shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What is (are) What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Cirrhosis* is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long-term disease. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and blocks the normal flow of blood through the liver.
A healthy liver
- makes proteins - helps fight infections - cleans the blood - helps digest food - stores a form of sugar that your body uses for energy
A liver with too much scar tissue cannot work properly. You cannot live without a liver that works. But early treatment can control symptoms and keep cirrhosis from getting worse.
*See the Pronunciation Guide for tips on how to say the words in bold type.
Question: What causes What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Causes of cirrhosis include
- heavy alcohol use - some drugs, medicines, and harmful chemicals - infections - chronic hepatitis B, C, or Dviral infections that attack the liver - autoimmune hepatitis, which causes the bodys immune system to destroy liver cells - nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which is often caused by obesity - diseases that damage or destroy bile ductstubes that carry bile from the liver
Some inherited diseasesdiseases that are passed from parent to childcan cause cirrhosis:
- hemochromatosis, a disease that causes iron to collect in the liver - Wilson disease, a condition that causes copper to build up in the liver - porphyria, a disorder that affects the skin, bone marrow, and liver
Question: What are the symptoms of What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: You may have no symptoms in the early stages of cirrhosis. As cirrhosis gets worse you may
- feel tired or weak - lose your appetite - feel sick to your stomach - lose weight - notice red, spider-shaped blood vessels under your skin
Cirrhosis can lead to other serious problems:
- You may bruise or bleed easily, or have nosebleeds. - Bloating or swelling may occur as fluid builds up in your legs or abdomenthe area between your chest and hips. Fluid buildup in your legs is called edema; buildup in your abdomen is called ascites. - Medicines, including those you can buy over the counter such as vitamins and herbal supplements, may have a stronger effect on you. Your liver does not break medicines down as quickly as a healthy liver would. - Waste materials from food may build up in your blood or brain and cause confusion or difficulty thinking. - Blood pressure may increase in the vein entering your liver, a condition called portal hypertension. - Enlarged veins, called varices, may develop in your esophagus and stomach. Varices can bleed suddenly, causing you to throw up blood or pass blood in a bowel movement. - Your kidneys may not work properly or may fail. - Your skin and the whites of your eyes may turn yellow, a condition called jaundice. - You may develop severe itching. - You may develop gallstones.
In the early stages, cirrhosis causes your liver to swell. Then, as more scar tissue replaces healthy tissue, your liver shrinks.
A small number of people with cirrhosis also get liver cancer.
Question: How to diagnose What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Your doctor will examine you and may perform
- blood tests to see whether your liver is working properly - imaging tests, which may show the size of your liver and show swelling or shrinkage - a liver biopsy, in which a doctor uses a needle to take a small piece of liver tissue to view with a microscope to look for scar tissue
Question: What are the treatments for What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: Once you have cirrhosis, nothing can make all the scar tissue go away. But treating the cause will keep cirrhosis from getting worse. For example, if cirrhosis is from heavy alcohol use, the treatment is to completely stop drinking alcohol. If cirrhosis is caused by hepatitis C, then the hepatitis C virus is treated with medicine.
Your doctor will suggest treatment based on the cause of your cirrhosis and your symptoms. Being diagnosed early and carefully following a treatment plan can help many people with cirrhosis. In the late stages of cirrhosis, certain treatments may not be effective. In that case, your doctor will work with you to prevent or manage the problems that cirrhosis can cause.
What if the cirrhosis treatment doesnt work? If too much scar tissue forms, your liver could fail. Then you will need a liver transplant. A liver transplant can return you to good health. For information about liver transplantation, see the booklet What I need to know about Liver Transplantation from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
Question: How to prevent What I need to know about Cirrhosis ?
Answer: To prevent cirrhosis,
- see your doctor for treatment of your liver disease. Many of the causes of cirrhosis are treatable. Early treatment may prevent cirrhosis. - try to keep your weight in the normal range. Being overweight can make several liver diseases worse. - do not drink any alcohol. Alcohol can harm liver cells. Drinking large amounts of alcohol over many years is one of the major causes of cirrhosis. - do not use illegal drugs, which can increase your chances of getting hepatitis B or hepatitis C. - see your doctor if you have hepatitis. Treatments for hepatitis B, C, and D are available. If you are on treatment, carefully follow your treatment directions. - if you have autoimmune hepatitis, take your medicines and have regular checkups as recommended by your doctor or a liver specialist.
Question: What is (are) Monogenic Forms of Diabetes: Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus and Maturity-onset Diabetes of the Young ?
