shaneperry0101/health-chatbot huggingface dataset:
Question: What are the treatments for What I need to know about Living with Kidney Failure ?
Answer: Kidney failure means your kidneys no longer work well enough to do their job. You need treatment to replace the work your damaged kidneys have stopped doing. The treatments for kidney failure are
- hemodialysis - peritoneal dialysis - a kidney transplant
Your kidneys filter wastes and extra fluid from your blood to keep you healthy. The wastes and extra fluid become urine that is stored in your bladder until you urinate. When your kidneys fail, dialysis can take over a small part of the work your damaged kidneys can no longer do. You can make treatments work better by
- sticking to your treatment schedule - taking all medicines your doctor prescribes - following a special diet that keeps wastes from building up in your blood - being active most days of the week
Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis is a treatment for kidney failure. Hemodialysis uses a machine to filter your blood outside your body. First, a dialysis nurse places two needles into your arm. A pump on the hemodialysis machine draws your blood through one of the needles into a tube. The tube takes the blood to a filter, called a dialyzer. Inside the dialyzer, your blood flows through thin fibers that are like straws. The wastes and extra fluid leave the blood through tiny holes in the fibers. Then, a different tube carries the filtered blood back to your body through the second needle.
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics, Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Hemodialysis and Home Hemodialysis.
Peritoneal Dialysis
catheter
Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Peritoneal Dialysis
Kidney Transplant
A kidney transplant places a healthy kidney from another person into your body. The kidney may come from someone who has just died. Your doctor will place your name on a waiting list for a kidney. A family member or friend might be able to give you a kidney. Then you dont have to wait.
The new kidney takes over filtering your blood. The damaged kidneys usually stay where they are. The new kidney is placed in the front lower abdomen, on one side of the bladder. Your body normally attacks anything that shouldnt be there, such as bacteria. Your body will think the new kidney shouldnt be there. You will take medicines called immunosuppressants to keep your body from attacking the new kidney.
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure: Transplantation.
*See the Pronunciation Guide for tips on how to say the the words in bold type.
Question: What to do for What I need to know about Living with Kidney Failure ?
Answer: Eating the right foods can help you feel better when you are on dialysis or have a kidney transplant. Staying healthy with kidney failure requires watching how much of these elements are included in your diet:
- Protein is in many foods you eat. Protein is in foods from animals and plants. Most diets include both types of protein. Protein provides the building blocks that maintain and repair muscles, organs, and other parts of the body. Too much protein can cause waste to build up in your blood, making your kidneys work harder. However, if you are on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, you need lots of protein to replace the protein that dialysis removes. - Phosphorus is a mineral that keeps your bones healthy. Phosphorus also keeps blood vessels and muscles working. This mineral is found naturally in foods rich in protein, such as meat, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, and dairy products. Phosphorus is also added to many processed foods. You need phosphorus to turn food into energy; however, too much can cause your bones to weaken. - Water is in drinks and in foods such as fruits, vegetables, ice cream, gelatin, soup, and popsicles. Your body needs water; however, too much can cause fluid to build up in your body and make your heart work harder. - Sodium is a part of salt. You can find sodium in many canned, packaged, and fast foods and in seasonings and meats. You need sodium to help control the amount of fluid in your body; however, too much can cause high blood pressure. - Potassium is a mineral that helps your nerves and muscles work the right way. Potassium is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, bananas, tomatoes, and potatoes. You need potassium for healthy nerves and brain cells; however, too much can make your heartbeat irregular. - Calories are found in all foods and are especially high in oils and sugary foods. You need calories for energy; however, too many can cause weight gain and high blood sugar.
Talk with your clinics renal dietitian to find a meal plan that works for you. Each treatment requires a different diet. If you are on hemodialysis, you have to stay away from foods such as potatoes and oranges because they have lots of potassium. If you are on peritoneal dialysis, eating potassium is fine. Instead, you may need to watch your calories. Your food needs will also depend on your weight and activity level.
