bowang0911/MedQuAD huggingface dataset:
Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas. In contrast, fats and proteins cause little gas. Foods that produce gas in one person may not cause gas in someone else, depending on how well individuals digest carbohydrates and the type of bacteria present in the intestines.
                
Some foods that may cause gas include
                
- beans  - vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, onions, mushrooms, artichokes, and asparagus  - fruits such as pears, apples, and peaches  - whole grains such as whole wheat and bran  - sodas; fruit drinks, especially apple juice and pear juice; and other drinks that contain high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn  - milk and milk products such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt  - packaged foodssuch as bread, cereal, and salad dressingthat contain small amounts of lactose, a sugar found in milk and foods made with milk  - sugar-free candies and gums that contain sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol
The most common symptoms of gas are burping, passing gas, bloating, and abdominal pain or discomfort. However, not everyone experiences these symptoms.
                
Burping. Burping, or belching, once in a while, especially during and after meals, is normal. However, people who burp frequently may be swallowing too much air and releasing it before the air enters the stomach.
                
Some people who burp frequently may have an upper GI disorder, such as gastroesophageal reflux diseasea chronic condition in which stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus. People may believe that swallowing air and releasing it will relieve the discomfort, and they may intentionally or unintentionally develop a habit of burping to relieve discomfort.
                
Passing gas. Passing gas around 13 to 21 times a day is normal.2 Flatulence is excessive gas in the stomach or intestine that can cause bloating and flatus. Flatulence may be the result of problems digesting certain carbohydrates.
                
Bloating. Bloating is a feeling of fullness and swelling in the abdomen, the area between the chest and hips. Problems digesting carbohydrates may cause increased gas and bloating. However, bloating is not always caused by too much gas. Bloating may result from diseases that affect how gas moves through the intestines, such as rapid gastric emptying, or from diseases that cause intestinal obstruction, such as colon cancer. People who have had many operations, internal hernias, or bands of internal scar tissue called adhesions may experience bloating.
                
Disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can affect how gas moves through the intestines or increase pain sensitivity in the intestines. IBS is a functional GI disorder, meaning that the symptoms are caused by changes in how the digestive tract works. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, often reported as cramping, along with diarrhea, constipation, or both. IBS may give a sensation of bloating because of increased sensitivity to normal amounts of gas.
                
Eating a lot of fatty food can delay stomach emptying and cause bloating and discomfort, but not necessarily too much gas.
                
Abdominal pain and discomfort. People may feel abdominal pain or discomfort when gas does not move through the intestines normally. People with IBS may be more sensitive to gas and feel pain when gas is present in the intestines.
People can try to find the cause of gas on their own by keeping a diary of what they eat and drink and how often they burp, pass gas, or have other symptoms. A diary may help identify specific foods that cause gas.
                
A health care provider should be consulted if
                
- symptoms of gas are bothersome  - symptoms change suddenly  - new symptoms occur, especially in people older than age 40  - gas is accompanied by other symptoms, such as constipation, diarrhea, or weight loss
                
The health care provider will ask about dietary habits and symptoms and may ask a person to keep a food diary. Careful review of diet and the amount of burping or gas passed may help relate specific foods to symptoms and determine the severity of the problem. Recording gas symptoms can help determine whether the problem is too much gas in the intestines or increased sensitivity to normal amounts of gas.
                
If milk or milk products are causing gas, the health care provider may perform blood or breath tests to check for lactose intolerance, the inability or insufficient ability to digest lactose. Lactose intolerance is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to digest lactose. The health care provider may suggest avoiding milk products for a short time to see if symptoms improve.
                
The health care provider may perform a physical exam and order other types of diagnostic tests, depending on a persons symptoms. These tests can rule out serious health problems that may cause gas or symptoms similar to those of gas.
Gas can be treated by reducing swallowed air, making dietary changes, or taking over-the-counter or prescription medications. People who think they have too much gas can try to treat gas on their own before seeing a health care provider. Health care providers can provide advice about reducing gas and prescribe medications that may help.
                
Reducing swallowed air. Swallowing less air may help reduce gas, especially for people who burp frequently. A health care provider may suggest eating more slowly, avoiding gum and hard candies, or checking with a dentist to make sure dentures fit correctly.
                
Making dietary changes. People may be able to reduce gas by eating less of the foods that cause gas. However, many healthy foods may cause gas, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and milk products. The amount of gas caused by certain foods varies from person to person. Effective dietary changes depend on learning through trial and error which foods cause a person to have gas and how much of the offending foods one can handle.
                
