Quick Facts: Digestive Disorders

Expand allCollapse all

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
  • What causes IBS?
  • What are the symptoms of IBS?
  • How can doctors tell if I have IBS?
  • How do doctors treat IBS?

Esophageal and Swallowing Disorders

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
  • What is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?
  • What causes GERD?
    • What are the risk factors for GERD?
  • What are the symptoms of GERD?
  • What are the complications of GERD?
  • How can doctors tell if I have GERD?
  • How do doctors treat GERD?

• Hiatus Hernia
  • What is hiatus hernia?
  • What causes hiatus hernia?
  • What are the symptoms of hiatus hernia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a hiatus hernia?
  • How do doctors treat hiatus hernia?

Gastroenteritis

• Gastroenteritis
  • What is gastroenteritis?
  • What causes gastroenteritis?
  • What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?
  • How can doctors tell I have gastroenteritis?
  • How do doctors treat gastroenteritis?
  • How can I prevent gastroenteritis?

• Staphylococcal Food Poisoning
  • What is staphylococcal food poisoning?
  • What are the symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning?
  • How can doctors tell if I have staphylococcal food poisoning?
  • How do doctors treat staphylococcal food poisoning?
  • How can I prevent staphylococcal food poisoning?

• Traveler's Diarrhea
  • What is traveler’s diarrhea?
  • What are the symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea?
  • How can doctors tell if I have traveler’s diarrhea?
  • How do doctors treat traveler’s diarrhea?
  • How can I prevent traveler’s diarrhea?

Anal and Rectal Disorders

• Anal Fissure
  • What is an anal fissure?
  • What causes an anal fissure?
  • What are the symptoms of an anal fissure?
  • How can doctors tell if I have an anal fissure?
  • How do doctors treat an anal fissure?
  • What are anal spasms?

• Hemorrhoids
  • What are hemorrhoids?
  • What causes hemorrhoids?
  • What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?
  • How can doctors tell if I have hemorrhoids?
  • How do doctors treat hemorrhoids?
  • What can I do to prevent hemorrhoids?

Diverticular Disease

• Diverticulosis
  • What is diverticulosis?
  • What causes diverticulosis?
  • What are the symptoms of diverticulosis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have diverticulosis?
  • How do doctors treat diverticulosis?

• Diverticulitis
  • What is diverticulitis?
  • What causes diverticulitis?
  • What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have diverticulitis?
  • How do doctors treat diverticulitis?

Gastrointestinal Emergencies

• Abdominal Wall Hernias
  • What is a hernia?
  • What is an abdominal wall hernia?
    • What are the types of abdominal wall hernias?
  • What are the symptoms of an abdominal wall hernia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have an abdominal wall hernia?
  • How do doctors treat an abdominal wall hernia?

• Appendicitis
  • What is appendicitis?
  • What causes appendicitis?
  • What are the symptoms of appendicitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have appendicitis?
  • How do doctors treat appendicitis?

• Inguinal Hernia
  • What is a hernia?
  • What is an inguinal hernia?
  • What are the symptoms of an inguinal hernia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have an inguinal hernia?
  • How do doctors treat an inguinal hernia?

• Intestinal Obstruction
  • What is an intestinal obstruction (blocked intestine)?
  • What causes a blocked intestine?
  • What are the symptoms of a blocked intestine?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a blocked intestine?
  • How do doctors treat a blocked intestine?

• Perforation of the Digestive Tract
  • What is a perforation of the digestive tract?
  • What causes a perforation of the digestive tract?
  • What are the symptoms of a perforated digestive tract?
  • How can doctors tell if my digestive tract has a perforation?
  • How do doctors treat a perforation of the digestive tract?

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)

• Crohn Disease
  • What is Crohn disease?
  • What causes Crohn disease?
  • What are the symptoms of Crohn disease?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Crohn disease?
  • How do doctors treat Crohn disease?

• Ulcerative Colitis
  • What is ulcerative colitis?
  • What causes ulcerative colitis?
  • What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have ulcerative colitis?
  • How do doctors treat ulcerative colitis?

Gastritis and Peptic Ulcer Disease

• Gastritis
  • What is gastritis?
  • What causes gastritis?
  • What are the symptoms of gastritis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have gastritis?
  • How do doctors treat gastritis?

• Helicobacter pylori Infection
  • What is Helicobacter pylori infection?
  • What are the symptoms of H. pylori infection?
  • How can doctors tell if I have H. pylori infection?
  • How do doctors treat H. pylori infection?

