Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the digestive tract lining. This inflammation often spreads deep into the layers of affected bowel tissues. Symptoms of Crohn’s disease can range from mild to severe and may develop gradually or come on suddenly, without warning.

When the disease is active, the most common symptoms are severe diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, blood in the stool, ulcers in the intestinal walls, and reduced appetite and weight loss as a result of digestive discomfort and the body’s reduced ability to absorb nutrients. Other symptoms that may accompany Crohn’s diease include fever, fatigue, arthritis, eye inflammation, skin disorders, and inflammation of the liver or bile ducts.

the cause of Crohn's disease remains unknown but it is believed to be caused by a combination of heredity and a malfunctioning immune system. Diet, stress, and certain medications may aggravate the condition.

there is also no known medical cure for Crohn's disease, and medical treatment focuses on reducing the inflammation in order to relieve symptoms and if possible to promote long-term remission. Treatment for Crohn's disease usually involves medications such as anti-inflammatories, immune system suppressors, and antibiotics, combined with other medications to help with the symptoms. In severe cases, surgery may be performed to remove a section of the intestinal tract.

because Chinese medicine developed independently from Western medicine, it has its own disease classifications that do not always correspond with Western medical classifications. TCM diagnosis is based on the collective symptoms that a person is experiencing, and together these symptoms create a picture that leads us to the cause. Depending on symptoms, we may classify Crohn’s disease as a type of abdominal pain or diarrhea, or both.

because Crohn’s disease affects the body’s digestive system, it may involve a weakness or disorder of the stomach, spleen, large intestine, and/or kidneys. This is usually due to a constitutional weakness (genetics) that can be aggravated by diet, environment, emotional stress, overwork, or chronic illness, leading to the development of this condition.

Acupuncture treatments can help to relieve the symptoms of a flare-up of Crohn’s disease. Diarrhea and abdominal pain particularly respond well to acupuncture. not only does acupuncture help with the symptoms of a flare-up, but it can also help to strengthen the body and correct functioning to promote faster remission and a reduction in the frequency and severity of future flare-ups.

because we are dealing with a more complex, chronic condition, recovery from Crohn’s disease with acupuncture will be a gradual and steady process, rather than an instant fix. Acupuncture engages the healing process, and each treatment builds on the progress of the last. Conditions like Crohn’s disease that develop over a longer period of time take more time to reverse and undo. However, acupuncture is a positive option that can help sufferers of Crohn’s disease live more symptom-free and experience a better quality of life.

If you suffer from impaired transit, diarrhoea or constipation, bloating and intestinal cramps, you may be afflicted with a condition colloquially known as “leaky gut”.

These symptoms are quite common, being reported in around 30% of the population. the proper medical term for the condition is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). while sometimes ascribed to psychological factors like stress or anxiety, IBS symptoms are more likely to have a physical origin. very common causes are lactose (milk sugar) or fructose (fruit sugar) intolerance, inflammation of the gut, bacterial overgrowth in the gut, gluten intolerance and type III food allergies. But what most people and physicians do not know is that these symptoms may suggest that you are suffering from leaky gut, a condition that can sometimes can be dangerous because it may cause other illnesses.

Leaky gut can cause an inflammation in the blood and even profound inflammation or auto-immune disorders. Leaky gut may cause chronic fatigue, depression, skin disorders, headaches and heart disorders. New research findings show that leaky gut is even associated with the onset of brain disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

How can we explain the association between leaky gut and these different medical disorders? In our bowel cavity there are many bacteria (collectively called bowel flora). Their number increases from the small intestine to the colon. These bowel flora ensure that food is properly processed and digested. They help to digest cartilage and fibres which we ourselves cannot digest. They are also important for the production of certain vitamins, such as vitamin K.