While fat does not cause gas, limiting high-fat foods can help reduce bloating and discomfort. Less fat in the diet helps the stomach empty faster, allowing gases to move more quickly into the small intestine.
                
Taking over-the-counter medications. Some over-the-counter medications can help reduce gas or the symptoms associated with gas:
                
- Alpha-galactosidase (Beano), an over-the-counter digestive aid, contains the sugar-digesting enzyme that the body lacks to digest the sugar in beans and many vegetables. The enzyme comes in liquid and tablet form. Five drops are added per serving or one tablet is swallowed just before eating to break down the gas-producing sugars. Beano has no effect on gas caused by lactose or fiber.  - Simethicone (Gas-X, Mylanta Gas) can relieve bloating and abdominal pain or discomfort caused by gas.  - Lactase tablets or drops can help people with lactose intolerance digest milk and milk products to reduce gas. Lactase tablets are taken just before eating foods that contain lactose; lactase drops can be added to liquid milk products. Lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk and milk products are available at most grocery stores.
                
Taking prescription medications. Health care providers may prescribe medications to help reduce symptoms, especially for people with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or IBS. More information about IBS is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Irritable Bowel Syndrome fact sheet.
- Gas is air in the digestive tract.  - Everyone has gas. However, many people think they pass gas too often and that they have too much gas. Having too much gas is rare.  - Gas in the digestive tract is usually caused by swallowing air and by the breakdown of certain foods in the large intestine by bacteria.  - Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas. In contrast, fats and proteins cause little gas.  - Foods that produce gas in one person may not cause gas for someone else.  - The most common symptoms of gas are burping, passing gas, bloating, and abdominal pain or discomfort.  - Gas can be treated by reducing swallowed air, making dietary changes, or taking over-the-counter or prescription medications.
Proctitis is inflammation of the lining of the rectum, the lower end of the large intestine leading to the anus. The large intestine and anus are part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The movement of muscles in the GI tract, along with the release of hormones and enzymes, allows for the digestion of food. With proctitis, inflammation of the rectal liningcalled the rectal mucosais uncomfortable and sometimes painful. The condition may lead to bleeding or mucous discharge from the rectum, among other symptoms.
Proctitis has many causes, including acute, or sudden and short-term, and chronic, or long-lasting, conditions. Among the causes are the following:
                
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STDs that can be passed when a person is receiving anal sex are a common cause of proctitis. Common STD infections that can cause proctitis include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and herpes. Herpes-induced proctitis may be particularly severe in people who are also infected with the HIV virus.  - Non-STD infections. Infections that are not sexually transmitted also can cause proctitis. Salmonella and Shigella are examples of foodborne bacteria that can cause proctitis. Streptococcal proctitis sometimes occurs in children who have strep throat.  - Anorectal trauma. Proctitis can be caused by trauma to the anorectal areawhich includes the rectum and anusfrom anal sex or the insertion of objects or harmful substances into the rectum, including the chemicals in some enemas.  - Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. Two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)ulcerative colitis and Crohns diseasecan cause proctitis. Ulcerative colitis causes irritation and ulcers, also called sores, in the inner lining of the colonpart of the large intestineand rectum. Crohns disease usually causes irritation in the lower small intestinealso called the ileumor the colon, but it can affect any part of the GI tract.  - Radiation therapy. People who have had radiation therapy that targets the pelvic area also may develop proctitis. Examples of those at risk are people with rectal, ovarian, or prostate cancer who have received radiation treatment directed to those areas. Symptoms of radiation proctitis, most commonly rectal bleeding, will typically occur within 6 weeks after beginning radiation therapy or more than 9 months after its completion.  - Antibiotics. Use of antibiotics may be associated with proctitis in some people. While meant to kill infectioncausing bacteria, antibiotics can also kill nonharmful, or commensal, bacteria in the GI tract. The loss of commensal bacteria can then allow other harmful bacteria known as Clostridium difficile to cause an infection in the colon and rectum.
To diagnose proctitis, a health care provider will take a complete medical history and do a physical exam. The health care provider will ask the patient about symptoms, current and past medical conditions, family history, and sexual behavior that increases the risk of STD-induced proctitis. The physical exam will include an assessment of the patients vital signs, an abdominal exam, and a rectal exam.
                
