GERD (Gastroesophageal-Reflux Disease)

This is a common and uncomfortable problem. If you're familiar with a painful burning sensation in your chest after you eat, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When you have GERD, stomach acid feels as if it's backing up toward your mouth. Heartburn is a classic symptom of GERD, but you may have felt other symptoms as well.

Some common symptoms are:

• Frequent heartburn
• Sour-tasting fluid backing up into your mouth
• Frequent need for antacids
• Frequent burping or belching
• Symptoms that get worse after you eat, bend over, or lie down
• Difficult or painful swallowing

 

Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is a type of IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). No one knows yet what causes IBD. But there are a number of treatment options which can help people with Crohn's lead full, active lives.

Symptoms of Crohn's Disease are:

• Abdominal pain and bloating after meals
• Sores in the anal area
• High fever and chills
• Loss of appetite; possible weight loss
• Bloody diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting

 

Dysphagia

If you have a problem swallowing foods or liquids, you may have dysphagia. It has a number of causes. Your doctor can find out what is causing your problem and help relieve your symptoms.

Common symptoms of dysphagia are:

• Feel chest pressure or pain when you swallow
• Choke or cough when swallowing
• Vomit after eating or drinking
• Aspirate (inhale into the lungs) foods or liquids when you swallow
• Have fatigue and weight loss

 

Barrett's Esophagus

If you have Barrett's Esophagus, part of the lining of the esophagus near the stomach has changed. This change is caused by the acid reflux that occurs with GERD. The changed lining is not cancer, but it can lead to cancer later on.

Symptoms of GERD are:

• Frequent heartburn
• Sour-tasting fluid backing up into your mouth
• Frequent need for antacids
• Frequent burping or belching
• Symptoms that get worse after you eat, bend over, or lie down
• Difficult or painful swallowing

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Do you often have abdominal cramps or bloating? Are your bowel movements difficult? Or do you have trouble getting to the bathroom fast enough? If so, you may have irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. Sometimes called "spastic colon," IBS is a very common condition. People who have IBS have digestive tracts that react abnormally to certain substances or to stress, leading to symptoms like cramps, gas, bloating, pain, constipation, and diarrhea.

Smoking, eating certain foods, drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks, or feeling stress or anxiety can alter the normal workings of the digestive tract and contribute to the motility problems that cause IBS.

 

Hiatal Hernia

Many people are surprised to learn they have a hiatal hernia. This common problem occurs when the stomach bulges into the chest. Hiatal hernias aren't like hernias in your groin. Most hiatal hernias cause no symptoms and need no treatment. If you notice symptoms, usually you can control them easily.

Some noticable symptoms are:

• Heartburn or other chest discomfort
• Frequent burping
• Acid taste in the mouth
• Problems swallowing
• Nighttime choking, coughing, or wheezing

 

ERCP (locating and treating the common bile duct)

ERCP stands for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography. This procedure is used to view the common bile duct. ERCP is used to help to help locate and treat blockages in the duct. It helps find the source of pain and plan surgery. It may also be used to locate pancreas problems. ERCP is done by a gastroenterologist. This is a doctor with special training in treating the digestive system.

 

Polyps and their treatment

Polyps are benign growths involving the lining of the bowel (noncancerous tumors or neoplasms). They can occur in several locations in the gastrointestinal tract but are most common in the colon. They vary in size from less than a quarter of an inch to several inches in diameter. They look like small bumps growing from the lining of the bowel and protruding into the lumen (bowel cavity). They sometimes grow on a "stalk" and look like mushrooms. Many patients have several polyps scattered in different parts of the colon.

 

Upper Endoscopy

Upper endoscopy lets your doctor examine the lining of the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (first portion of the small intestine). Your doctor will use a thin, flexible tube called an endoscope, which has its own lens and light source, and will view the images on a video monitor. You might hear your doctor or other medical staff refer to upper endoscopy as upper GI endoscopy, esohagosgastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or panendoscopy.

 

Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is well-tolerated and rarely causes much pain. You might feel pressure, bloating or cramping during the procedure. Dr. Siddiqui will provide moderate sedative to help you relax and better tolerate any discomfort.

You will lie on your side or back while your doctor slowly advances a colonoscope through your large intestine to examine the lining. Your doctor will examine the lining again as he or she slowly withdraws the colonoscope. The procedure itself usually takes 15 to 60 minutes, although you should plan on two to three hours for waiting, preparation and recovery.

In some cases, the doctor cannot pass the colonoscoope through the entire colon to where it meets the small intestine. Although another examination might be needed, doctor might decide that the limited examination is sufficient.

 

Upper GI Endoscopy (Viewing your upper GI tract)

Upper GI endoscopy is a special exam of your upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. If you are having symptoms of an upper GI problem, this procedure may be done to help find the cause. It can also help treat upper GI Problems, as well.

 

Helicobacter Pylori

This is a painful problem. If you have an ulcer- a sore or crater in the lining of your digestive tract- you know it can be an uncomfortable and even painful conditon. Traditionally, ulcers were thought to be caused by too much spicy food, stress, or an anxious personality. We know that most ulcers are possibly due to infection with bacteria known as Helicobacter Pylori.

