Flatulence is very common, and everyone experiences it. Most men pass wind 14-25 times a day, and most women between 7 and 12 times a day

Gas is produced by the digestive system when enzymes and bacteria break down food.

Some medical conditions can cause flatulence, such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Medication can help to control the symptoms.

Self-care advice

Excessive flatulence can usually be treated by making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Avoid eating foods that are high in unabsorbable carbohydrates

It is still important for you to eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. You should choose foods that contain carbohydrates that are easy to digest. For example:

• potatoes

• rice

• lettuce

• bananas

• grapes

• citrus fruits, such as oranges

• yogurt

However, it is important to note that different people will react differently to certain foods, so some of the foods listed above may still cause you flatulence. Therefore, it is recommended that you keep a food diary to see whether certain foods make your symptoms better or worse.

You may find it useful to eat six small meals a day rather than three large ones. Smaller meals are easier to digest and should produce less gas.

Make sure that you chew your food slowly and thoroughly in order to reduce the amount of air that you are swallowing.

Taking plenty of exercise can help to improve the functioning of your digestive system and bowel, and reduce symptoms of gas.

There is some limited evidence that drinking peppermint tea can help improve the symptoms of flatulence.

If you smoke you should quit. Smoking causes you to swallow more air than normal, and tobacco smoke can irritate your digestive system.

Chewing gum should also be avoided because this also causes you to swallow more air.

Over-the-counter remedies

Probiotics may also be useful in treating of flatulence. Probiotics are a dietary supplement, usually sold in liquid form, which encourage the growth of "friendly bacteria" in your digestive system. The "friendly bacteria" should help to aid digestion and reduce symptoms of flatulence.

Cancer : Symptoms

Remember:

• Know what's normal for you.

• Know how your body looks and feels.

• Know what changes to look for.

• Report any changes to your Doc without delay.

One person in three is diagnosed with cancer at some time in their life. Cancer usually affects older people, but it can occur at any age.

Detecting most cancers early means that treatment is more likely to be successful. The first-symptom of cancer could be:

• a lump anywhere on your body

• changes to a mole

• a cough that won’t go away

• abnormal bleeding

• a change in bowel movements

• unexplained weight loss

It’s always important to have any of the above checked by a Doc so that you can be treated, whatever the cause.

Today I will cover skin, then the following 3 days Bowel,Testicles,Breast

Checking your skin
You need to know what's normal for your skin, particularly if you're regularly exposed to the sun or you have used sunbeds. Using a sun-bed is not safe. Sunbeds can be harmful to skin and can cause changes that can lead to skin cancer.

If you notice any changes to a mole , such as changes in shape, size or colour, see your Doc. Ask a friend or partner to check the areas you can't see, such as your back and shoulders. Skin cancers can appear as:

• a spot or sore that does not heal within four weeks

• a spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, scab, crust or bleed after four weeks

• areas where the skin has broken down or turned into an ulcer with no obvious cause and does not heal for four weeks

If any area of your skin is damaged and it doesn't heal, you need to see your Doc. Try not to worry as many conditions can affect your skin and are not cancerous. It’s still important to get it checked.

Bowel cancer

The initial symptoms of bowel cancer include:

• blood in your stools (faeces) and/or bleeding from your rectum,

• a change to your normal bowel habits that persists for more than six weeks, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or passing stools more frequently than usual,

• abdominal pain, and

• unexplained weight loss.

As bowel cancer progresses, it can sometimes cause bleeding inside the bowel which eventually will mean that your body will not have enough red blood cells. This is known as anaemia.

Symptoms of anaemia include:

• fatigue, and

• breathlessness.

In some cases, bowel cancer can cause an obstruction in the bowel. Symptoms of a bowel obstruction include:

• a feeling of bloating, usually around the navel (belly button),

• abdominal pain,

• constipation, and

• vomiting.

When to seek medical advice

You should always contact your Doc if you experience any of the symptoms that are listed above. While the symptoms are unlikely to be the result of bowel cancer, these types of symptoms always need to be investigated further.

Preventing testicular cancer

Testicular cancer cannot usually be prevented, so it is important to check your testicles regularly. Cancer is easier to treat when it is diagnosed early on. If you regularly examine your testicles, you are likely to notice any swelling or abnormalities when they are at an early stage of development.

Checking your testicles

The best time to check your testicles is after a warm shower or bath because this is when your scrotal skin will be most relaxed.

Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands, and use your fingers and thumbs to examine your testicles. You should first feel the size and weight of your testicles. A lot of men have one testicle which is larger than the other. You may also have one testicle that hangs slightly lower than the other.

