sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children
Question: What causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children ?
Answer: The causes of IBS are not well understood. Researchers believe a combination of physical and mental health problems can lead to IBS. The possible causes of IBS in children include the following:
                
- Brain-gut signal problems. Signals between the brain and nerves of the small and large intestines, also called the gut, control how the intestines work. Problems with brain-gut signals may cause IBS symptoms, such as changes in bowel habits and pain or discomfort.  - GI motor problems. Normal motility, or movement, may not be present in the colon of a child who has IBS. Slow motility can lead to constipation and fast motility can lead to diarrhea. Spasms, or sudden strong muscle contractions that come and go, can cause abdominal pain. Some children with IBS also experience hyperreactivity, which is an excessive increase in contractions of the bowel in response to stress or eating.  - Hypersensitivity. Children with IBS have greater sensitivity to abdominal pain than children without IBS. Affected children have been found to have different rectal tone and rectal motor response after eating a meal.  - Mental health problems. IBS has been linked to mental health, or psychological, problems such as anxiety and depression in children.  - Bacterial gastroenteritis. Some children who have bacterial gastroenteritisan infection or irritation of the stomach and intestines caused by bacteriadevelop IBS. Research has shown a connection between gastroenteritis and IBS in adults but not in children. But researchers believe postinfectious IBS does occur in children. Researchers do not know why gastroenteritis leads to IBS in some people and not others.  - Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Normally, few bacteria live in the small intestine. SIBO is an increase in the number of bacteria or a change in the type of bacteria in the small intestine. These bacteria can produce excess gas and may also cause diarrhea and weight loss. Some researchers believe that SIBO may lead to IBS, and some studies have shown antibiotics to be effective in treating IBS. However, the studies were weak and more research is needed to show a link between SIBO and IBS.  - Genetics. Whether IBS has a genetic cause, meaning it runs in families, is unclear. Studies have shown that IBS is more common in people with family members who have a history of GI problems. However, the cause could be environmental or the result of heightened awareness of GI symptoms.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children
Question: What are the treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children ?
Answer: Though there is no cure for IBS, the symptoms can be treated with a combination of the following:
                
- changes in eating, diet, and nutrition  - medications  - probiotics  - therapies for mental health problems
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children
Question: What to do for Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children ?
Answer: - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, meaning it is a problem caused by changes in how the GI tract works. Children with a functional GI disorder have frequent symptoms, but the GI tract does not become damaged.  - IBS is not a disease; it is a group of symptoms that occur together.  - The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, often reported as cramping, along with diarrhea, constipation, or both.  - The causes of IBS are not well understood. The possible causes of IBS in children include brain-gut signal problems, GI motor problems, hypersensitivity, mental health problems, bacterial gastroenteritis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and genetics.  - To diagnose IBS, a health care provider will conduct a physical exam and take a complete medical history. The medical history will include questions about the childs symptoms, family members with GI disorders, recent infections, medications, and stressful events related to the onset of symptoms. IBS is diagnosed when the physical exam does not show any cause for the childs symptoms and the child meets all of the following criteria:      - has had symptoms at least once per week for at least 2 months    - is growing as expected    - is not showing any signs that suggest another cause for the symptoms    - Though there is no cure for IBS, the symptoms can be treated with a combination of the following:      - changes in eating, diet, and nutrition    - medications    - probiotics    - therapies for mental health problems
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Cirrhosis
Question: What is (are) Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and is unable to function normally due to chronic, or long lasting, injury. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and partially blocks the flow of blood through the liver.
                
The liver is the bodys largest internal organ. The liver is called the bodys metabolic factory because of the important role it plays in metabolismthe way cells change food into energy after food is digested and absorbed into the blood. The liver has many functions, including
                
- taking up, storing, and processing nutrients from foodincluding fat, sugar, and proteinand delivering them to the rest of the body when needed  - making new proteins, such as clotting factors and immune factors  - producing bile, which helps the body absorb fats, cholesterol, and fat-soluble vitamins  - removing waste products the kidneys cannot remove, such as fats, cholesterol, toxins, and medications
                
A healthy liver is necessary for survival. The liver can regenerate most of its own cells when they become damaged. However, if injury to the liver is too severe or long lasting, regeneration is incomplete, and the liver creates scar tissue. Scarring of the liver, also called fibrosis, may lead to cirrhosis.
                