Changing your diet may be hard at first. Eating the right foods will help you feel better. You will have more strength and energy. Having more energy will help you live a fuller, healthier life. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Eat Right to Feel Right on Hemodialysis.
Question: What is (are) Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: Diverticular disease is a condition that occurs when a person has problems from small pouches, or sacs, that have formed and pushed outward through weak spots in the colon wall. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. Multiple pouches are called diverticula.
The colon is part of the large intestine. The large intestine absorbs water from stool and changes it from a liquid to a solid form. Diverticula are most common in the lower part of the colon, called the sigmoid colon.
The problems that occur with diverticular disease include diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Diverticulitis occurs when the diverticula become inflamed, or irritated and swollen, and infected. Diverticular bleeding occurs when a small blood vessel within the wall of a diverticulum bursts.
Question: What causes Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: Scientists are not certain what causes diverticulosis and diverticular disease. For more than 50 years, the most widely accepted theory was that a low-fiber diet led to diverticulosis and diverticular disease. Diverticulosis and diverticular disease were first noticed in the United States in the early 1900s, around the time processed foods were introduced into the American diet. Consumption of processed foods greatly reduced Americans fiber intake. Diverticulosis and diverticular disease are common in Western and industrialized countriesparticularly the United States, England, and Australiawhere low-fiber diets are common. The condition is rare in Asia and Africa, where most people eat high-fiber diets.1 Two large studies also indicate that a low-fiber diet may increase the chance of developing diverticular disease.2
However, a recent study found that a low-fiber diet was not associated with diverticulosis and that a high-fiber diet and more frequent bowel movements may be linked to an increased rather than decreased chance of diverticula.3
Other studies have focused on the role of decreased levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in causing decreased relaxation and increased spasms of the colon muscle. A neurotransmitter is a chemical that helps brain cells communicate with nerve cells. However, more studies are needed in this area.
Studies have also found links between diverticular disease and obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, and certain medications including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, and steroids.3
Scientists agree that with diverticulitis, inflammation may begin when bacteria or stool get caught in a diverticulum. In the colon, inflammation also may be caused by a decrease in healthy bacteria and an increase in disease-causing bacteria. This change in the bacteria may permit chronic inflammation to develop in the colon.
What is fiber? Fiber is a substance in foods that comes from plants. Fiber helps soften stool so it moves smoothly through the colon and is easier to pass. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in beans, fruit, and oat products. Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and is found in whole-grain products and vegetables. Both kinds of fiber help prevent constipation. Constipation is a condition in which an adult has fewer than three bowel movements a week or has bowel movements with stools that are hard, dry, and small, making them painful or difficult to pass. High-fiber foods also have many benefits in preventing and controlling chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.2
Question: What are the symptoms of Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: People with diverticulitis may have many symptoms, the most common of which is pain in the lower left side of the abdomen. The pain is usually severe and comes on suddenly, though it can also be mild and then worsen over several days. The intensity of the pain can fluctuate. Diverticulitis may also cause
- fevers and chills - nausea or vomiting - a change in bowel habitsconstipation or diarrhea - diverticular bleeding
In most cases, people with diverticular bleeding suddenly have a large amount of red or maroon-colored blood in their stool. Diverticular bleeding may also cause
- weakness - dizziness or light-headedness - abdominal cramping
Question: What to do for Diverticular Disease ?
Answer: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, recommends a dietary fiber intake of 14 grams per 1,000 calories consumed. For instance, for a 2,000-calorie diet, the fiber recommendation is 28 grams per day. The amount of fiber in a food is listed on the foods nutrition facts label. Some of the best sources of fiber include fruits; vegetables, particularly starchy ones; and whole grains. A health care provider or dietitian can help a person learn how to add more high-fiber foods into the diet.
