If you are having symptoms of a digestive problem—such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and constipation—you will greatly benefit from the expertise of a gastroenterologist. Also known as a GI doctor, a gastroenterologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the digestive system. While a visit to a gastroenterologist is very important for your health, it can make you feel anxious, especially if this is your first time and you don’t know what to ... [Read More]
Upper GI Tract
Acid Reflux: It’s More Than Just Heartburn
If you’ve felt a painful and burning sensation from your upper abdomen to your chest or throat, that’s acid reflux. Acid reflux usually occurs after meals, at nighttime, or when you are lying down – especially after having a big or greasy dinner. Acid reflux is a common digestive problem, and its most common symptom is heartburn, accompanied by a bitter or sour taste in your mouth. If left untreated, the condition can become chronic and develop into GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), ... [Read More]
What Is My Doctor Looking for During an Endoscopy?
If you’ve been feeling unwell but have no apparent symptoms, or your symptoms point to several conditions, your doctor may request special diagnostic tests. One example of a diagnostic test is an endoscopy, which allows your doctor to look into your inner tissues and organs. In particular, an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy lets your doctor examine your gastrointestinal tract. Let’s talk about the procedure and what your doctor can see during an endoscopy. An Overview of ... [Read More]
Is It Possible to Live Without Parts of the Digestive System?
Yes! The digestive system breaks down and digests the food and drink you consume in order to extract nutrients and energy for your body. It consists of the gastrointestinal tract and the digestive organs, all the way from the mouth to the anus. A human cannot survive without certain parts of the digestive system. However, humans can now continue to live without a natural stomach or large intestine or other organs, thanks to advances in medicine and technology – such as the colostomy and ... [Read More]
Common Upper GI Tract Conditions
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]
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]
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]
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 ... [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’ ... [Read More]
Causes of Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is a common condition that can affect people at varying degrees. It occurs when acid in the stomach flows back up through the esophagus (the tube that transfers food from your throat to your stomach). At the bottom of the esophagus, a ring of muscles known as the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens to allow food into the stomach. Normally, the LES closes tightly after food has entered the stomach; but with acid reflux, the ring does not close tightly enough. The LES may also ... [Read More]
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