If you notice any significant increase in the size or weight of your testicles, it could be a sign that something is wrong.See your Doc for advice.

As well as feeling the size and weight of your testicles, gently feel each testicle individually.

When you examine your testicles, they should feel smooth with no lumps or swellings. You should be able to feel a soft, tube-like section at the top and back of each testicle. This is your epididymis, which is used to store sperm. It may feel slightly tender, which is perfectly normal.

It is very rare to develop cancer in both testicles. Therefore, if you are unsure about what your testicle should feel like, try comparing it to your other one.

If you find a lump or a swelling while checking your testicles, visit your Doc as soon as possible.

Smoking

Of all of the known risk factors for testicular cancer, smoking is the one risk factor you can address. If you smoke, giving up will half your risk of developing testicular cancer, as well as reducing your risk of getting many other serious health conditions, such as lung cancer and heart disease.

Kidney stones are stone-like lumps that can develop in one or both of the kidneys. If the stones cause severe pain, this is known as renal colic.

The kidneys

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that are roughly four inches in length. They are located towards the back of the abdomen (stomach) on either side of the spine.

The kidneys remove waste products from the blood and transfer them into the ureter, along with excess fluids. The ureter is the tube that attaches each kidney to the bladder. From there, the waste products and excess fluid are disposed of as urine. The clean blood is then transferred back into the body.

Kidney stones

The waste products in the kidneys can occasionally form crystals that collect around the inside of the kidney. Over time, the crystals may build up to form a hard stone-like lump. This is a kidney stone.

There are four main types of kidney stone.

How common are kidney stones?

Kidney stones are quite common and usually affect people who are between 30 and 60 years of age. They affect men more than women. It is estimated that renal colic (severe pain caused by a kidney stone) affects about 10-20% of men, and 3-5% of women.

Outlook

After a kidney stone has formed,your body will try to pass it in urine, so it will often travel through the urinary system. The urinary system produces, stores and removes urine. The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder and the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body).

While small stones may be passed out in the urine, it is fairly common for a stone to block part of the urinary system, such as the ureter or the urethra. If this happens, it can cause severe pain in the abdomen or groin. A blockage in the urinary system can also lead to:

• infection

• kidney damage

• kidney failure

There are several procedures to remove, or break down, larger kidney stones. Around half of people who have had kidney stones will experience them again within the following 10 years.

If you have a kidney stone that is very small, it is unlikely to cause many symptoms. It may even go undetected and pass out painlessly when you urinate. This type of kidney stone is known as 'silent' because it is discreet.

Symptoms usually occur if the kidney stone:

• gets stuck in your kidney

• starts to travel down the ureter (the tube that attaches each kidney to the bladder), because, as the ureter is a narrow tube, the kidney stone causes pain as it tries to pass through

• causes an infection

Common symptoms of kidney stones include:

• intense pain in the back or side of your abdomen (stomach), or occasionally in your groin, which may last for minutes or hours, with intervals inbetween when there is no pain

• feeling restless and unable to lie still

• nausea (feeling sick)

• blood in your urine, which is often caused by the stone scratching the ureter

• cloudy or smelly urine

• a burning sensation when you urinate

• a high temperature (fever) of 38°C (100.4°F) or over

• feeling like you need to urinate more often, even if you do not need to

Blocked ureter

The ureter is a muscular tube that carries waste products from your kidneys to your bladder. If the ureter becomes blocked by a kidney stone, it may swell up (hydroureter) and cause the muscles to spasm (contract tightly). The spasms can be very painful.

When a stone in the ureter causes severe pain, this is known asrenal colic.

If the ureter becomes swollen, you may experience symptoms such as:

• nausea and vomiting

• feeling like you need to urinate all the time

• pain when you urinate

Kidney infection

A blocked ureter can also cause an infection in the kidney because waste products cannot pass, which may cause a build-up of bacteria. Symptoms of an infected kidney include:

• pain in the lower side of your back

• a high temperature (fever) of 38°C (100.4°F) or over

• shivering

• nausea and vomiting

• diarrhoea

• cloudy and bad smelling urine

• needing to urinate more often than normal

• pain when you urinate

The exact cause of kidney stones cannot always be found, although they are usually formed following a build-up of a substance in the body, such as:

• calcium: a mineral that helps build strong teeth and bones

• ammonia: a colourless gas with a strong smell

• uric acid: a waste product that is produced when the body breaks down food to use as energy

• cystine: an amino acid that helps build protein

Certain medical conditions, such as cancer or kidney disease, can also increase your risk of developing kidney stones. This is usually due to the treatment for these conditions.

