Nothing is more embarrassing than a medical condition that affects our bodily functions. Some conditions, although not medically significant, can be humiliating and upsetting. Excessive wind is something that could affect all of us at some point. Studies have shown that people on average pass wind about 14 times a day and release as much as two litres of intestinal gas.
Contrary to popular belief, not all of that gas is a by-product of our digestive system; much of it comes from air that is inadvertently swallowed. This is exacerbated if you smoke, drink a lot of carbonated drinks (especially through a straw), eat too quickly or chew gum.
People who are prone to heartburn are also more likely to swallow more air as a natural reaction against the excessive amounts of acid in their stomachs. The same applies to those suffering from allergies or sinus infections that cause postnasal drip — they swallow more often, increasing the amount of gas in the body.
Of course, some people suffer from wind because their bodies cannot digest certain foods normally. People who are lactose intolerant are missing the enzyme that processes lactose, the main sugar in dairy products. Because they cannot digest it in the small intestine, bacteria breaks down the lactose in the large intestine, creating the problematic wind. Fructose intolerance — an inability to digest a specific type of sugar present in certain vegetables and fruits and used in some artificial sweeteners — is another culprit.
Another condition that causes major embarrassment is incontinence, which is especially common in women who have given birth. The blame can be laid squarely on a weakened seal between the bladder and the urethra. More often than not, women who have given birth to a larger than normal baby, or were forced to push for more than two hours, may have stretched their pelvic-floor muscles.
This condition results in a leakage of urine when the woman sneezes, laughs, coughs or lifts heavy objects. Exacerbating this problem in many sufferers is an overactive bladder, a debilitating condition that causes a sudden strong urge to urinate, or the bladder muscle to contract spontaneously, resulting in a leakage of urine. Fortunately, this embarrassing condition can be alleviated in a number of ways.
Pelvic-floor muscle exercises, which tone the affected muscles, are known to be effective in controlling the leakage. Other non-invasive procedures can also alleviate the problem, such as tension-free vaginal tape and the transobturator sling that supports the urethra and bladder by means of a ribbon or sling threaded through the vaginal wall.
For women with overactive bladders, treatment includes pelvic-floor exercises, dietary changes, biofeedback, bladder training, Botox injections and medication. Faecal incontinence is a disorder that makes it impossible for you to hold in a stool or wind. It goes beyond mere embarrassment and is a nightmarish condition that affects as many as 7.5% of women.
Again, injury incurred during a natural birth to a large baby is the usual cause, be it from pushing for a long time during labour or the use of forceps or a vacuum during delivery. Vaginal tears that extend through the perineum — the area between the vagina and anus – into the anal sphincter muscles or the rectum also increase the risk of getting faecal incontinence.
If the sphincter muscles remain intact, a combination of medication, biofeedback and muscle-toning exercises can sometimes help. In serious cases a procedure called a sphincteroplasty can be performed. Although there are many conditions that can be embarrassing and humiliating to any person, there is no such thing as a condition that is so taboo that it cannot be discussed with your family doctor.
“Embarrassing medical conditions” will be the topic of Bonitas House Call on January 14 at 9am on SABC2