Answer: NDM is a monogenic form of diabetes that occurs in the first 6 months of life. It is a rare condition occurring in only one in 100,000 to 500,000 live births. Infants with NDM do not produce enough insulin, leading to an increase in blood glucose. NDM can be mistaken for the much more common type 1 diabetes, but type 1 diabetes usually occurs later than the first 6 months of life. In about half of those with NDM, the condition is lifelong and is called permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM). In the rest of those with NDM, the condition is transient and disappears during infancy but can reappear later in life; this type of NDM is called transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM). Specific genes that can cause NDM have been identified. More information about each type of NDM is provided in the appendix.
Symptoms of NDM include thirst, frequent urination, and dehydration. NDM can be diagnosed by finding elevated levels of glucose in blood or urine. In severe cases, the deficiency of insulin may cause the body to produce an excess of acid, resulting in a potentially life-threatening condition called ketoacidosis. Most fetuses with NDM do not grow well in the womb and newborns are much smaller than those of the same gestational age, a condition called intrauterine growth restriction. After birth, some infants fail to gain weight and grow as rapidly as other infants of the same age and sex. Appropriate therapy improves and may normalize growth and development.
Question: What is (are) Gallstones ?
Answer: Gallstones are hard particles that develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located in the upper right abdomenthe area between the chest and hipsbelow the liver.
Gallstones can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. The gallbladder can develop a single large gallstone, hundreds of tiny stones, or both small and large stones. Gallstones can cause sudden pain in the upper right abdomen. This pain, called a gallbladder attack or biliary colic, occurs when gallstones block the ducts of the biliary tract.
Question: What causes Gallstones ?
Answer: Imbalances in the substances that make up bile cause gallstones. Gallstones may form if bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts. Scientists do not fully understand why these imbalances occur. Gallstones also may form if the gallbladder does not empty completely or often enough.
The two types of gallstones are cholesterol and pigment stones:
- Cholesterol stones, usually yellow-green in color, consist primarily of hardened cholesterol. In the United States, more than 80 percent of gallstones are cholesterol stones.1 - Pigment stones, dark in color, are made of bilirubin.
Question: Who is at risk for Gallstones? ?
Answer: Certain people have a higher risk of developing gallstones than others:2
- Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men. Extra estrogen can increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder contractions, which may cause gallstones to form. Women may have extra estrogen due to pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills. - People over age 40 are more likely to develop gallstones than younger people. - People with a family history of gallstones have a higher risk. - American Indians have genetic factors that increase the amount of cholesterol in their bile. In fact, American Indians have the highest rate of gallstones in the United Statesalmost 65 percent of women and 30 percent of men have gallstones. - Mexican Americans are at higher risk of developing gallstones.
Other factors that affect a persons risk of gallstones include2
- Obesity. People who are obese, especially women, have increased risk of developing gallstones. Obesity increases the amount of cholesterol in bile, which can cause stone formation. - Rapid weight loss. As the body breaks down fat during prolonged fasting and rapid weight loss, the liver secretes extra cholesterol into bile. Rapid weight loss can also prevent the gallbladder from emptying properly. Low-calorie diets and bariatric surgerysurgery that limits the amount of food a person can eat or digestlead to rapid weight loss and increased risk of gallstones. - Diet. Research suggests diets high in calories and refi ned carbohydrates and low in fi ber increase the risk of gallstones. Refi ned carbohydrates are grains processed to remove bran and germ, which contain nutrients and fiber. Examples of refi ned carbohydrates include white bread and white rice. - Certain intestinal diseases. Diseases that affect normal absorption of nutrients, such as Crohns disease, are associated with gallstones. - Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and insulin resistance. These conditions increase the risk of gallstones. Metabolic syndrome also increases the risk of gallstone complications. Metabolic syndrome is a group of traits and medical conditions linked to being overweight or obese that puts people at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
More information about these conditions is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes.
- cirrhosisa condition in which the liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions due to chronic, or long lasting, injury - infections in the bile ducts - severe hemolytic anemiasconditions in which red blood cells are continuously broken down, such as sickle cell anemia
Question: What are the symptoms of Gallstones ?
Answer: Many people with gallstones do not have symptoms. Gallstones that do not cause symptoms are called asymptomatic, or silent, gallstones. Silent gallstones do not interfere with the function of the gallbladder, liver, or pancreas.
If gallstones block the bile ducts, pressure increases in the gallbladder, causing a gallbladder attack. The pain usually lasts from 1 to several hours.1 Gallbladder attacks often follow heavy meals, and they usually occur in the evening or during the night.
Gallbladder attacks usually stop when gallstones move and no longer block the bile ducts. However, if any of the bile ducts remain blocked for more than a few hours, complications can occur. Complications include infl ammation, or swelling, of the gallbladder and severe damage or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or liver.
A gallstone that becomes lodged in the common bile duct near the duodenum and blocks the pancreatic duct can cause gallstone pancreatitisin flammation of the pancreas.
Left untreated, blockages of the bile ducts or pancreatic duct can be fatal.
