The Lifestyle Lowdown: Pulling Power - Pick Up Tips for Guys

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Symptoms can be worse after meals, acidic or spicy foods, aggravated by bending over or lying flat. The cause is thought to be relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter - that is the muscle between the oesopahagus and the stomach. Prognosis is usually very good but depends on the presence or absence of complications such as narrowing of the gullet called a stricture or change in the lining of the gullet to resemble that of the stomach referred to as "Barretts oesophagus" after the physician who first described it.

I have had an Hiatus Hernia for years and in recent years suffered badly from reflux action which has damaged the lining of my throat. My specialist has twice examined me by way of endoscopy and told me that my throat shows signs of pre-cancerous cells. Does this lead to cancer and should I have difficulty in swallowing which I suffer?

By definition, if your specialist has said there are precancerous cells, this suggests a risk of progression. However there are different sorts of precancerous cells and cancerous cells and this may be treatable. Difficulty swallowing can be a complication of scarring or narrowing of the gullet and should always be taken seriously. It sounds as though you have had the right investigations done. You sould go back and discuss this in more detail with your specialist. My younger brother he's 45, I'm 47 has just been informed he has an inoperable cancerous tumour in his gut.

He has been told by his consultant that he is not optimistic re the future and to get his affairs in order. He will see another consultant next Monday who specialises in cancer to hopefully let him know exactly where in the gut it is. From the CAT scans and operation he had last Thursday one week ago they were unable to determine exactly what the tumour is attached to.

They say it is a good possibility that it is attached to the panceas. It sounds as though some of my colleagues need a course on empathic communication. You and your family have gone through and still are experiencing some terrible times. There is nothing I can say or do to make things better for your brother but at least remember this, I have seen many, many people go through what we all must do.

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The great difference is the amount of love and support from friends and relatives. For some people there is nothing except the hospital and the professional staff who at best can only give what they can in these hard driven times. Your brother is fortunate in having someone who cares and believe me this really does make all the difference. It is frankly impossible for me to comment on your brother's medical state without all the medical records to hand. You do ask if cancer is inherited and my sad answer is that part of it is.

Even so, knowing that there is an increased risk can often save a person simply from the knowledge. If bowel cancer runs in the family it is sensible to have regular checks because an early diagnosis can almost guarantee survival. If you are aware that driving can be hazardous you wear a seat belt. This does not make driving any the less enjoyable. Knowing your risks and taking the right precautions should not make life miserable. It may be useful to eat a high fibre diet with plenty of fruit. Antioxidant vitamin supplements just might afford protection as well, but most important you should discuss with your doctor a regular check up.

I am sorry I cannot be of more help. As someone who has survived bowel cancer I can tell you that your brother's experience should not be in vain. I am suffering from anal soreness, itching and burning. I have suffered with piles before and realise this is probably a recurrence. What I want to know can you recommend a reliable over-the-counter treatment to ease the pain? Don't jump to the conclusion that you have piles.

The symptoms you describe can be caused by other things. Thrush infection if you are diabetic, on steroids or taking long courses of antibiotics will also cause these symptoms. Anal fissures tears are also common and cause an intense pain on passing motions and, yes, piles will also mimic all of these things. It is rarely a sign of anything serious but if you are passing blood, losing weight or have constant diarrhoea it needs checked out by your doctor.

Avoid overuse of local anaesthetic or steroid creams as they only help in the short term. Using a soft toilet paper or washing instead after passing motions can help enormously. If you do have piles and they are protruding, gently return them to their proper place while in a warm bath. Surgery may be an option if they become thrombosed.

Over-the-counter treatments should only be used for a short time and include the likes of mild steroid creams. If the problem persists you need to see your GP in the bend over position much favoured by Yes Minister officials. When I am feeling run down I suffer bleeding from the anus.

The blood is bright red and not in the stools. In fact it sometimes spurts straight into the bowl. It sounds like an anal fissure, except there is no pain. It is difficult to relate the loss of bright red blood with your feeling of being run down and which comes first. For blood to be bright red it must be very close to the anus otherwise it changes colour very rapidly to a black tar-like substance. Piles will cause this kind of blood loss and it is not always painful.

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You may be able to feel them if they protrude out of the anus itself. Yes, anal fissures will also cause this type of bleeding but the anus is usually sore and itchy particularly while passing a motion. A more rare cause is a rectal polyp. These are small growths from the wall of the bowel which can be quite elongated.