Fiber-rich Foods Beans, cereals, and breads Amount of fiber 1/2 cup of navy beans 9.5 grams 1/2 cup of kidney beans 8.2 grams 1/2 cup of black beans 7.5 grams Whole-grain cereal, cold 1/2 cup of All-Bran 9.6 grams 3/4 cup of Total 2.4 grams 3/4 cup of Post Bran Flakes 5.3 grams 1 packet of whole-grain cereal, hot (oatmeal, Wheatena) 3.0 grams 1 whole-wheat English muffin 4.4 grams Fruits 1 medium apple, with skin 3.3 grams 1 medium pear, with skin 4.3 grams 1/2 cup of raspberries 4.0 grams 1/2 cup of stewed prunes 3.8 grams Vegetables 1/2 cup of winter squash 2.9 grams 1 medium sweet potato, with skin 4.8 grams 1/2 cup of green peas 4.4 grams 1 medium potato, with skin 3.8 grams 1/2 cup of mixed vegetables 4.0 grams 1 cup of cauliflower 2.5 grams 1/2 cup of spinach 3.5 grams 1/2 cup of turnip greens 2.5 grams
Scientists now believe that people with diverticular disease do not need to eliminate certain foods from their diet. In the past, health care providers recommended that people with diverticular disease avoid nuts, popcorn, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds because they thought food particles could enter, block, or irritate the diverticula. However, recent data suggest that these foods are not harmful.5 The seeds in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as poppy seeds, are also fine to eat. Nonetheless, people with diverticular disease may differ in the amounts and types of foods that worsen their symptoms.
Question: What is (are) Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction ?
Answer: Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a rare condition with symptoms that resemble those caused by a blockage, or obstruction, of the intestines, also called the bowel. However, when a health care provider examines the intestines, no blockage exists. Instead, the symptoms are due to nerve or muscle problems that affect the movement of food, fluid, and air through the intestines.
The intestines are part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and include the small intestine and the large intestine. The small intestine is the organ where most digestion occurs. The small intestine measures about 20 feet and includes the
- duodenum, the first part of the small intestine - jejunum, the middle section of the small intestine - ileum, the lower end of the small intestine
The large intestine absorbs water from stool and changes it from a liquid to a solid form, which passes out of the body during a bowel movement. The large intestine measures about 5 feet and includes the
- cecum, the first part of the large intestine, which is connected to the ileum - colon, the part of the large intestine extending from the cecum to the rectum - rectum, the lower end of the large intestine leading to the anus
Question: What causes Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction ?
Answer: Problems with nerves, muscles, or interstitial cells of Cajal cause intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Interstitial cells of Cajal are called pacemaker cells because they set the pace of intestinal contractions. These cells convey messages from nerves to muscles.
Problems with nerves, muscles, or interstitial cells of Cajal prevent normal contractions of the intestines and cause problems with the movement of food, fluid, and air through the intestines.
Primary or idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction is intestinal pseudo-obstruction that occurs by itself. In some people with primary intestinal pseudo-obstruction, mutations, or changes, in genestraits passed from parent to childcause the condition. However, health care providers do not typically order genetic testing for an intestinal pseudo-obstruction, as they dont commonly recognize gene mutations as a cause.
Some people have duplications or deletions of genetic material in the FLNA gene. Researchers believe that these genetic changes may impair the function of a protein, causing problems with the nerve cells in the intestines.1 As a result, the nerves cannot work with the intestinal muscles to produce normal contractions that move food, fluid, and air through the digestive tract. Also, these genetic changes may account for some of the other signs and symptoms that can occur with intestinal pseudo-obstruction, such as bladder symptoms and muscle weakness.
A condition called mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy may also cause primary intestinal pseudo-obstruction. In people with this condition, mitochondriastructures in cells that produce energydo not function normally. Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy can also cause other symptoms, such as problems with nerves in the limbs and changes in the brain.