The buildup of scar tissue that causes cirrhosis is usually a slow and gradual process. In the early stages of cirrhosis, the liver continues to function. However, as cirrhosis gets worse and scar tissue replaces more healthy tissue, the liver will begin to fail. Chronic liver failure, which is also called end-stage liver disease, progresses over months, years, or even decades. With end-stage liver disease, the liver can no longer perform important functions or effectively replace damaged cells.
                
Cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for nearly 32,000 deaths each year. More men die of cirrhosis than women.1
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Cirrhosis
Question: What are the symptoms of Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Many people with cirrhosis have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as the disease progresses, a person may experience the following symptoms:
                
- fatigue, or feeling tired  - weakness  - itching  - loss of appetite  - weight loss  - nausea  - bloating of the abdomen from ascitesa buildup of fluid in the abdomen  - edemaswelling due to a buildup of fluidin the feet, ankles, or legs  - spiderlike blood vessels, called spider angiomas, on the skin  - jaundice, a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Cirrhosis
Question: What to do for Cirrhosis ?
Answer: A healthy diet is important in all stages of cirrhosis because malnutrition is common in people with this disease. Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients. Cirrhosis may lead to malnutrition because it can cause
                
- people to eat less because of symptoms such as loss of appetite  - changes in metabolism  - reduced absorption of vitamins and minerals
                
Health care providers can recommend a meal plan that is well balanced and provides enough calories and protein. If ascites develops, a health care provider or dietitian may recommend a sodium-restricted diet. To improve nutrition, the health care provider may prescribe a liquid supplement. A person may take the liquid by mouth or through a nasogastric tubea tiny tube inserted through the nose and throat that reaches into the stomach.
                
A person with cirrhosis should not eat raw shellfish, which can contain a bacterium that causes serious infection. Cirrhosis affects the immune system, making people with cirrhosis more likely than healthy people to develop an infection after eating shellfish that contain this bacterium.
                
A health care provider may recommend calcium and vitamin D supplements to help prevent osteoporosis.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Cirrhosis
Question: What to do for Cirrhosis ?
Answer: - Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and is unable to function normally due to chronic, or long lasting, injury. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and partially blocks the flow of blood through the liver.  - The most common causes of cirrhosis in the United States are chronic hepatitis C, alcohol-related liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and chronic hepatitis B.  - Many people with cirrhosis have no symptoms in the early stages of the disease. However, as the disease progresses, a person may experience the following symptoms:      - fatigue, or feeling tired    - weakness    - itching    - loss of appetite    - weight loss    - nausea    - bloating of the abdomen from ascitesa buildup of fluid in the abdomen    - edemaswelling due to a buildup of fluidin the feet, ankles, or legs    - spiderlike blood vessels, called spider angiomas, on the skin    - jaundice, a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow    - As the liver fails, complications may develop. In some people, complications may be the first signs of the disease.  - A health care provider usually diagnoses cirrhosis based on the presence of conditions that increase its likelihood, such as heavy alcohol use or obesity, and symptoms. A health care provider may confirm the diagnosis with      - a medical and family history    - a physical exam    - a blood test    - imaging tests    - a liver biopsy    - Treatment for cirrhosis depends on the cause of the disease and whether complications are present.  - A health care provider may consider a liver transplant when cirrhosis leads to liver failure or treatment for complications is ineffective.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What is (are) Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: Lactose is a sugar found in milk and milk products. The small intestinethe organ where most food digestion and nutrient absorption take placeproduces an enzyme called lactase. Lactase breaks down lactose into two simpler forms of sugar: glucose and galactose. The body then absorbs these simpler sugars into the bloodstream.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What is (are) Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: Lactose intolerance is a condition in which people have digestive symptomssuch as bloating, diarrhea, and gasafter eating or drinking milk or milk products.
                
Lactase deficiency and lactose malabsorption may lead to lactose intolerance:
                
- Lactase deficiency. In people who have a lactase deficiency, the small intestine produces low levels of lactase and cannot digest much lactose.  - Lactose malabsorption. Lactase deficiency may cause lactose malabsorption. In lactose malabsorption, undigested lactose passes to the colon. The colon, part of the large intestine, absorbs water from stool and changes it from a liquid to a solid form. In the colon, bacteria break down undigested lactose and create fluid and gas. Not all people with lactase deficiency and lactose malabsorption have digestive symptoms.
                
