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Endometriosis is a disorder presenting with varying pain levels in which tissue similar to that of the uterus grows "outside of its designated area" such as the pelvis lining, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. Endometriosis can rarely be found beyond the pelvic area. It was shown to affect roughly about 10% of the global female population in reproductive age.
Research has shown that at any point in time depending on the definition used (self-diagnosis or functional diagnosis), constipation affects between 1 in 6 to 1 in 10 people globally. Constipation most commonly occurs when stool movements are too slow within the colon and thus cannot be eliminated via the rectum resulting in hardening of the stools.
Ulcerative colitis (UC), like Crohn's disease, is a chronic condition in which our immune cells target cells of our digestive tract. Unlike Crohn’s which affects the entire digestive tract (mouth to anus), UC begins in the rectum (connecting segment of the large intestine to the anus) and may affect the entire colon (large intestine). UC affects 0.005-0.5% of individuals per year.
Crohn's also known as regional enteritis, presents as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) resulting in chronic inflammation from mouth to anus. The disease progresses in "patches" meaning the areas of inflammation aren't continuous. Crohn's affects approximately 0.1-0.3% of the population. The exact cause of the illness is unknown, but several factors such as heredity and immune activation by a bacterium or virus have been proposed in the development of IBD.
Diarrhea is defined as passing three or more loose or watery stools a day. It isn’t something patients like to discuss, much less have because of the accompanying consequences which impede their quality of life (bloating, gassy, and urgency of stool passage).
Celiac disease is known by many names such as gluten sensitivity enteropathy, celiac sprue, and nontropical sprue. This chronic illness presents as an auto-immune reaction in which our immune cells attack tissues of the small intestine when we consume gluten thus, resulting in poor nutrient absorption. Worldwide prevalence based on blood tests is 1.4% while 0.7% is based on biopsy. The disease has been associated with heredity, certain genetic mutations predispose patients to develop the illness.
The subject of defecation (pooping) is an uncomfortable and embarrassing topic for most patients when asked by a physician. It is advised for patients to open up and share this information as clues may be missed by the physician in establishing a proper diagnosis. In this short article, I will point out what normal/and abnormal stools consist of in terms of color, shape, firmness, and various other characteristics that should be communicated by the patient to aid physicians in making a diagnosis.
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