Secondary intestinal pseudo-obstruction develops as a complication of another medical condition. Causes of secondary intestinal pseudo-obstruction include
- abdominal or pelvic surgery - diseases that affect muscles and nerves, such as lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, and Parkinsons disease - infections - medications, such as opiates and antidepressants, that affect muscles and nerves - radiation to the abdomen - certain cancers, including lung cancer
Question: What are the symptoms of Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction ?
Answer: Intestinal pseudo-obstruction symptoms may include
- abdominal swelling or bloating, also called distension - abdominal pain - nausea - vomiting - constipation - diarrhea
Over time, the condition can cause malnutrition, bacterial overgrowth in the intestines, and weight loss. Malnutrition is a condition that develops when the body does not get the right amount of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.
Some people develop problems with their esophagus, stomach, or bladder.
Question: What are the treatments for Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction ?
Answer: A health care provider will treat intestinal pseudo-obstruction with nutritional support, medications, and, in some cases, decompression. Rarely, a person will need surgery. If an illness, a medication, or both cause intestinal pseudo-obstruction, a health care provider will treat the underlying illness, stop the medication, or do both.
Nutritional Support
People with intestinal pseudo-obstruction often need nutritional support to prevent malnutrition and weight loss. Enteral nutrition provides liquid food through a feeding tube inserted through the nose into the stomach or placed directly into the stomach or small intestine. A health care provider inserts the feeding tube, sometimes using x ray or endoscopy for guidance, and teaches the person how to care for the tube after returning home. Enteral nutrition is sufficient for most people with intestinal pseudo-obstruction. In a severe case, a person may need IV feeding, also called parenteral nutrition, which provides liquid food through a tube placed in a vein.
Enteral nutrition is possible because the intestinal lining is normal in most people with intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Enteral nutrition is preferred over parenteral nutrition because it has a much lower risk of complications.
Medications
A health care provider prescribes medications to treat the different symptoms and complications of intestinal pseudo-obstruction, such as
- antibiotics to treat bacterial infections - pain medication, which should be used sparingly, if at all, because most pain medications delay intestinal transit - medication to make intestinal muscles contract - antinausea medications - antidiarrheal medications - laxatives
Decompression
A person with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction and a greatly enlarged colon who does not respond to medications may need a procedure, called decompression, to remove gas from the colon. A gastroenterologist can perform the procedure in a hospital or an outpatient center. The gastroenterologist may choose to decompress the colon by using colonoscopy. During colonoscopy, the gastroenterologist inserts a flexible tube into the colon through the anus. A health care provider gives the person a light sedative, and possibly pain medication, to relax. If the person requires long-term decompression, the gastroenterologist also can decompress the colon through a surgical opening in the cecum. In this case, the health care provider gives the person local anesthesia.
Surgery
In severe cases of intestinal pseudo-obstruction, a person may need surgery to remove part of the intestine. However, surgery should be performed rarely, if at all, because intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a generalized disorder that typically affects the entire intestine. Removing part of the intestine cannot cure the disease.
A surgeona doctor who specializes in surgerywill perform the surgery at a hospital; a person will need general anesthesia. A few highly specialized treatment centers offer small intestine transplantation. A health care provider may recommend small intestine transplantation when all other treatments have failed.
Question: What is (are) Acromegaly ?
Answer: Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that results from too much growth hormone (GH) in the body. The pituitary, a small gland in the brain, makes GH. In acromegaly, the pituitary produces excessive amounts of GH. Usually the excess GH comes from benign, or noncancerous, tumors on the pituitary. These benign tumors are called adenomas.
Acromegaly is most often diagnosed in middle-aged adults, although symptoms can appear at any age. If not treated, acromegaly can result in serious illness and premature death. Acromegaly is treatable in most patients, but because of its slow and often "sneaky" onset, it often is not diagnosed early or correctly. The most serious health consequences of acromegaly are type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and arthritis. Patients with acromegaly are also at increased risk for colon polyps, which may develop into colon cancer if not removed.