They sometimes protrude out of the anus and are very friable so tend to bleed easily. Although they are a tumour they are not serious if caught early. Ignoring them is not a good idea as they can grow into the bowel wall and spread. This type of tumour can run in families so check if any of your close relatives ever had similar problems. At the very least you should see your own doctor. All of these things can be treated very well, even a tumour you might be surprised to know. Bowel irritation is the commonest cause of loose stool and this can range from one episode through to full blown diarrhoea.

Unfortunately the list of causes for irritation is long and I would need more information about your diet, lifestyle, medical history and medications you are taking at present. A commonly overlooked cause is medication for some other problem long term antibiotics are a classic cause. Some vitamin or herbal supplements can also cause a loose stool. Ask your pharmacist to check for you.

Irritable bowel syndrome IBS will also cause loose stools but there is usually a painful cramp associated with it. Some inflammatory disorders such as Crohn's or pancreatic disorders will also have the same effect. Alcohol abuse is a very common cause and is easy to both diagnose and treat by yourself. You should discuss this with your doctor particularly if there is any blood in the stool, you are losing weight for no apparent reason or there is any family history of bowel disorders.

I am 23 years old, and I have noticed something moving in my stomach, above navel and below chestbone. I have not felt very hungry for the past three days, only eating the occasional sausage sandwich, but this morning I had 7 slices of toast and marmite for breakfast. I am worried that I might have a tape worm.

On the previous Sunday, I was out drinking from 2pm till 11pm. My mum thinks that might be something to do with it. Although this sounds horribly like a re-run of 'Alien', I can reassure you that not only is nothing going to burst out of your abdomen and destroy the whole family, but you are most unlikely to have tapeworms either as they are now rare. The pork tapeworm is virtually extinct in Europe and the beef tapeworm lingers on in those countries which favour eating rare beef. Most people are totally unaware of tapeworms and they are only of any significant medical risk in debilitated people.

You can have your stool checked for eggs but you are much more likely to have worms thread worms, round worms than a tape worm. What you describe is often seen in thin people as the gut moving under the muscle can sometimes be seen. This movement is caused by peristalsis, a rhythmic squeezing which forces the food down the digestive tract. Paradoxically you can often see it better when you are really hungry and have not eaten for a while.

Alternatively it is the contraction muscles which lie over the abdomen. They often contract on their own without you thinking about it. This maintains their tone and prevents a hernia. My baby was born in September and ever since has a swelling which comes and goes in his right groin. This is likely to be an inguinal hernia and is often present on crying. The hernia usually comes and goes and may not be present all the time.

However, there is a small risk of the hernia staying down and becoming stuck. This may be very painful and he will be distressed and cry a great deal or possibly vomit. If you suspect an inguinal hernia is present you should see your GP and it is likely that the GP will refer baby to a surgeon who deals with children.

As there is a small risk of the bowel coming down and being stuck in the hernia, an operation should be undertaken semi-urgently hopefully within two or three months. I had a operation a few years ago, for a strangulated hernia. Before I had the OP, I could drink a beer, nearly any kind of beer, but since I had the OP, I can only drink cider, as the beer makes me sick, and as lately the cider is also making me feel sick.

My stomach always feels bloated. Can you explain this to me, as I think it to be very strange,and I am starting to worry a lot about it. From what you describe I don't feel there is anything dreadful going on. Hernias in men are predominately of the inguinal variety. A loop of bowel protrudes through the muscle wall at the weakest link just above the groin-thigh interface.

If this loop is strangulated by the surrounding muscle it can be very serious, especially if you are older.

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Otherwise a hernia repair sorts things out virtually back to normal. There is no connection with the stomach and it should not cause any change in bowel behaviour. Even so, simply cutting into the muscles and handling the bowel can cause some adhesions - fibrous bands - which stick to the bowel and make it less mobile. This is much more likely if the gut strangulated. Depending on the condition of the strangulated loop of bowel, how long it was without blood and any leakage from it, a small part of the bowel may have needed to be removed.

This increases the risk from adhesions. Most of the gut moves freely inside the abdomen. It has to allow proper digestion. If this is disturbed by adhesions you may find that this affects your tolerance of certain foods and possibly beer. On the other hand, it is usually solid food and, in particular, hard to digest food which causes the most problem and beer can hardly be described in this way although some brews may qualify. I cannot give you a definitive answer without more information and a physical examination.