• Peptic Ulcer Disease
  • What is a peptic ulcer?
  • What causes peptic ulcers?
  • What are the symptoms of a peptic ulcer?
    • What are the complications of peptic ulcers?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a peptic ulcer?
  • How do doctors treat peptic ulcers?

Pancreatitis

• Acute Pancreatitis
  • What is acute pancreatitis?
  • What causes acute pancreatitis?
  • What are the symptoms of acute pancreatitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have acute pancreatitis?
  • How do doctors treat acute pancreatitis?

• Chronic Pancreatitis
  • What is chronic pancreatitis?
  • What causes chronic pancreatitis?
  • What are the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have chronic pancreatitis?
  • How do doctors treat chronic pancreatitis?

Diagnosis of Digestive Disorders

• Acid-Related and Reflux-Related Tests
  • What are the tests for acid reflux?
    • Catheter-based monitoring
    • Wireless monitoring

• Endoscopy
  • What is an endoscope?
  • What is endoscopy?
  • Why do doctors do endoscopy?
  • How do I get ready for an upper endoscopy?
  • How do I get ready for a lower endoscopy (colonoscopy)?
  • What happens when I have endoscopy?
  • Is endoscopy safe?

Malabsorption

• Overview of Malabsorption
  • What is malabsorption?
  • What causes malabsorption?
    • What causes digestion problems?
    • Why can't you absorb nutrients?
  • What are the symptoms of malabsorption?
  • How do doctors diagnose malabsorption?
  • How do doctors treat malabsorption?

• Bacterial Overgrowth Syndrome
  • What is bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
  • What causes bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
  • What are the symptoms of bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
  • How can doctors tell if I have bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
  • How do doctors treat bacterial overgrowth syndrome?

• Celiac Disease
  • What is celiac disease?
  • What causes celiac disease?
  • What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
  • How can doctors tell if I have celiac disease?
  • How do doctors treat celiac disease?

• Intestinal Lymphangiectasia
  • What is intestinal lymphangiectasia?
  • What causes intestinal lymphangiectasia?
  • What are the symptoms of intestinal lymphangiectasia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have intestinal lymphangiectasia?
  • How do doctors treat intestinal lymphangiectasia?

• Lactose Intolerance
  • What is lactose intolerance?
  • What causes lactose intolerance?
  • What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
  • How can doctors tell if I have lactose intolerance?
  • How do doctors treat lactose intolerance?

• Short Bowel Syndrome
  • What is short bowel syndrome?
  • What causes short bowel syndrome?
  • What are the symptoms of short bowel syndrome?
  • How can doctors tell if I have short bowel syndrome?
  • How do doctors treat short bowel syndrome?

• Tropical Sprue
  • What is tropical sprue?
  • What causes tropical sprue?
  • What are the symptoms of tropical sprue?
  • How can doctors tell if I have tropical sprue?
  • How do doctors treat tropical sprue?

• Whipple Disease
  • What is Whipple disease?
  • What are the symptoms of Whipple disease?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Whipple disease?
  • How do doctors treat Whipple disease?

Tumors of the Digestive System

• Colon Cancer
  • What is colon cancer?
  • What causes colon cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of colon cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have colon cancer?
    • How do doctors screen for colon cancer?
  • How do doctors treat colon cancer?

• Esophageal Cancer
  • What is esophageal cancer?
  • What causes esophageal cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of esophageal cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have esophageal cancer?
  • How do doctors treat esophageal cancer?

• Pancreatic Cancer
  • What is pancreatic cancer?
  • What causes pancreatic cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have pancreatic cancer?
  • How do doctors treat pancreatic cancer?

• Polyps of the Colon and Rectum
  • What is a polyp of the colon or rectum?
  • What causes polyps of the colon or rectum?
  • What are the symptoms of polyps of the colon or rectum?
  • How can doctors tell if I have polyps of the colon or rectum?
  • How do doctors treat polyps of the colon or rectum?

• Stomach Cancer
  • What is stomach cancer?
  • What causes stomach cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have stomach cancer?
  • How do doctors treat stomach cancer?

Biology of the Digestive System

• Overview of the Digestive System
  • What is the digestive system?

• Esophagus
  • What is the esophagus?

• Stomach
  • What is the stomach?

• Small Intestine
  • What is the small intestine?

• Large Intestine
  • What is the large intestine?

• Rectum and Anus
  • What are the rectum and anus?

• Pancreas
  • What is the pancreas?