People have lactose intolerance when lactase deficiency and lactose malabsorption cause digestive symptoms. Most people with lactose intolerance can eat or drink some amount of lactose without having digestive symptoms. Individuals vary in the amount of lactose they can tolerate.
                
People sometimes confuse lactose intolerance with a milk allergy. While lactose intolerance is a digestive system disorder, a milk allergy is a reaction by the bodys immune system to one or more milk proteins. An allergic reaction to milk can be life threatening even if the person eats or drinks only a small amount of milk or milk product. A milk allergy most commonly occurs in the first year of life, while lactose intolerance occurs more often during adolescence or adulthood.1,2
                

                
Four Types of Lactase Deficiency   Four types of lactase deficiency may lead to lactose intolerance:   - Primary lactase deficiency, also called lactase nonpersistence, is the most common type of lactase deficiency. In people with this condition, lactase production declines over time. This decline often begins at about age 2; however, the decline may begin later. Children who have lactase deficiency may not experience symptoms of lactose intolerance until late adolescence or adulthood. Researchers have discovered that some people inherit genes from their parents that may cause a primary lactase deficiency.   - Secondary lactase deficiency results from injury to the small intestine. Infection, diseases, or other problems may injure the small intestine. Treating the underlying cause usually improves the lactose tolerance.   - Developmental lactase deficiency may occur in infants born prematurely. This condition usually lasts for only a short time after they are born.   - Congenital lactase deficiency is an extremely rare disorder in which the small intestine produces little or no lactase enzyme from birth. Genes inherited from parents cause this disorder.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What is (are) Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: Four types of lactase deficiency may lead to lactose intolerance:
                
- Primary lactase deficiency, also called lactase nonpersistence, is the most common type of lactase deficiency. In people with this condition, lactase production declines over time. This decline often begins at about age 2; however, the decline may begin later. Children who have lactase deficiency may not experience symptoms of lactose intolerance until late adolescence or adulthood. Researchers have discovered that some people inherit genes from their parents that may cause a primary lactase deficiency.  - Secondary lactase deficiency results from injury to the small intestine. Infection, diseases, or other problems may injure the small intestine. Treating the underlying cause usually improves the lactose tolerance.  - Developmental lactase deficiency may occur in infants born prematurely. This condition usually lasts for only a short time after they are born.  - Congenital lactase deficiency is an extremely rare disorder in which the small intestine produces little or no lactase enzyme from birth. Genes inherited from parents cause this disorder.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What are the symptoms of Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include
                
- abdominal bloating, a feeling of fullness or swelling in the abdomen  - abdominal pain  - diarrhea  - gas  - nausea
                
Symptoms occur 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming milk or milk products. Symptoms range from mild to severe based on the amount of lactose the person ate or drank and the amount a person can tolerate.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: How to diagnose Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: A health care provider makes a diagnosis of lactose intolerance based on
                
- medical, family, and diet history, including a review of symptoms  - a physical exam  - medical tests
                
Medical, family, and diet history. A health care provider will take a medical, family, and diet history to help diagnose lactose intolerance. During this discussion, the health care provider will review a patients symptoms. However, basing a diagnosis on symptoms alone may be misleading because digestive symptoms can occur for many reasons other than lactose intolerance. For example, other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or small bowel bacterial overgrowth can cause digestive symptoms.
                
Physical exam. A physical exam may help diagnose lactose intolerance or rule out other conditions that cause digestive symptoms. During a physical exam, a health care provider usually
                
- checks for abdominal bloating  - uses a stethoscope to listen to sounds within the abdomen  - taps on the abdomen to check for tenderness or pain
                
A health care provider may recommend eliminating all milk and milk products from a persons diet for a short time to see if the symptoms resolve. Symptoms that go away when a person eliminates lactose from his or her diet may confirm the diagnosis of lactose intolerance.
                