Hundreds of millions of such bacteria are present in the bowels of a typical adult and they may account for up to one or 1.5 kilogrammes of one’s body weight. there are 300 to 600 different types of gut bacteria. most of them are useful but there are also a few potentially dangerous varieties. Some bacteria contain a very toxic substance, called LPS, that is part of the bacterial wall. When small amounts of bacteria containing this toxic substance enter the bloodstream, our immune system mounts a strong reaction to eliminate the bacteria and the toxic substances contain. But when too many bacteria containing LPS enter the bloodstream a dangerous condition, sometimes life-threatening, may result. for this reason one’s body must be able to defend itself against these “bad” bacteria that are normally present in the bowel.

The primary tool our body uses to keep these bad bacteria under control is “good” bacteria (probiotics), such as milk acid bacteria (lactobacillus). When sufficient numbers of good bacteria are present, the detrimental bacteria cannot develop further. thus, milk acid bacteria function as a type of buffer which _ by virtue of their large numbers _ can catch and contain the bad bacteria. you can give nature a helping hand by taking probiotic pills.

A second line of defence against bad bacteria is the bowel barrier, a thin layer of cells and mucous membranes that is normally impermeable to bacteria, thus contain them in the intestinal cavity. Leaky gut arises when the bowel barrier is interrupted because the sticky substances that hold the cell walls together are disrupted. as a result, gaps arise between the cells and bad bacteria may use these openings to pass from the bowel into the bloodstream. this we call leaky or leaking gut. When bad bacteria penetrate the bloodstream they precipitate an inflammatory reaction and, as a consequence, cause the medical disorders described above.

There are several causes of leaky gut: inflammatory bowel disorders, such as Crohn’s and colitis ulcerosa; infections with yeast, such as Candida; infections with bacteria which cause gastro-enteritis, such as salmonella; long-term or very frequent use of antibiotics; repeated use of painkillers (NSAIDs) or alcohol; long-standing psychological stress; extended physical effort (athletes are particularly prone); and food allergies. In addition, very common conditions, such as lactose and fructose intolerance, may endanger your gut wall and promote leaky gut. A shortage of certain anti-oxidants may also increase the risk of you developing leaky gut. for example, when you have a deficiency of glutamine, painkillers can easily cause a leaky gut. this means that the presence of glutamine, an anti-oxidant, is obligatory in order to preserve a good bowel barrier and thus an adequate defence against the bad bacteria.

We estimate that around 50% of patients with depression, chronic fatigue and IBS also suffer from leaky gut. Phrased differently, leaky gut may play a role in the onset of each of these disorders. Although leaky gut is very frequent and a potentially dangerous condition it remains unrecognised in most cases. the diagnosis of the condition is very simple: one specialised blood and stool test can reveal whether you suffer from leaky gut or not. We would recommend that individuals who suffer from IBS symptoms have their blood and stool tested for leaky gut.

It is also important to identify the trigger factors that have caused leaky gut and IBS in order to eliminate these triggers. it may be necessary, therefore, to examine whether you suffer from lactose or fructose intolerance, small intestine bacterial overgrowth, inflammation of the gut, gluten or other food allergies, etc. Although many patients suffer from IBS and leaky gut due to lactose and fructose intolerance and food allergies, most physicians do not test for these conditions.

Our treatments are based on repairing the gut wall by treating with specific anti-oxidants, such as glutamine and zinc. Probiotics will help to reinstall a better equilibrium between the good and the bad bacteria. A specific diet will also help to repair the leaky gut.

New medications to treat leaky gut are likely to become available in the next few years. These medications are now being developed in the US and in Europe. Some are based on chemical compounds. others come from substances produced by living bacteria that have been found to strengthen the gut wall and repair leaky gut. Effective treatment of leaky gut and IBS also calls for the elimination of trigger factors. Therefore, exclusion diets and sometimes antibiotics or antifungal drugs to eradicate bacteria or yeast may be necessary. By following a proper course of treatment, IBS symptoms such as cramps, diarrhoea, constipation amd bloating will be considerably alleviated and should eventually disappear, while the potential danger posed by a leaky gut will be removed. this treatment will not only address the fatigue, depression, skin problems, etc, but will also prevent these conditions in the future.

Michael Maes, MD, PhD, is a physician based at the TRIA Integrative Wellness and Medical Institute, Piyavate Hospital.

