Gastrointestinal

Chronic constipation affects almost 15% of all adults and 30% of those over age 60. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for long-term constipation.

Acid reflux disease, also known as GERD, causes a burning pain or heartburn in the chest area. Acid reflux occurs because stomach acid flows up the esophagus. Changing what you eat is the easiest way to stop symptoms. Some people with GERD also take medication to lower the amount of stomach acid.

Gastritis, in general, refers to inflammation of the stomach lining due to a failure of normal protective mechanisms. Acute gastritis is a condition that resolves within days to weeks. Symptoms include nausea or vomiting, a loss of appetite, belly pain, bloating, or passing blood in severe cases.

An anal fissure is a small tear or crack in the tissue of the anus. It makes bowel movements hurt and bleed. Fissures are easy to treat and take just a few weeks to heal. But they will happen again if you don’t fix the cause. Here’s how.

Appendicitis is an inflammation or infection in your appendix, a small pouch in the lower, right side of your belly. Surgery is usually required, but sometimes, when caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics.

Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes inflammation in your gut. Eating gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley, triggers your immune system to attack your own intestines, causing diarrhea, pain, and weight loss.

If you have severe pain in the upper right part of your abdomen, particularly after eating, and you’re nauseous, you may have gallstones. These are common but sometimes they get stuck and block the gallbladder exit, causing it to become inflamed and sometimes infected.

Colitis is an inflammation of the lining of the colon. There are a number of causes, including infection and an overactive immune system. Often, you have stomach pain and diarrhea. Getting the right diagnosis is critical to managing your symptoms.

It’s common to have constipation after surgery. Especially after having anesthesia and taking pain meds. To prevent and treat it, be active, drink lots of water, and follow these other tips.

Abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and exhaustion are some of the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s is an inflammation of the intestines. It’s a chronic disease but diagnosing it early and reducing the inflammation can reduce symptoms and even prevent complications and slow progression of the disease.

Diverticulitis occurs when small, bulging pouches called diverticula develop in your intestines, and become inflamed and infected. It can cause pain and nausea. It's treated with antibiotics.

The walls of your large intestine can become weak in certain spots. A poor diet and not enough exercise can cause weak spots in your intestine. Eventually, small pouches, called diverticula, form. When this happens, you have diverticulosis. It is very common in older adults.

E. coli strains can be harmless while some can cause bloody diarrhea. Strains of E. coli bacteria may cause urinary tract infection (UTI), severe anemia or kidney failure.

Food poisoning is an illness of the digestive tract caused by eating contaminated food. It causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and may cause dehydration. Food poisoning could be caused by germs like bacteria, viruses, or parasites or by toxins created by germs.

Gallstones are incredibly painful stones that form in the gallbladder, the organ responsible for storing bile, which helps the liver with digestion. When stones block the gallbladder’s drainage system, it can cause inflammation and be extremely painful. It may need immediate surgery.

Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach. It causes nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and bloating, and heartburn. It is usually caused by bacteria, but can be caused by medications and other issues. Finding the best treatment for the inflammation is the key to getting relief.

A hangover from alcohol use is an extremely common condition that involves dehydration, headache, fatigue, low mood, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting.

Hemorrhoids cause itching and pain around your anus. They happen when the small blood vessels become swollen, from straining and other reasons. The discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter medications, and you can learn how to prevent them.

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection and is spread from contaminated food or water, or an infected person. Hepatitis A is preventable by vaccine.

An indirect hernia is a protrusion of an organ through the "wall" located near the groin or abdomen. The bulge is painless but when strangulated, can cause symptoms.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an inflammation of the digestive tract and includes both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It is usually a chronic condition that has flare-ups.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, chronic disorder of the gut (primarily the intestines) that causes abdominal pain and constipation, diarrhea, or both. There is no cure for IBS, but there are many treatments to reduce symptoms.

Lactose intolerance means you can’t digest the sugar (lactase) in dairy products. It can cause painful stomach pain, gas, and diarrhea. Avoiding dairy can stop symptoms but be sure to replace the nutrients you’re missing by making changes to your diet.

Liver cancer can be caused by a virus or toxins or due to metastatic cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body. Symptoms usually do not present until the cancer has progressed, but include pain near the liver, a palpable mass, jaundice, early satiety, and unexplained weight loss.

Microscopic colitis is caused by inflammation of the large intestine. It is believed to be caused by an overly aggressive immune response to certain triggers.

Norovirus is a contagious virus that affects your digestive tract, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is not a stomach flu. Staying hydrated is important to avoid dehydration.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that causes severe pain in the upper abdomen and nausea. Call your doctor or seek care immediately as it can be a medical emergency.

Rotavirus causes severe, watery diarrhea and vomiting, most commonly in infants and young children. It’s a gastrointestinal virus, and is highly contagious, though milder in older children and adults.

Stomach ulcers are sores or breaks in the stomach lining and are caused by inflammation. The h. pylori bacteria and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are two of the main causes. They are treatable.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, long-term inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, involving ulcers and sores of the large intestine and rectum.