The upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract comprises the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, which is where the small intestine begins. Food follows this track on its way to be thoroughly digested, so that nutrients are processed and distributed through the body. The process of digestion begins with chewing. Saliva is produced in the mouth automatically as food is chewed, and this begins the breakdown of food that is digestion. The food then travels down the esophagus to the stomach, which breaks ... [Read More]
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Common Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities are pretty common, with an estimated 20% of the U.S. population having some form of it. Food sensitivity is a way to refer to a food allergy and can be life-threatening for many people. Even if your food sensitivity isn’t dangerous to your life, it can still become problematic because of uncomfortable symptoms it causes. It may be difficult to diagnose a food sensitivity at first because of the wide range of other causes that have overlapping symptoms with the condition. If ... [Read More]
IBS Treatment and Symptoms
Affecting the large intestine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of the digestive system. Its main symptoms include abdominal pain, gas, cramping, bloating, and constipation and/or diarrhea. IBS is a chronic condition – so once someone is affected, they will have the condition for their entire lifetime. However, many people successfully manage the symptoms without causing great upheaval in their lives. Below, we talk about the basics of IBS and the various options you h ... [Read More]
Reasons to See a Gastroenterologist
Among the many different types of doctors that people commonly see are gastroenterologists. This type of physician is a specialist in the health and diseases of the stomach, esophagus, intestine, colon, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, bile ducts, and rectum. A gastroenterologist deals with a lot more health issues than you may think. Here are the some of the reasons you may need to see a gastroenterologist: Heartburn Heartburn is a burning sensation felt in the chest and/or throat. ... [Read More]
Causes of Indigestion
You can have occasional indigestion after eating a large meal, greasy food, or foods that “don’t agree” with you. However, chronic or frequent indigestion may be caused by an underlying digestive condition. Indigestion that is only an infrequent stomachache is not a disease but is rather a symptom of what you’re eating or how much you’re eating. Different people also have digestive issues when consuming different foods – people react differently when it comes to digesting various types of food ... [Read More]
What Is Hepatology?
The liver, the second-largest organ of your body – and the largest internal organ, because the largest organ is the skin – helps in digestion and in removing impurities from the body. It filters out all of the unwanted and unneeded compounds from the food and drinks that you consume. Our liver also produces bile, which helps your body metabolize fat. The bile is stored in the gallbladder until it is needed for digestion in the small intestines. The branch of medicine specializing in the dia ... [Read More]
Benefits of Getting an Endoscopy
An endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure that is used to examine the digestive tract of a patient and, if necessary, to apply certain treatments. It involves the use of an endoscope, which is a long, thin, flexible tube with a camera at one end so the physician can view the patient’s digestive organs in real-time. During an endoscopy, the patient is placed under mild general anesthesia. The endoscope is then inserted into the patient’s mouth, down the throat, and into the esophagus. The doctor ... [Read More]
Prepping For A Colonoscopy
“Colonoscopy” is often associated with discomfort and embarrassment. However, this is not the case at all. Colonoscopies are not only crucial for early diagnosis of colon cancer, they are very comfortable procedures that patients do not have to be nervous about. A colonoscopy is performed with the patient being unconscious. You will not know what is going on during the procedure and by the time you wake up, it will be over. It is performed using a tool that helps the doctor see inside the col ... [Read More]
Diverticulitis Treatments
When it comes to gastroenterological issues, most people know about irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. However, not many people know about diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is the infection or inflammation of pouches that can develop in your intestines. The pouches are called diverticula – if you have them, the condition is called diverticulosis. Diverticula can develop anywhere along the GI tract but are most common in the lower parts. They are vulnerable to ble ... [Read More]
When to Visit a Gastroenterologist
A gastroenterologist is a digestive disease specialist. They are educated and trained to treat, diagnose, and prevent diseases and conditions of the digestive system, which includes the small intestine, colon, rectum, gallbladder, liver, bile ducts, esophagus, and stomach. Your primary care doctor will most likely recommend you seek medical help from a gastroenterologist if you have chronic or severe digestive system issues. A gastroenterologist’s main duty is to help restore patients’ opt ... [Read More]
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