About the author Writer: Prof Michael Maes Latest stories in this category:

herpes symptoms are only noticeable when outbreaks occur. Otherwise, the virus lies in latency in the neck or lower spine, oftentimes in no way causing any symptoms at all. In fact, there is practically no way to identify the presence of the virus till an outbreak happens.

The place of the symptoms of herpes depends on the type of the virus – oral herpes symptoms appear in and around the mouth location, and the genital range appear in and around the genital and anal locations of the physique.

The severity of the outbreaks vary from case to case and can range from mild tingling and redness to clusters of painful blisters on the skin. This can be mistaken for other skin disorders, so it is critical that those concerned about the origin of sores in the oral or genital locations be tested for the herpes virus.

Early symptoms of herpes can mimic those of the flu as the physique gears up for fighting a flare-up of the illness. these can involve fever and headache, and depression or irritability, and inflammation of the lymph nodes, particularly those situated close to the webpage of the pending outbreak.

An oral herpes blister is commonly referred to as a cold sore. the outbreak of such a sore begins with a tingling and mile redness of the skin that then develops into a blister that can be rather big and painful. these blisters are commonly situated quite near the lips of the infected person, but herpes symptoms can also be present inside the mouth, particularly on the tongue.

Herpes-related sores do not look like pimples, but rather blisters that contain fluid. throughout the cycle of herpes symptoms, these blisters will burst and dry up as the infection comes to a close. It is crucial to note that the fluid contained in the sores is highly contagious, and when it is present in and about the sore, the infected person is most probably to transmit the illness.

Genital symptoms of herpes vary, and even though some complications that arise can be really uncomfortable, the majority of men and women infected with the virus that causes genital herpes have no notion they are infected and will unknowingly spread the highly contagious virus to other people. Symptoms that might seem early and serve as warning indicators consist of burning or itching sensations in the genital area, pain or burning in the buttocks region.

More advanced symptoms of herpes in the genital area contain blisters similar to those that appear in instances of oral herpes. Small blisters, either as individuals or in a group, will form on the skin on or close to the genitals. the tops of the blisters will eventually come off and leave open wet sores. the open sores will later dry up as scabs develop in the course of the healing procedure leaving no scarring. at this time, the lesions are no longer contagious.

The full cycle of herpes symptoms takes between two and four weeks to complete. The effects are worst for most men and women in the course of the 1st outbreak, which generally happens within a couple of weeks of the initial transmission of the disease. Subsequent outbreaks of can occur four or five times a year, and the frequency of occurrences should decrease in time, though the virus is constantly present in the bodies of those infected.

There are several treatment selections exists to support people cope with symptoms of herpes. Antiviral medications can shorten the length of symptomatic outbreaks and can make outbreaks much less frequent, and may perhaps be in a position to avoid outbreaks of herpes symptoms altogether. Natural remedies for herpes simplex incorporate strengthening the body’s immune method, applying topical herbal formulas and supplementing the diet plan with nutrients such as lysine, polysaccharides, lactoferrin, and resveratol. these option therapies can be just as useful as prescription medications in suppressing the symptoms of herpes.

and not just like a few, like ALL the symptoms even if theyre mild. :

thanks.

-Fatigue
-Pain in the upper right abdomen
-Weight loss
-Fever
-Jaundice
-Loss of appetite
-Swollen abdomen
-Mental confusion
-Aggression,depression(alcoholic liver disease)
-Skin disorders
-Diarrhea
-Muscle pains
-Nausea
-Dark urine

Maplewood • Every inch of the ceiling, wallsand floor is covered in salt. Lights shine through a short bench ofsalmon-colored Himalayan salt bricks in the corner, producing anamber glow in the cloud-like room. Soothing music plays softly.

Before entering the salt chamber, two women removed their shoesand covered their feet with paper-like booties. They tucked theirhair under a surgical cap.

“My lungs just don’t hurt every day like they have been,”Pauline Buehner said before taking her spot in one of the loungechairs for her 45-minute session. Buehner, 49, of High Ridge,suffers from asthma, allergies and chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease.