You should discuss this with your GP. I have had a bad gastric problem flatulence, bloating, belching for the past 6 years. Eventually quacktors in London determined that I have some problem with oesophageal reflux causing scarring necessitating some sort of operation. BUT, they consistently seem to ignore the fact that on a regular basis my left heel gets sore and throbs, my left leg aches, my left testicle has a continual dull ache and occasionally sharp pains and that when this happens the bloating, flatulence, belching, farting and tiredness increases.

Since I was issued with LOSEC a week ago, for the gastric problem, these symptoms have persisted and have now developed a dull ache across the base of my spine about level with the coccyx which makes it, sometimes, uncomfortable sitting down; and, standing up the left leg and heel throb. In when visiting South Africa I got an infection - please don't ask me how or why - and my left testicle, within 4 days of arriving in Johannesburg, was twice the size and I could not walk on my left foot but on the balls of the foot.

You are an interesting and forthright man so I will be as equally open and honest. You present a complex mixture of symptoms which may or may not be connected. It is perectly possible to have more than one medical problem running side by side. On the other hand we are increasingly finding conections between apparently unrelated symptoms. The many manifestations of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are a good example.

You cite the infection picked up in SA as the start of your problems. You just might be correct. Reiter's syndrome is often linked with sexualy transmtted dieases. If the infection in your testicle came about in this way, it might just explain the baffling plethora of symptoms. I have recurring bouts of stomach problems ranging from painfull constipation and diarrhoea to bloating discomfort copious wind and stabbing pains.

I do not however lose my appetite which I always read as the symptom indicating serious problems. I am more concerned lately as my father had surgery for oesophogeal cancer last year. These sort of symptoms are very non-specific and can have a wide range of causes.

Things to watch out for are unintentional loss of weight, vomiting, pain waking you up at night, or passage of any blood. Any of these should prompt a visit to your GP.

The development of new digestive symptoms in someone over the age of 45 or with a posive family history will often lead to further investigation and perhaps referral to a specialist. The oesophagus or gullet takes food from the mouth to the stomach. Any problems in swallowing should prompt a visit to the GP. In the UK, one man in five dies before the age of If we had health policies and services that better reflected the needs of the whole population, it might not be like that.

That model raises money but it seldom changes much. There is nothing inevitable about premature male death. Services accessible to all, a population better informed. Skip to main content.

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Buy the Booklet The Man Manual - men's health made easy in print. Related Tags Fruit and vegetables Bowels Stomach. Eat Better Buy Eat. Sign up for news. Join our online community. Food FAQs Food is great. It tastes delicious and gives our bodies the energy and nutrients we need to stay alive and well.

What's not to like? Food supplements Do you need vitamins, minerals or other extras? You are here Male Health. This is archive material from the MHF's malehealth. This page remains on the site as site traffic suggests visitors find this page useful but it may not be up to date. Up-to-date information on this topic can be found here: Cramps and itchiness Q. Problems with flatulence Q.

Sudden severe pain linked with constipation? Anal bleeding and stomach pains Q. Anal itching but not haemorrhoids Q. Problem with eating Q. What else can I try for IBS? I feel I am going round in circles. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Blood in stools and other concerns Q. Frequent bowel habit Q.

Rectal bleeding and pains Q.

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Mother worried about son's bowel problem Q. What am I to do — my son needs all the help I can give because no-one else is. A very frustrated and disheartened mother A. Concern about large stomach Q. Sharp pains in rectum Q. Recurrent anal itching Q. So from a very young age, I played a lot of sport, because I wanted to keep fit, but I also really enjoyed it. Bisogno has actively competed in various sports over the years and believes that enjoyment is the key. Now I have CrossFit. That enjoyment is key to staying motivated.

Aside from the fun factor, Bisogno is adamant that you need to make time in your schedule to train, no matter how busy you are and, involve your family. If you have a family, get them involved: Today, they train twice a day. My youngest daughter is 23; she trains twice a day. I actually only started going to Cape CrossFit in the first place because my middle daughter went before me and pushed me to try it.

Get excited Shake up the routine and try something new, take on a challenge, sign up to a running club or make a bet with friends. Splurge Invest in some good equipment. Expert advice will increase your efficiency and reduce your chance of becoming injured. Take it easy Focus on going long and far. Stay agile Emphasise neuromuscular coordination: Functional movements, like body weight squats, and hand-eye coordination drills will help.

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