Category: Gastrointestinal health

Gastrointestinal health

What Is Giardiasis?

Richard Crowson

A giardiasis is a form of gastroenteritis, which is also known as gastro. This condition begins because of a parasite known as Giardia duodenalis. While Giardia is found everywhere in the world, it is more prevalent in counties with poor sanitation.

Although giardiasis can affect people of any age group, it is more prevalent in infants, children, and adults aging between 20 and 40 years. Places from where this condition spreads to other areas are the health centers where there are children who are not toilet trained properly.

Symptoms of giardiasis

This condition usually takes up to a couple of weeks to develop in the GI tract. It can even take three weeks in some cases. Its symptoms may include:

  • Chronic diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Cramps in the abdomen
  • Presence of large amounts of fats in feces

While most people who are infected by this condition do not show any symptoms, they may still transfer this disease to other people.

Causes of giardiasis

People who have Giardia parasites can transfer this condition to other people by not practicing good hygiene. Foods get these parasites from contaminated hands and pass them to other people. Changing the diaper of an infected child may also result in the contamination of the hand.

Drinking contaminated water is another reason for giardiasis. Fecal contamination of water supplies or recreational swimming areas can result in the transfer of Giardia parasites to a lot of people. Individuals having giardiasis need to stay away from pools and other swimming areas until after one week of having their symptoms eased.

Diagnosis

If you notice any symptoms in your body or that of your child, you may want to contact your doctor. The doctor will ask you to bring a stool sample to lab tests. Once the doctor discovers that you or your child has giardiasis, he will provide treatment.

Preventing giardiasis from spreading

You can prevent this condition from spreading by adhering to the following instructions.

  • Go for a checkup and get appropriate treatment. It should help reduce the spread of the infection.
  • If your children have this condition, keep them home and take a few days off from school. Allow them to go back to school once they recover.
  • If you have been diagnosed with this condition, take a few days off from your workplace. It will be even more crucial to take off if your job requires you to handle foods or if you are a healthcare worker.
  • Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after visiting the toilet or changing the diaper of your baby.
  • Make sure to clean your toilet and taps thoroughly.
  • Avoid drinking water if it is untreated.
  • Avoid visiting the swimming area until after one week of having your symptoms reduced.
  • Make sure not to prepare food if it is meant to be eaten by other people.
  • Do not share your towel or face washer with a person who has giardiasis.

Every person responds to this condition differently. Some may be able to get rid of it without any medical intervention, while some might start going through worse by leaving the problem untreated. The best way is to contact your doctor and follow their instructions.

Gastrointestinal health

The Ostomy Products That You Should Be Using

Richard Crowson

If you have had an ostomy for any serious amount of time, then you know just how vast the ostomy supplies market is. I mean, there are so many products out there that are made for ostomy that it can be hard to figure out the types of products that are right for you or what you really need. I can tell you right away that not all ostomy products are created equally, and some products or accessories are way more effective than others. Also, there can be a difference in the effectiveness of a product as it varies between people, because sometimes you will notice a product that works great for you but does not work very well for someone else.

That’s the thing about ostomy supplies; it really should not have to be that complicated, but it is. Consequently, I have seen a lot of novice ostomates get swamped by the sheer amount of inventory that stores and websites carry when it comes to ostomy supplies and accessories. Since I’ve been in this business a long time and have a lot of knowledge and experience when it comes to dealing with ostomy patients, I have decided to write this article about some of the best ostomy products that you should be using if you are not already familiar with them. 

The first type of product that you are going to be looking for is some sort of adhesive wipes and removers, skin prep wipes, and other similar products. While the ostomy pouch is quite possibly the most notorious piece of ostomy equipment, you would really get nowhere without the great addition of some skin wipes and adhesive removers. That’s why I decided to add these into the list first, because I feel that a lot of people need to hear about them. So there are different wipes for different purposes, and I will talk about a few of them right now.

Some wipes are used to wipe down the area around your stoma when you attempt to attach the skin barrier to your body. These wipes make it a lot easier to get a good seal on your skin barrier, and are definitely a necessary component of any ostomy supply case. It is important to note that healthcare in the United States is an absolute joke, and that not all ostomy wipes and swabs are covered by insurance. So if you are not able to pay out of pocket for some of these products, then your options may be a little more limited if you are just using insurance. Some of these products are in fact covered by insurance, though, so don’t be scared to try out different ones and see which products can work for you.

Another product that not a lot of people know about is called a stoma cap. Now a stoma cap is generally used to get a water tight seal around your stoma in the case that you are going to take a shower or bath and want to just get something sealed up really quick. Stoma caps are also useful if you are going for a swim or partaking in some intimate moments with someone (or a lot of people at once, I’m not the type to judge). Use a stoma cap if you want to be ostomy bag free for 20-30 minutes!