Medical tests. A health care provider may order special tests to provide more information. Health care providers commonly use two tests to measure how well a person digests lactose:
                
- Hydrogen breath test. This test measures the amount of hydrogen in a persons breath. Normally, only a small amount of hydrogen is detectable in the breath when a person eats or drinks and digests lactose. However, undigested lactose produces high levels of hydrogen. For this test, the patient drinks a beverage that contains a known amount of lactose. A health care provider asks the patient to breathe into a balloon-type container that measures breath hydrogen level. In most cases, a health care provider performs this test at a hospital, on an outpatient basis. Smoking and some foods and medications may affect the accuracy of the results. A health care provider will tell the patient what foods or medications to avoid before the test.  - Stool acidity test. Undigested lactose creates lactic acid and other fatty acids that a stool acidity test can detect in a stool sample. Health care providers sometimes use this test to check acidity in the stools of infants and young children. A child may also have glucose in his or her stool as a result of undigested lactose. The health care provider will give the childs parent or caretaker a container for collecting the stool specimen. The parent or caretaker returns the sample to the health care provider, who sends it to a lab for analysis.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What are the treatments for Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: Many people can manage the symptoms of lactose intolerance by changing their diet. Some people may only need to limit the amount of lactose they eat or drink. Others may need to avoid lactose altogether. Using lactase products can help some people manage their symptoms.
                
For people with secondary lactase deficiency, treating the underlying cause improves lactose tolerance. In infants with developmental lactase deficiency, the ability to digest lactose improves as the infants mature. People with primary and congenital lactase deficiency cannot change their bodys ability to produce lactase.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What to do for Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: People may find it helpful to talk with a health care provider or a registered dietitian about a dietary plan. A dietary plan can help people manage the symptoms of lactose intolerance and make sure they get enough nutrients. Parents, caretakers, childcare providers, and others who serve food to children with lactose intolerance should follow the dietary plan recommended by the childs health care provider or registered dietitian.
                
Milk and milk products. Gradually introducing small amounts of milk or milk products may help some people adapt to them with fewer symptoms. Often, people can better tolerate milk or milk products by having them with meals, such as having milk with cereal or having cheese with crackers. People with lactose intolerance are generally more likely to tolerate hard cheeses, such as cheddar or Swiss, than a glass of milk. A 1.5ounce serving of low-fat hard cheese has less than 1 gram of lactose, while a 1-cup serving of low-fat milk has about 11 to 13 grams of lactose.2
                
However, people with lactose intolerance are also more likely to tolerate yogurt than milk, even though yogurt and milk have similar amounts of lactose.2
                
Lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk and milk products. Lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk and milk products are available at most supermarkets and are identical nutritionally to regular milk and milk products. Manufacturers treat lactose-free milk with the lactase enzyme. This enzyme breaks down the lactose in the milk. Lactose-free milk remains fresh for about the same length of time or, if it is ultra-pasteurized, longer than regular milk. Lactose-free milk may have a slightly sweeter taste than regular milk.
                
Lactase products. People can use lactase tablets and drops when they eat or drink milk products. The lactase enzyme digests the lactose in the food and therefore reduces the chances of developing digestive symptoms. People should check with a health care provider before using these products because some groups, such as young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, may not be able to use them.
Source: NIDDK
Topic: Lactose Intolerance
Question: What to do for Lactose Intolerance ?
Answer: - Lactose is a sugar found in milk and milk products.  - Lactose intolerance is a condition in which people have digestive symptomssuch as bloating, diarrhea, and gasafter eating or drinking milk or milk products.  - A health care provider makes a diagnosis of lactose intolerance based on medical, family, and diet history, including a review of symptoms; a physical exam; and medical tests.  - Basing a diagnosis on symptoms alone may be misleading because digestive symptoms can occur for many reasons other than lactose intolerance.  - Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate some amount of lactose in their diet and do not need to avoid milk or milk products completely. However, individuals vary in the amount of lactose they can tolerate.  - Research suggests that adults and adolescents with lactose malabsorption could eat or drink at least 12 grams of lactose in one sitting without symptoms or with only minor symptoms. This amount is the amount of lactose in 1 cup of milk.  - Many people can manage the symptoms of lactose intolerance by changing their diet. Some people may only need to limit the amount of lactose they eat or drink. Others may need to avoid lactose altogether.  - People may find it helpful to talk with a health care provider or a registered dietitian to determine if their diet provides adequate nutrients including calcium and vitamin D. To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of complementary and alternative medical practices, including their use of dietary supplements, with their health care provider.  - Lactose is in all milk and milk products. Manufacturers also often add milk and milk products to boxed, canned, frozen, packaged, and prepared foods. People can check the ingredients on food labels to find possible sources of lactose in food products.
Source: NIDDK