You are more likely to develop kidney stones if you do not drink enough fluids.

Recurrent kidney stones

You are at a greater risk of developing recurrent (returning) kidney stones if:

• you eat a high-protein, low-fibre diet

• you are inactive or bed-bound

• kidney stones run in your family

• you have had several kidney or urinary infections

• you have had a kidney stone previously, particularly if this was before you were 25 years of age

• only one of your kidneys works

• you have had an intestinal bypass (surgery on your digestive system), or a disease of the small intestine, such as Crohns (inflammation of the gut)

There is also evidence that certain types of medication may also increase your risk of developing recurrent kidney stones. For example:

• aspirin

• antacids

• calcium and vitamin D supplements

Kidney stones can develop as a result of a number of different factors. The causes of the four main types of kidney stone are outlined below.

Calcium stones

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. They are caused when there is too much calcium in the urine. High amounts of calcium could be due to factors such as:

• high levels of vitamin D

• an over-active parathyroid gland (your parathyroid glands help to regulate the amount of calcium in your body and release hormones)

• kidney disease

• sarcoidosis (a condition that causes inflammation of the lymph nodes and other organs)

• some cancers

Calcium stones are usually either large and smooth, or spiky and rough.

Struvite stones

Struvite stones are often caused by infections, and they most commonly occur after a urinary tract infection (UTI) that has lasted a long time. Struvite stones are more common in women than in men.

Uric acid stones

Uric acid stones often form when there is a high amount of acid in your urine. Uric acid stones may be caused by:

• eating a high protein diet that includes lots of meat

• a condition that prevents the body breaking down chemicals, such as gout

• an inherited condition that causes higher levels of acid in the body

• chemotherapy(a treatment for cancer)

Cystine stones

Cystine stones are the rarest form of kidney stone. They are caused by an inherited condition called cystinuria, which affects the amount of acid that is passed in your urine.

Your Doc will usually be able to diagnose a kidney stone from:

• your symptoms

• your medical history, particularly if you have had kidney stones before

Your Doc may suggest a number of tests including:

• blood tests to check that your kidneys are working properly, and to check the levels of substances that could cause kidney stones, such as calcium

• urine tests to check for infections and pieces of stones

• an examination of any stones that you pass in your urine

You can collect a kidney stone by urinating through some gauze or a stocking. Having a kidney stone to analyse will make your diagnosis easier, and may help your GP to determine which treatment method will be of most benefit to you.

Your Doc will usually be able to diagnose a kidney stone from:

• your symptoms

• your medical history, particularly if you have had kidney stones before

Your Doc may suggest a number of tests including:

• blood tests to check that your kidneys are working properly, and to check the levels of substances that could cause kidney stones, such as calcium

• urine tests to check for infections and pieces of stones

• an examination of any stones that you pass in your urine

You can collect a kidney stone by urinating through some gauze or a stocking. Having a kidney stone to analyse will make your diagnosis easier, and may help your GP to determine which treatment method will be of most benefit to you.

Imaging

You may be referred to a hospital for an imaging test. A number of different diagnostic techniques may be used to help confirm the diagnosis, or to identify precisely where a kidney stone is. These include:

• X-ray: an imaging technique that uses high-energy radiation to show up abnormalities in your body tissue

• an ultrasound which uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the inside of your body

• a computerised tomogram (CT) which takes a series of X-rays of your body at slightly different angles and uses a computer to put the images together

• an intravenous urogram (IVU) (also known as an intravenous pyelogram, IVP), where dye that shows up on an X-ray is injected into a vein in your arm so that, as the kidneys filter the dye out of your blood and into your  urine, the X-ray image highlights any blockages

IVUs used to be the preferred imaging method, but now CT scans are thought to be more accurate. The imaging technique you have may depend on what is available at your local primary care trust (PCT).

Small  stones

Most kidney stones will be small enough to be passed in your urine, and it may be possible to treat these at home. For stones up to 4mm (0.2in) in diameter, eight out of ten people will be able to pass them in their urine.

However, small kidney stones may still cause pain. The pain from smaller kidney stones usually lasts a couple of days and disappears when the stone has been passed.

Medication

If you have severe pain, your GP may inject you with a painkiller. A second dose can be given after half an hour if you are still experiencing pain.

Medication can also be injected to treat the symptoms of nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting. This is called an anti-emetic (anti-sickness) medication.
You may also be given a prescription for painkillers, anti-emetics or both, to take at home.

Self care

If you are sent home to wait for your kidney stone to pass, you may be advised to try to collect the stone from your urine. You can do this by filtering your urine through gauze or a stocking. The stone can be given to your GP to help them determine any further treatment you may need.