When GH-producing tumors occur in childhood, the disease that results is called gigantism rather than acromegaly. A child's height is determined by the length of the so-called long bones in the legs. In response to GH, these bones grow in length at the growth platesareas near either end of the bone. Growth plates fuse after puberty, so the excessive GH production in adults does not result in increased height. However, prolonged exposure to excess GH before the growth plates fuse causes increased growth of the long bones and thus increased height. Pediatricians may become concerned about this possibility if a child's growth rate suddenly and markedly increases beyond what would be predicted by previous growth and how tall the child's parents are.
Question: What are the symptoms of Acromegaly ?
Answer: The name acromegaly comes from the Greek words for "extremities" and "enlargement," reflecting one of its most common symptomsthe abnormal growth of the hands and feet. Swelling of the hands and feet is often an early feature, with patients noticing a change in ring or shoe size, particularly shoe width. Gradually, bone changes alter the patient's facial features: The brow and lower jaw protrude, the nasal bone enlarges, and the teeth space out.
Overgrowth of bone and cartilage often leads to arthritis. When tissue thickens, it may trap nerves, causing carpal tunnel syndrome, which results in numbness and weakness of the hands. Body organs, including the heart, may enlarge.
Other symptoms of acromegaly include
- joint aches - thick, coarse, oily skin - skin tags - enlarged lips, nose, and tongue - deepening of the voice due to enlarged sinuses and vocal cords - sleep apnea-breaks in breathing during sleep due to obstruction of the airway - excessive sweating and skin odor - fatigue and weakness - headaches - impaired vision - abnormalities of the menstrual cycle and sometimes breast discharge in women - erectile dysfunction in men - decreased libido
Question: How to diagnose Acromegaly ?
Answer: Blood tests
If acromegaly is suspected, a doctor must measure the GH level in a persons blood to determine if it is elevated. However, a single measurement of an elevated blood GH level is not enough to diagnose acromegaly: Because GH is secreted by the pituitary in impulses, or spurts, its concentration in the blood can vary widely from minute to minute. At a given moment, a person with acromegaly may have a normal GH level, whereas a GH level in a healthy person may even be five times higher.
More accurate information is obtained when GH is measured under conditions that normally suppress GH secretion. Health care professionals often use the oral glucose tolerance test to diagnose acromegaly because drinking 75 to 100 grams of glucose solution lowers blood GH levels to less than 1 nanogram per milliliter (ng/ml) in healthy people. In people with GH overproduction, this suppression does not occur. The oral glucose tolerance test is a highly reliable method for confirming a diagnosis of acromegaly.
Physicians also can measure IGF-I levels, which increase as GH levels go up, in people with suspected acromegaly. Because IGF-I levels are much more stable than GH levels over the course of the day, they are often a more practical and reliable screening measure. Elevated IGF-I levels almost always indicate acromegaly. However, a pregnant womans IGF-I levels are two to three times higher than normal. In addition, physicians must be aware that IGF-I levels decline with age and may also be abnormally low in people with poorly controlled diabetes or liver or kidney disease.
Imaging
After acromegaly has been diagnosed by measuring GH or IGF-I levels, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the pituitary is used to locate and detect the size of the tumor causing GH overproduction. MRI is the most sensitive imaging technique, but computerized tomography (CT) scans can be used if the patient should not have MRI. For example, people who have pacemakers or other types of implants containing metal should not have an MRI scan because MRI machines contain powerful magnets.
If a head scan fails to detect a pituitary tumor, the physician should look for non-pituitary "ectopic" tumors in the chest, abdomen, or pelvis as the cause of excess GH. The presence of such tumors usually can be diagnosed by measuring GHRH in the blood and by a CT scan of possible tumor sites.
Rarely, a pituitary tumor secreting GH may be too tiny to detect even with a sensitive MRI scan.