hand. You may be asked to cough so that the radiologist can see how that changes the barium flow. See an image of a barium swallow.

If you are having an air-contrast study, you will sip the barium liquid through a straw with a hole in it or take pills that make gas in your stomach. The air or gas that you take in helps show the lining of the stomach and intestines in greater detail.

If you are also having a small bowel study, the radiologist watches as the barium passes through your small intestine into your large intestine. X-ray pictures are taken every 30 minutes.

The UGI series 30 to 40 minutes. The UGI series with a small bowel study takes 2 to 6 hours. In some cases, you may be asked to return after 24 hours to have more X-ray pictures taken.

When the UGI series is done, you may eat and drink whatever you like, unless your doctor tells you not to.

You may be given a laxative or enema to flush the barium out of your intestines after the test to prevent constipation. Drink a lot of fluids for a few days to flush out the barium.

How It Feels
The barium liquid is thick and chalky, and some people find it hard to swallow. A sweet flavor, like chocolate or strawberry, is used to make it easier to drink. Some people do not like it when the X-ray table tilts. You may find that pressure on your belly is uncomfortable. After the test, many people feel bloated and a little nauseated.

For 1 to 3 days after the test, your stool (feces) will look white from the barium. Call your doctor if you are not able to have a bowel movement in 2 to 3 days after the test. If the barium stays in your intestine, it can harden and cause a blockage. If you become constipated, you may need to use a laxative to pass a stool.

Risk Factors:
There are no significant risks.

Barium does not move into the blood, so allergic reactions are very rare.

Some people gag while drinking the barium fluid. In rare cases, a person may choke and inhale (aspirate) some of the liquid into the lungs.

There is a small chance that the barium will block the intestine or leak into the belly through a perforated ulcer. A special type of contrast material (Gastrografin) can be used if you have a blockage or an ulcer.

There is always a small chance of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any radiation, even the low level of radioactive tracer used for this test.


How long is it before the result of the test is known?

It takes the x-ray department 30 minutes to an hour to develop the pictures from your barium swallow, and it will take additional time for a doctor to examine the x-rays and to decide how they look. Typically you can get the results within a day or two.

Must you do anything special after the test is over
After the test, you can eat normally and do your normal activities. You should drink more water than usual to help clear out the barium and to prevent constipation, which might be a side effect of the test. Your stool may appear light in color for a couple of days.

Results:-
An upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series looks at the upper and middle sections of the gastrointestinal tract. Results are usually ready in 1 to 3 days.

Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series  Normal: The esophagus, stomach, and small intestine all look normal.

Abnormal: A narrowing (stricture), inflammation, a mass, a hiatal hernia, or enlarged veins (varices) may be seen. Spasms of the esophagus or a backward flow (reflux) of barium from the stomach may occur.

The UGI series may show a stomach (gastric) or intestinal (duodenal) ulcer, a tumor, or something pushing on the intestines from outside the gastrointestinal tract. Narrowing of the opening between the stomach and the small intestine (pyloric stenosis) may be seen.

The small bowel follow-through may show inflammation or changes in the lining that may explain poor absorption of food. This may be caused by Crohn’s disease or celiac disease.

What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

*Eating before or during the test.
*Too much air in the small intestine.

ABOUT THE TEST:
*A gastrointestinal (GI) motility study may be done if the squeezing motions of the small intestine are not normal during the UGI series and small bowel follow-through. The movement of the barium through the lower intestinal tract is recorded every few hours for up to 24 hours. A barium enema or colonoscopy may be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

*Upper endoscopy is done instead of a UGI test in certain cases. Endoscopy uses a thin, flexible tube (endoscope) to look at the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper small intestine (duodenum). For more information, see the medical test Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

*The UGI series test:

*Cannot show irritation of the stomach lining (gastritis) or esophagus (esophagitis) or ulcers that are smaller than about 0.25in. in diameter.

*Cannot show an infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which may be a cause of stomach ulcers.

*A biopsy cannot be done during the UGI if a problem is found.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/upper-gastrointestinal-ugi-series?page=4
https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/diagnostics/barium-swallow.shtml

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Bacteria Defends Gut Against Cancer

Diagram of the Human Intestine.
Image via Wikipedia

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The presence of bacteria in the human gut could produce substances that protect against colon cancer and provide therapy for inflammatory  bowel disease.

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Researchers from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health and from the MTT Agrifood Research Institute in Finland report that bacteria in the gut convert linoleic acid, a naturally-occurring fat in the diet, into a form called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is absorbed by the gut wall.

There are different types of CLA and not all of them have beneficial effects. “The ‘good’ form of CLA is present in dairy foods such as milk and cheese,” said John Wallace of the Rowett Research Institute, “but eating lots of dairy foods won’t necessarily help our gut health as most of the fats are digested in the small intestine before they get to the large intestine, where most of our gut bacteria are found.”

The results of these latest studies showed that several different forms of CLA are produced by gut bacteria. Fortunately, most was of the “good” kind, but Wallace stressed that more extensive studies are needed. One subject produced small amounts of a CLA whose beneficial or otherwise effects are much less clear.

The implications are that, if small quantities of dietary linoleic acid can be delivered to the large intestine, the effects on gut health will be generally beneficial in most people, said an Abereen release.

“The results are of special interest for individuals using anti-obesity treatments that prevent the small intestine from absorbing fats. This means that those fats – including linoleic acid – will pass into the large intestine and the gut bacteria will produce CLA. It has to be the correct CLA, so it is important to understand how individuals produce different CLA. This must depend on which types of bacteria are present,” Wallace said.


Sources
: The Times Of India

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