You should drink enough water to make your urine colourless. If your urine is yellow or brown you are not drinking enough.

Large  stones

If a kidney stone is too big to be passed naturally, you may need to have treatment to remove it another way. If your stone is 6-7mm (0.3in) in diameter, or larger, you may require treatment. This could include:

• extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

• percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)

• ureteroscopy

• surgery

These procedures are explained in more detail below. The type of treatment you have will depend on the size and location of your stones. 

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

 ESWL is the most common way of treating kidney stones that cannot be passed in the urine.

ESWL involves using X-rays (high-energy radiation) or ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves) to pin-point where a kidney stone is. A machine then sends shock waves of energy to the stone to break it into smaller pieces so it can be passed in your urine.

ESWL can be an uncomfortable form of treatment, so it is usually performed under a local anaesthetic (painkilling medication).

You may need more than one session of ESWL in order to treat your kidney stones successfully. For stones that are up to 20mm (0.8in) in diameter, ESWL is up to 99% effective.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)

 PCNL is an alternative procedure that may be used for larger stones. It may also be used if ESWL is not suitable, for example, because the person being treated is obese. 

PCNL involves using a thin telescopic instrument that is called a nephroscope. An incision (cut) that leads to your kidney is made in your back. The nephroscope is passed through the incision and into your kidney. The stone is either pulled out, or broken into smaller pieces using a laser or ESWL.

PCNL is often performed under general anaesthetic, which means that you should not drive or operate machinery for up to 48 hours after the procedure.

As PCNL is a type of surgical procedure, it does carry more risks than ESWL. For stones that are 21-30mm (0.8-1.2in) in diameter, PCNL is 86% effective.

Ureterorenoscopy 

If a kidney stone is stuck in your ureter (the muscular tube that carries waste products from your kidneys to your bladder), you may need to have ureterorenoscopy. Ureterorenoscopy is also sometimes known as retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS).

Ureterorenoscopy involves passing a long, thin telescope, called a ureteroscope, through your urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body), into your bladder. It is then passed up into your ureter to where the stone is stuck.

The surgeon may either try gently to remove the stone using another instrument, or they may use lasers, or ESWL, to break the stone up into small pieces so that it can be passed naturally in your urine.

As with PCNL, ureterorenoscopy is also performed under general anaesthetic, so you should not drive or operate machinery for up to 48 hours after the procedure.

For stones up to 15mm (0.6in), an ureterorenoscopy is effective in 50-80% of cases.

Surgery

If none of the methods for removing your kidney stone that are described above are suitable, it may be necessary to remove it using traditional surgery. This will involve making an incision (cut) in your back in order to gain access to both your ureter and your kidney. The kidney stone can then be removed.

This kind of surgery is only necessary in around 5% of cases.

Uric acid stones

If you have a uric acid stone, you may be advised to drink around three litres of water each day to try to dissolve it. Uric acid stones are much softer than other types of kidney stone, and they can be made smaller if they are exposed to alkaline fluids.

You may need to take some medication to make your urine more alkaline before the uric acid stone starts to dissolve.

Complications that develop as a result of kidney stones are rare because, in most cases, kidney stones are identified and treated before problems can occur.

However, if a blockage occurs, there is a risk of infection and, in very rare cases, your kidney may be damaged.

Recurring kidney stones

The most common complication is that your kidney stones may reoccur. People who have passed one kidney stone have a 60-80% likelihood of having another one at some point in their life.

Complications of treatment

The different kinds of treatment for larger stones may cause some complications. Your surgeon should explain these to you before you have the procedure to remove them.

Possible complications will depend on which treatment you have, and the size and position of your stones. They could include:

• sepsis: an infection that has spread through the blood, causing symptoms throughout the whole body

• steinstrasse: steinstrasse is the medical name for a blockage that is caused by fragments of stone in the ureter (the tube that attaches each kidney to the bladder)

• an injury to the ureter

• urinary tract infection (UTI)

• bleeding during surgery

• pain

It is estimated that between 5 and 9% of people may experience complications after having ureterorenoscopy.

Drink plenty of water

To avoid getting kidney stones, make sure that you drink plenty of water each day to avoid becoming dehydrated. It is very important to keep your urine diluted to avoid waste products forming into kidney stones.

You can tell how diluted your urine is by looking at its colour. The darker your urine is, the more concentrated it is. Your urine is usually a dark yellow colour in the morning because it contains a build-up of waste products that your body has produced overnight.

Normally, you should drink at least six to eight glasses (about 1.2 litres) of water each day. However, people who have had a kidney stone before are encouraged to increase their fluid intake to two to three litres each day in order to 'flush out' waste products that can cause stones to develop.