Question: What to do for Gallstones ?
Answer: Factors related to eating, diet, and nutrition that increase the risk of gallstones include
- obesity - rapid weight loss - diets high in calories and refi ned carbohydrates and low in fi ber
People can decrease their risk of gallstones by maintaining a healthy weight through proper diet and nutrition.
Ursodiol can help prevent gallstones in people who rapidly lose weight through low-calorie diets or bariatric surgery. People should talk with their health care provider or dietitian about what diet is right for them.
Question: What is (are) Microscopic Colitis: Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis ?
Answer: Microscopic colitis is an inflammation of the colon that a health care provider can see only with a microscope. Inflammation is the bodys normal response to injury, irritation, or infection of tissues. Microscopic colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel diseasethe general name for diseases that cause irritation and inflammation in the intestines.
The two types of microscopic colitis are collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. Health care providers often use the term microscopic colitis to describe both types because their symptoms and treatments are the same. Some scientists believe that collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis may be different phases of the same condition rather than separate conditions.
In both types of microscopic colitis, an increase in the number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, can be seen in the epitheliumthe layer of cells that lines the colon. An increase in the number of white blood cells is a sign of inflammation. The two types of colitis affect the colon tissue in slightly different ways:
- Lymphocytic colitis. The number of lymphocytes is higher, and the tissues and lining of the colon are of normal thickness. - Collagenous colitis. The layer of collagen, a threadlike protein, underneath the epithelium builds up and becomes thicker than normal.
When looking through a microscope, the health care provider may find variations in lymphocyte numbers and collagen thickness in different parts of the colon. These variations may indicate an overlap of the two types of microscopic colitis.
Question: What are the symptoms of Microscopic Colitis: Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis ?
Answer: The most common symptom of microscopic colitis is chronic, watery, nonbloody diarrhea. Episodes of diarrhea can last for weeks, months, or even years. However, many people with microscopic colitis may have long periods without diarrhea. Other signs and symptoms of microscopic colitis can include
- a strong urgency to have a bowel movement or a need to go to the bathroom quickly - pain, cramping, or bloating in the abdomenthe area between the chest and the hipsthat is usually mild - weight loss - fecal incontinenceaccidental passing of stool or fluid from the rectumespecially at night - nausea - dehydrationa condition that results from not taking in enough liquids to replace fluids lost through diarrhea
The symptoms of microscopic colitis can come and go frequently. Sometimes, the symptoms go away without treatment.
Question: What are the treatments for Microscopic Colitis: Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis ?
Answer: Treatment depends on the severity of symptoms. The gastroenterologist will
- review the medications the person is taking - make recommendations to change or stop certain medications - recommend that the person quit smoking
The gastroenterologist may prescribe medications to help control symptoms. Medications are almost always effective in treating microscopic colitis. The gastroenterologist may recommend eating, diet, and nutrition changes. In rare cases, the gastroenterologist may recommend surgery.
Medications
The gastroenterologist may prescribe one or more of the following:
- antidiarrheal medications such as bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol), diphenoxylate/atropine (Lomotil), and loperamide - corticosteroids such as budesonide (Entocort) and prednisone - anti-inflammatory medications such as mesalamine and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) - cholestyramine resin (Locholest, Questran)a medication that blocks bile acids - antibiotics such as metronidazole (Flagyl) and erythromycin - immunomodulators such as mercaptopurine (Purinethol), azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), and methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) - anti-TNF therapies such as infliximab (Remicade) and adalimumab (Humira)
Corticosteroids are medications that decrease inflammation and reduce the activity of the immune system. These medications can have many side effects. Scientists have shown that budesonide is safer, with fewer side effects, than prednisone. Most health care providers consider budesonide the best medication for treating microscopic colitis.
Patients with microscopic colitis generally achieve relief through treatment with medications, although relapses can occur. Some patients may need long-term treatment if they continue to have relapses.
Question: What to do for Microscopic Colitis: Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis ?
Answer: To help reduce symptoms, a health care provider may recommend the following dietary changes:
- avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine or artificial sugars - drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration during episodes of diarrhea - eat a milk-free diet if the person is also lactose intolerant - eat a gluten-free diet
People should talk with their health care provider or dietitian about what type of diet is right for them.
Surgery
When the symptoms of microscopic colitis are severe and medications arent effective, a gastroenterologist may recommend surgery to remove the colon. Surgery is a rare treatment for microscopic colitis. The gastroenterologist will exclude other causes of symptoms before considering surgery.
Question: What is (are) Fecal Incontinence ?
Answer: Fecal incontinence, also called a bowel control problem, is the accidental passing of solid or liquid stool or mucus from the rectum. Fecal incontinence includes the inability to hold a bowel movement until reaching a toilet as well as passing stool into ones underwear without being aware of it happening. Stool, also called feces, is solid waste that is passed as a bowel movement and includes undigested food, bacteria, mucus, and dead cells. Mucus is a clear liquid that coats and protects tissues in the digestive system.
