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On a sunny afternoon in Beijing, Dong Qiang, an accountant at a small and medium-sized company, was flipping through documents in his office.
But in recent weeks, Dong Qiang has begun to feel that something is not quite right in his stomach. At first, Dong Qiang thought that his discomfort was just an ordinary stomach ache caused by high work pressure, because he often worked overtime late into the night and ate irregularly.
But over time, he noticed a noticeable increase in the frequency of his bathroom visits, accompanied by abdominal pain and a noticeable change in bowel habits.
In the end, under the persuasion of his friends, Dong Qiang decided to go to the hospital for examination. At a major hospital in Beijing, he met Dr. Li, an experienced gastroenterologist who was kind and observant of his patients.
"Mr. Dong, judging from your description, we need to do some detailed checks. Intestinal problems should not be overlooked, especially if you have a sudden change in bowel habits. Dr. Li said seriously while looking through Dong Qiang's basic information.
Dong Qiang couldn't help but feel a little nervous when he heard this, he naturally knew what kinds of diseases might be involved in intestinal problems, but he hoped more that it was just ordinary gastroenteritis caused by his recent work pressure.
After a series of tests, including blood tests, stool tests, and most importantly, a colonoscopy, Dr. Lee's face became serious.
"Mr. Dong, I must tell you that from the examination results, several polyps have been found in your colon part, although we have taken samples for pathological analysis, but the preliminary judgment of your condition may be early bowel cancer."
Hearing such a diagnosis, Dong Qiang's heart sank. He knows what that means, and he knows how complicated and difficult the treatment that may be needed next.
Seeing this, Dr. Li comforted him softly: "Although this is bad news, fortunately we found out early. Bowel cancer has a high cure rate at an early stage. As for the change you mentioned about going to the toilet, this is actually a way to warn us about bowel cancer. ”
"Many patients experience changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, or alternating constipation and diarrhea in the early stages of the disease, which are all signs of bowel cancer."
Dong Qiang listened intently, and he began to realize that these small details that may be overlooked on weekdays could actually be important clues to his health.
"Actually, there are other signs that don't go well, for example, weight loss for no reason, which is likely to be a sign of intestinal malabsorption."
"There is also fatigue, many colorectal cancer patients feel extremely tired before they are diagnosed, and this fatigue is not ordinary tiredness, but is caused by a lack of iron in the body."
Dr. Li's words made Dong Qiang even more alert, and he realized that health cannot be delayed, and every small physical change may be a distress signal from the body.
After further medical consultation and discussion, Dong Qiang decided to undergo the recommended surgical treatment and undergo regular chemotherapy in the hope of a complete cure of the condition.
A few months later, after completing a series of treatments, Dong Qiang's physical condition improved significantly. During the follow-up examination, the doctor told him that the condition of the intestines had been well controlled and that he was recovering very well.
In the follow-up consultation after this treatment, Dong Qiang asked Dr. Li with some doubts: "Doctor, I have a question, why is the alternation of constipation and diarrhea you mentioned earlier a warning sign of bowel cancer?" ”
Dr. Lee patiently explains, "This is because the growth of the tumour may hinder the normal passage of intestinal contents, causing constipation; When the tumor causes local inflammation or abnormal secretion, it may cause diarrhea. ”
"This alternation of constipation and diarrhea is actually a manifestation of the intestinal tract trying to adapt to pathological changes." Dong Qiang suddenly brightened up after hearing this, and had a deeper understanding of the changes in his body.
This experience not only made Dong Qiang aware of the importance of early examination and treatment, but also taught him how to pay more attention to his body signals and stay alert in case it happens.
What are your thoughts on gut health? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!