Based on the patients physical exam, symptoms, and other medical information, the doctor will decide which lab tests and diagnostic tests are needed. Lab tests may include blood tests such as a complete blood count to evaluate for blood loss or infection, stool tests to isolate and identify bacteria that may cause disease, and an STD screening. The doctor also may use one of the following diagnostic tests:
                
- Rectal culture. A cotton swab is inserted into the rectum to obtain a sample that can be used in tests that isolate and identify organisms that may cause disease.  - Anoscopy. This test allows examination of the anal canal and lower rectum by opening the anus using a special instrument called an anoscope.  - Flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. These tests are used to help diagnose Crohns disease. The tests are similar, but colonoscopy is used to view the entire colon and rectum, while flexible sigmoidoscopy is used to view just the lower colon and rectum. For both tests, a health care provider will provide written bowel prep instructions to follow at home before the test. The person may be asked to follow a clear liquid diet for 1 to 3 days before the test. A laxative may be required the night before the test. One or more enemas may be required the night before and about 2 hours before the test.
Drinking plenty of fluids is important when diarrhea or frequent passage of loose or liquid stools occurs.
                
Avoiding caffeine and foods that are greasy, high in fiber, or sweet may lessen diarrhea symptoms. Some people also have problems digesting lactosethe sugar found in milk and milk productsduring or after a bout of diarrhea. Yogurt, which has less lactose than milk, is often better tolerated. Yogurt with active, live bacterial cultures may even help people recover from diarrhea more quickly.
                
If diarrhea symptoms improve, soft, bland foods can be added to the diet, including bananas, plain rice, boiled potatoes, toast, crackers, cooked carrots, and baked chicken without the skin or fat. If the diarrhea stops, a normal diet may be resumed if tolerated.
- Proctitis is inflammation of the lining of the rectum, the lower end of the large intestine leading to the anus.  - Common causes of proctitis are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), non-STD infections, anorectal trauma, ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease, radiation therapy, and antibiotic use.  - Treatment of proctitis depends on its cause; the goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation, control symptoms, and eliminate infection, if present.  - With proper medical attention, proctitis can be successfully treated.  - If infection is present with proctitis, antibiotics can be used to kill bacteria and antiviral medications can treat viral infections.  - People who receive anal sex can avoid getting STD-related proctitis by having their partner use a condom.  - If anorectal trauma caused proctitis, stopping the activity that triggered inflammation often will stop the inflammation and prevent recurrence.  - Some causes of proctitis cannot always be prevented, but their symptoms can be treated by a doctor.
You can help your diabetes retina problems by controlling your
                
- blood glucose  - blood pressure  - cholesterol and triglycerides, or types of blood fat
                
If your retinopathy still does not improve, then you may need other treatments. You will need to see an ophthalmologist who can decide whether you need one of these treatments:
                
- Medicines. Your doctor treats macular edema with injections of medicines into the eye. These medicines block a protein in the body that causes abnormal blood vessel growth and fluid leakage. Reducing the fluid leakage often allows the retina to return to normal thickness. The ophthalmologist will numb your eye and then insert a tiny needle to deliver the medicine.  - Laser treatment. Your doctor can also treat macular edema with focal laser treatment. In one visit, the ophthalmologist will numb your eye and place many small laser burns in the areas leaking fluid near the macula. These burns slow the leakage of fluid and reduce the amount of fluid in your retina.  Sometimes your doctor also treats diabetic retinopathy with scatter laser treatment. In two or more visits, the ophthalmologist will numb your eye and place thousands of laser burns around the new, weak blood vessels away from the macula, causing them to shrink.  Laser treatment can greatly reduce your chances of blindness from retina damage. However, laser treatment often cannot restore vision that has already been lost.  Treatment with medicines or lasers can be performed in your ophthalmologists office.  - Vitrectomy. If the bleeding in your eye is severe, you may need to go to the hospital for a surgery called a vitrectomy. Your ophthalmologist will numb your eye or give you general anesthesia to help you fall asleep. The ophthalmologist will make a tiny cut in your eye and remove the vitreous gel that is clouded with blood. The ophthalmologist replaces the vitreous gel with a salt solution.
Gastroparesis, also called delayed gastric emptying, is a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine. Normally, the muscles of the stomach, which are controlled by the vagus nerve, contract to break up food and move it through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The movement of muscles in the GI tract, along with the release of hormones and enzymes, allows for the digestion of food. Gastroparesis can occur when the vagus nerve is damaged by illness or injury and the stomach muscles stop working normally. Food then moves slowly from the stomach to the small intestine or stops moving altogether.
Most people diagnosed with gastroparesis have idiopathic gastroparesis, which means a health care provider cannot identify the cause, even with medical tests. Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis. People with diabetes have high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar. Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the vagus nerve. Other identifiable causes of gastroparesis include intestinal surgery and nervous system diseases such as Parkinsons disease or multiple sclerosis. For reasons that are still unclear, gastroparesis is more commonly found in women than in men.
The most common symptoms of gastroparesis are nausea, a feeling of fullness after eating only a small amount of food, and vomiting undigested foodsometimes several hours after a meal. Other symptoms of gastroparesis include
                