Fecal incontinence can be upsetting and embarrassing. Many people with fecal incontinence feel ashamed and try to hide the problem. However, people with fecal incontinence should not be afraid or embarrassed to talk with their health care provider. Fecal incontinence is often caused by a medical problem and treatment is available.
Question: Who is at risk for Fecal Incontinence? ?
Answer: Nearly 18 million U.S. adultsabout one in 12have fecal incontinence.1 People of any age can have a bowel control problem, though fecal incontinence is more common in older adults. Fecal incontinence is slightly more common among women. Having any of the following can increase the risk:
- diarrhea, which is passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day - urgency, or the sensation of having very little time to get to the toilet for a bowel movement - a disease or injury that damages the nervous system - poor overall health from multiple chronic, or long lasting, illnesses - a difficult childbirth with injuries to the pelvic floorthe muscles, ligaments, and tissues that support the uterus, vagina, bladder, and rectum
Question: What are the treatments for Fecal Incontinence ?
Answer: Treatment for fecal incontinence may include one or more of the following:
- eating, diet, and nutrition - medications - bowel training - pelvic floor exercises and biofeedback - surgery - electrical stimulation
Question: What is (are) What I need to know about Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: Diverticular* disease affects the colon. The colon is part of the large intestine that removes waste from your body. Diverticular disease is made up of two conditions: diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Diverticulosis occurs when pouches, called diverticula, form in the colon. These pouches bulge out like weak spots in a tire. Diverticulitis occurs if the pouches become inflamed.
*See the Pronunciation Guide for tips on how to say the words in bold type.
Question: What are the symptoms of What I need to know about Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: The symptoms for diverticulosis and diverticulitis are different.
Diverticulosis. Many people don't have symptoms, but some people have cramping, bloating, and constipation. Some people also have bleeding, inflammation, and fistulas. If you are bleeding, bright red blood will pass through your rectum. The rectum is the end of the colon that connects to the anus. The rectum and anus are part of the gastrointestinal tract, which is the passage that food goes through. Rectal bleeding is usually painless, but it can be dangerous. You should see a doctor right away.
Diverticulitis. People with diverticulitis can have many symptoms. Often pain is felt in the lower part of the abdomen. If you have diverticulitis, you may have fevers, feel sick to your stomach, vomit, or have a change in your bowel habits.
Question: What is (are) What I need to know about Hirschsprung Disease ?
Answer: Hirschsprung* disease (HD) is a disease of the large intestine that causes severe constipation or intestinal obstruction. Constipation means stool moves through the intestines slower than usual. Bowel movements occur less often than normal and stools are difficult to pass. Some children with HD cant pass stool at all, which can result in the complete blockage of the intestines, a condition called intestinal obstruction. People with HD are born with it and are usually diagnosed when they are infants. Less severe cases are sometimes diagnosed when a child is older. An HD diagnosis in an adult is rare.
*See Pronunciation Guide for tips on how to say the words in bold type.
Question: What causes What I need to know about Hirschsprung Disease ?
Answer: People with HD have constipation because they lack nerve cells in a part or all of the large intestine. The nerve cells signal muscles in the large intestine to push stool toward the anus. Without a signal to push stool along, stool will remain in the large intestine.
How severe HD is depends on how much of the large intestine is affected. Short-segment HD means only the last part of the large intestine lacks nerve cells. Long-segment HD means most or all of the large intestine, and sometimes the last part of the small intestine, lacks nerve cells.
In a person with HD, stool moves through the large intestine until it reaches the part lacking nerve cells. At that point, the stool moves slowly or stops, causing an intestinal obstruction.
Question: What are the symptoms of What I need to know about Hirschsprung Disease ?
Answer: The main symptoms of HD are constipation or intestinal obstruction, usually appearing shortly after birth. Constipation in infants and children is common and usually comes and goes, but if your child has had ongoing constipation since birth, HD may be the problem.
Symptoms in Newborns
Newborns with HD almost always fail to have their first bowel movement within 48 hours after birth. Other symptoms include
- green or brown vomit - explosive stools after a doctor inserts a finger into the rectum - swelling of the belly, also known as the abdomen - lots of gas - bloody diarrhea
Symptoms in Toddlers and Older Children
Symptoms of HD in toddlers and older children include
- not being able to pass stools without laxatives or enemas. A laxative is medicine that loosens stool and increases bowel movements. An enema is performed by flushing water, or sometimes a mild soap solution, into the anus using a special wash bottle. - swelling of the abdomen. - lots of gas. - bloody diarrhea. - slow growth or development. - lack of energy because of a shortage of red blood cells, called anemia.