What is sprue?

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve heard of sprue before. Or maybe not. Either way, it’s time to get to the bottom of what exactly sprue is and why it matters – all while keeping it funny (because let’s face it, nobody wants to read about intestinal disorders in a serious tone).

So without further ado, let’s dive into the wonderful world of sprue!

Let’s Define Sprue

Sprue refers to a group of conditions that affect your intestines’ ability to absorb nutrients properly. Now I know that sounds like an oxymoron (like jumbo shrimp or soft rock), but bear with me here.

There are two types of sprues: celiac disease and tropical sprues. Celiac disease affects people who have gluten intolerance (aka my old college roommate) and can’t eat products that contain wheat, rye or barley without getting some major bathroom emergencies. Tropical sprues on the other hand occur when individuals spend extended periods living in tropical areas with poor sanitation.

What Causes Sprue?

The exact cause(s) behind sprues remain a mystery for scientists.The mechanism by which damage occurs as part of adverse reactions to foods is similar between coeliac disease and non-tropical/sometimes known as idiopathic/multi-factorial/atrophic/the last one we promise/particularly recent onset/(>60 years)/diet-responsive/protein-losing enteropathy/lymphangiectasia but different from tropical spruce although both might be caused by infections or autoimmune processes.

TL;DR: nobody really knows for sure what causes these pesky digestive issues.

Signs & Symptoms

Now comes the fun part – what happens when you have the infamous sprue? There are several signs and symptoms associated with both types (drum roll please):

Signs & Symptoms Of Celiac Disease

  • Abdominal cramps
  • Diarrhea
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Anemia (low iron in the blood)
  • Bloating
  • Constipation

Signs & Symptoms of Tropical Sprue

-Tongue swelling, goitre and corneal ulcers are some specific symptoms of Tropical spruce.

How Sprue is Treated?

If you’ve been diagnosed with either type of sprue, don’t worry – there’s hope! Here are a few treatment options that might help alleviate your symptoms:

Treatment for Celiac Disease:

The most effective treatment method involves leaving all gluten-containing products like pizza, pasta and bread out from one’s diet. In severe cases medications like steroids can be given to manage inflammation in the small intestines.

Treatment For Tropical Sprues:

Antibiotics along with vitamin supplements including folic acid may significantly reduce diarrhea (but beware excessive intake leads to coma).

Complications

If left untreated or ineffectively treated (I’m looking at you under-the-table-McDonalds-fries), both celiac disease & tropical spruces can lead to severe complications such as gastrointestinal cancers(yeah things just got real) due to chronic gut inflammation.

TL;DR: If trying out a new exotic dish while travelling causes blockage somewhere down the digestive canal it’s wise not ignore it.

Bottomline

In conclusion(finally), despite being an icky topic involving intestinal issues’ description thereof can be lightened if approached from humorous perspective afterall who wouldn’t find urine flavor inducing sounds funny (okay too much? Yes, we think so too).
Anyway,hope this has been helpful and informative at the same time.A small parting note “Keep calm but never take any illness lightly particularly when digestive tract shouts because welll…you know what they say about s$%^ hitting fan”.

Random Posts