- gastroesophageal reflux (GER), also called acid reflux or acid regurgitationa condition in which stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus, the organ that connects the mouth to the stomach  - pain in the stomach area  - abdominal bloating  - lack of appetite
                
Symptoms may be aggravated by eating greasy or rich foods, large quantities of foods with fibersuch as raw fruits and vegetablesor drinking beverages high in fat or carbonation. Symptoms may be mild or severe, and they can occur frequently in some people and less often in others. The symptoms of gastroparesis may also vary in intensity over time in the same individual. Sometimes gastroparesis is difficult to diagnose because people experience a range of symptoms similar to those of other diseases.
An elevated blood glucose level directly interferes with normal stomach emptying, so good blood glucose control in people with diabetes is important. However, gastroparesis can make blood glucose control difficult. When food that has been delayed in the stomach finally enters the small intestine and is absorbed, blood glucose levels rise. Gastric emptying is unpredictable with gastroparesis, causing a persons blood glucose levels to be erratic and difficult to control.
                
The primary treatment goals for gastroparesis related to diabetes are to improve gastric emptying and regain control of blood glucose levels. In addition to the dietary changes and treatments already described, a health care provider will likely adjust the persons insulin regimen.
                
To better control blood glucose, people with diabetes and gastroparesis may need to
                
- take insulin more often or change the type of insulin they take  - take insulin after meals, instead of before  - check blood glucose levels frequently after eating and administer insulin when necessary
                
A health care provider will give specific instructions for taking insulin based on the individuals needs and the severity of gastroparesis.
                
In some cases, the dietitian may suggest eating several liquid or pured meals a day until gastroparesis symptoms improve and blood glucose levels are more stable.
The problems of gastroparesis can include
                
- severe dehydration due to persistent vomiting  - gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is GER that occurs more than twice a week for a few weeks; GERD can lead to esophagitis irritation of the esophagus  - bezoars, which can cause nausea, vomiting, obstruction, or interfere with absorption of some medications in pill form  - difficulty managing blood glucose levels in people with diabetes  - malnutrition due to poor absorption of nutrients or a low calorie intake  - decreased quality of life, including work absences due to severe symptoms
- Gastroparesis, also called delayed gastric emptying, is a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine.  - Gastroparesis can occur when the vagus nerve is damaged by illness or injury and the stomach muscles stop working normally. Food then moves slowly from the stomach to the small intestine or stops moving altogether.  - Most people diagnosed with gastroparesis have idiopathic gastroparesis, which means a health care provider cannot identify the cause, even with medical tests.  - Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis. People with diabetes have high levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar. Over time, high blood glucose levels can damage the vagus nerve.  - The most common symptoms of gastroparesis are nausea, a feeling of fullness after eating only a small amount of food, and vomiting undigested food sometimes several hours after a meal. Other common symptoms include gastroesophageal reflux (GER), pain in the stomach area, abdominal bloating, and lack of appetite.  - Gastroparesis is diagnosed through a physical exam, medical history, blood tests, tests to rule out blockage or structural problems in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and gastric emptying tests.  - Changing eating habits can sometimes help control the severity of gastroparesis symptoms. A health care provider may suggest eating six small meals a day instead of three large ones. When a person has severe symptoms, a liquid or pured diet may be prescribed.  - Treatment of gastroparesis may include medications, botulinum toxin, gastric electrical stimulation, jejunostomy, and parenteral nutrition.  - For people with gastroparesis and diabetes, a health care provider will likely adjust the persons insulin regimen.
The abdominal cavity is the internal area of the body between the chest and hips that contains the lower part of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. The esophagus carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach, which slowly pumps them into the small and large intestines. Abdominal adhesions can kink, twist, or pull the small and large intestines out of place, causing an intestinal obstruction. Intestinal obstruction, also called a bowel obstruction, results in the partial or complete blockage of movement of food or stool through the intestines.
Abdominal surgery is the most frequent cause of abdominal adhesions. Surgery-related causes include
                
- cuts involving internal organs   - handling of internal organs  - drying out of internal organs and tissues  - contact of internal tissues with foreign materials, such as gauze, surgical gloves, and stitches  - blood or blood clots that were not rinsed away during surgery
                
Abdominal adhesions can also result from inflammation not related to surgery, including
                
- appendix rupture  - radiation treatment  - gynecological infections  - abdominal infections
                
Rarely, abdominal adhesions form without apparent cause.