Drinks such as tea, coffee, and fruit juice can count towards your fluid intake, but water is the healthiest option, and is best for preventing kidney stones developing. You should also make sure that you drink more than the recommended daily amount when it is hot, or when you are exercising, in order to replenish fluids that are lost through sweating.

Diet

If your kidney stone is caused by an excess of calcium, you may be advised to reduce the amount of oxalates in your diet. Oxalates prevent calcium from being absorbed by your body, and can accumulate in your kidney to form a stone.

Foods that contain oxalates include:

• beetroot

• asparagus

• rhubarb

• chocolate

• berries

• leeks

• parsley

• celery

• almonds, peanuts and cashew nuts

• soy products

• grains, such as oatmeal, wheat germ and wholewheat

You should not reduce the amount of calcium in your diet unless your Doc recommends it. This is because calcium is very important for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

To avoid developing a uric acid stone, you should reduce the amount of meat, poultry and fish in your diet. You may also be prescribed medication to change the levels of acid, or alkaline, in your urine.

Medication

If you have a kidney stone, medication is usually prescribed for pain relief, or to prevent infections developing. However, some medication may need to be reviewed by your GP if it is thought to be causing your kidney stone.

The type of medication that your Doc prescribes will depend on the type of kidney stone that you have. For example, if you have previously had a struvite stone, you may need to take antibiotics. Antibiotics will help to prevent bacteria from causing a urinary tract infection (UTI), which will infect your kidney and may create a stone.

When to seek urgent medical attention

If your Doc recommends that you can be treated at home, there are some symptoms that you should look out for. You should seek urgent medical attention if:

• you have a high temperature (fever) of 38°C (100.4°F) or over

• you have an episode of shivering or shaking

• the pain gets worse, particularly if it is sudden, severe pain

Admission to hospital

If your kidney stone has moved into your ureter, and it is causing severe pain, your Doc may recommend that you are admitted to hospital for treatment. Some of the reasons that you may be admitted to hospital include:

• if you are at increased risk of your kidneys failing, for example, because you only have one kidney

• if your symptoms do not improve within an hour of being given painkillers or anti-sickness medication

• if you are dehydrated (the normal water content of your body is reduced) and you are vomiting too much to keep fluids down

• if you are pregnant

• if you are over 60 years of age

An empty vessel makes the most noise

You can reduce your risk of getting cancer by stopping smoking, keeping fit and eating healthily.

It's important to know your body and recognise any changes to it so you can get advice about whether they might be serious.

Although there are no proven ways to prevent cancer, you can decrease your risk of getting it.

Stop smoking
Lung cancer is responsible for a quarter of cancer deaths in the UK, and 90% of lung cancer cases are related to smoking.

“Stopping smoking greatly cuts the risk of developing cancer,” says Hazel Nunn, Cancer Research UK’s health information officer. “The earlier you stop, the greater the impact. But it’s never too late to quit. People who quit smoking at the age of 30 live nearly as long as non-smokers, and those who quit at 50 can still undo half the damage.”

Be sun smart
Taking care in the sun so that you don’t get burned is important for preventing skin cancer.

• Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3 pm.

• Make sure you never burn.

• Always cover yourself up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses.

• Take care not to let children get burned.

• Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

Obesity
Apart from quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of getting cancer.

Making small changes to your diet and lifestyle can make a huge difference to your health.

Alcohol
Alcohol causes an estimated 2,000 cases of breast cancer a year and is linked to cancer of the liver, mouth, oesophagus (food pipe) and lungs. Women shouldn't regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol a day, and men shouldn’t regularly drink more than three to four units a day.

Don't binge drink. Alternate between soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, and drink water regularly during the evening and before you go to bed. If you have a session of heavy drinking, take a break from alcohol for 48 hours to let your body recover.

According to Cancer Research UK, drinking four or more units of alcohol a day increases your risk of mouth cancer. When you drink heavily, every additional drink increases your risk even more.

Eating healthily
Around a quarter of all cancer deaths are caused by poor diet. You can improve your diet and lower your risk of developing cancer by following four simple steps:

• Eat more fibre, such as wholegrain bread or wholemeal pasta.

• Have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

• Eat less red and processed meat.

• Reduce your saturated fat intake.

Exercise
Being active is good for your overall health and can reduce your chances of getting bowel cancer. The recommended amount of physical activity is 30 minutes a day, five times a week, but moving your body in any way is good.Take the stairs instead of the lift, get off the bus a stop earlier and walk, or dance to your favourite song.