It was Buehner’s fourth visit to the St. Louis Salt Room, whichopened Dec. 3 in the hip downtown area. about two tons ofmineral-rich Dead Sea salt fills the room, oozing of anti-bacterialand anti-inflammatory properties. Operators of little-researchedsalt rooms say salt boosts immunity and offers relief for a varietyof ailments, including respiratory problems, skin disorders,arthritis and stress; but doctors question the claims.

“There’s no scientific evidence at all that it’s beneficial,”SLUCare allergist Dr. Raymond Slavin said. “It’s not a bad idea,but somebody should study it.”

While several salt rooms operate in Europe and Canada, the St.Louis Salt Room is only the seventh to open in this country, saidowner Clay Juracsik, 42, of Richmond Heights.

“I think this is the most health-giving room in the Midwest,”said Juracsik, who discovered salt therapy this summer whileresearching natural remedies for his daughter’s asthma. Sessionsare available for parents and children, who play with toys as ifthe chamber is a 14-by-11-foot white sandbox.

Salt therapy, known has halotherapy or speleotherapy, was bornin the mid-1800s after it was discovered that people who worked inthe salt mines of Poland had remarkably low rates of respiratoryillnesses. Artificial salt caves began to pop up across Europe inan effort to mimic the effects.

Salt rooms are different from salt caves, in that besides beingfilled with salt, they also use a “halogenerator” to reach thedeepest parts of the lungs and skin. the machine heats, spins andgrinds salt into very small particles before blowing them into theair. the dry vapor is filled with negative salt ions, consideredthe key to the room’s healing powers.

“It reproduces the effect of being in an active salt mine,”Juracsik said.

Negative ions are created in nature as air molecules break apartdue to sunlight, moving air and water. They are found in abundanceafter spring thunderstorms and around mountains, waterfalls andbeaches. Once in our blood, they increase mood chemicals and theflow of oxygen to the brain, boosting energy and relieving stress.Columbia University researchers have found that negative iongenerators work as well as medication for people who get depressedin the winter.

Negative ions may also help clean the air, by adhering topollutants, allergens and bacteria; and halotherapy proponentsbelieve the same happens within the body, but research supportingsuch theories is lacking.

SKEPTICS ABOUND

An Australian study published in 2006 in the new England Journalof Medicine found that symptoms in cystic fibrosis patientsimproved after using a handheld nebulizer twice daily to deliver aconcentrated salt mist into the mouth. some studies in Russia havefound that halotherapy improves symptoms and reduces the need formedication in patients suffering with a variety of respiratorydiseases.

“Those publications are almost all in Russian and really notvery high-quality, controlled trials,” said Dr. Mario Castro, apulmonologist and professor at Washington University School ofMedicine. “At this point, there really is not strong evidence tosuggest that it is helpful.”

More research is needed measuring the salt concentration, lengthand number of treatments and symptoms, Slavin said. “Until someonedoes pulmonary function tests, measures outcomes and shows anobjective difference, you just can’t advise that anybody dothis.”

Juracsik said he learned about natural and alternative therapieswhile living in Russia for three years in the late 1990s, when hemet his wife, Lena. after moving back to the U.S., he worked insocial services for 11 years, driving people to doctor appointmentsand working as a medical interpreter.

His social service work left him disillusioned with the healthcare system, which he sees as too quick to label and turn tomedication. when Juracsik lost his job in August, his research intosalt therapy for his daughter presented itself as an option tobring the service to St. Louis.

Lucky for Carolyn Trauve, 70, of Columbia, Ill., who shared thesession in the salt room with Buehner. Trauve had been searchingfor a salt room near her home after trying halotherapy during atwo-week trip over Thanksgiving to visit her daughter in Boulder,Colo. after six sessions, her psoriasis — an autoimmune diseasethat causes rough, scaly patches on the skin — completelydisappeared for the first time in her life.

“I couldn’t believe it. I never expected it,” she said. She’sanxious to show her dermatologist the results at her nextappointment.