An ulcer(a sore or crater) can form in two main areas of the digestive tract; in the duodenum, the space where the stomach meets the small intestine, and in the stomach itself. These areas contain strong acids and enzymes that help digest the food you eat. To keep these substances from also digesting your body's own tissue, the stomach and duodenum are coated with a protective mucus layer. H. pylori bacteria are common and can be passed from one person to another. Taking all your medication exactly as your doctor or pharmacist instructs can make the treatment successful. The medicaton may make you feel worse for a short time, but it's the best way to ensure that all of the H. Pylori bacteria are being killed so that ulcer won't return. Also, avoiding cigarettes and aspirin containing pain relievers can help an ulcer heal and help keep it from returning.

Some common ulcer symptoms are:

• Burning, cramping, or hunger-like pain in the stomach area, often one to three hours after a meal or in the middle of the night
• Pain that gets better or worse with eating
• Nausea or vomiting
• Black, tarry, or bloody stools (which means the ulcer is bleeding)

 

Diarrhea

This is a common problem with many causes. Defined as bowel movements that are more frequent or more watery than usual, most episodes of diarrhea usually clear up on their own in a few days. But for more serious episodes, medical treatment is occasionally necessary.

Things that may irritate the digestive tract and lead to diarrhea include harmful bacteria or viruses (present during possible food poisoning or stomach flu, for instance) or medications (especially antibiotics). Certain foods (such as spicy or fatty foods or dairy products) can cause diarrhea in some people. In others, stress and anxiety may lead to diarrhea.

Diarrhea is your body's response to an irritant (such as bacteria or a certain type of food) in your digestive tract. The irritant may lead to more water being secreted from the body into the digestive tract. The colon can't absorb all this excess liquid, so the stool stays loose and watery. This soft stool moves more quickly through the digestive tract, so bowel movements may happen more often. Cramps may also occur if the muscles of the colon contract irregularly.

Some common symptoms are:

• Looser, more watery stools than normal
• More frequent stools than normal
• More urgent need to pass stool than normal
• Pain or spasms in the digestive tract

To help make your recovery easier, you may want to

• Avoid milk
• Don't try to get back to your normal diet too quickly
• Drink plenty of clear liquids to keep from getting dehydrated. Also avoid caffeine-containing beverages

 

Constipation

This is a common and often uncomfortable problem. You have constipation if you have bowel movements less often than usual or strain to pass hard, dry stool. Constipation can be a temporary problem that lasts a short time. It can also be a chronic problem that never seems to go away. Fortunately, it can often be controlled.

One of the main causes of constipation is a diet that's too low in fiber and water, travel that disrupts your normal routine, pregnant women often become constipated and other causes such as getting too little exercise, misusing laxatives, taking certain medications (such as pain medications, diuretics, and antihistamines) or ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement. Diseases such as diabetes or hypothyroidism may also cause constipation.

Eating more fiber, getting regular exercise, avoiding chronic laxative use and drinking plenty of water for normal bowel movements can treat constipation.

Some common symptoms are:

• Feeling of fullness in the rectum
• Bloating and gas
• Feeling the urge, but being unable to pass stool
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Nausea

 

Colon Polyps and Cancer

Cancer of the colon is a major health problem in the United States. It ranks as a leading form of cancer, along with lung and breast cancer. Importantly, colon cancer is also one of the most curable forms of cancer.

This disease begins in the cells that line the colon. There now is strong medical evidence that there are abnormal genes for colon polyps and cancer that can be passed from parent to child. The genes within each cell are the hereditary structures that tell the cell what it should do.

A polyp is a growth that occurs in the colon and other organs. These growths, or fleshy tumors, are shaped like a mushroom or a dome-like button, and occur on the inside lining of the colon. They may be as small as a tiny pea or larger than a plum. Colon polyps start out as benign tumors but in time may become malignant.

A great deal is known about why and how polyps form. In some people heredity and genes are the most important factors. In others, heredity may be involved but diet and foods may also be very important.

Calcium and fiber may help lower the risk of colon cancer. Studies are beginning to show that people who get 1000-1500mg of calcium a day in their diet have less colon cancer. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and also contain beneficial chemicals called antioxidants.

There are three categories of polyps:

• The Ordinary Polyp - Most sporadic polyps occur between the ages of 40-60. There may be only two present and they may take ten years or more to develop into a cancer.
• Hereditary Familial Polyposis - This is a true hereditary condition in which the entire colon is studded with hundreds, even thousands of polyps. They begin at a very early age even under ten years old. In this case, the only known preventive treatment is surgical removal of the colon.
• Lynch Syndrome (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer)- This disorder is more common than familial polyposis but less so than the ordinary polyp.There is a strong tendency for adenoma type polyps to occur in close blood relatives. More polyps and even cancer can occur at earlier ages, 40's, 30's and even in the 20's.

The key to early detection of colon polyps and cancer is the concern and willingness of each person to seek medical attention from a physician.

 

Gastritis

Gastritis is a painful inflammation of the stomach lining. It has a number of causes. Gastritis and its symptoms can be relieved with treatment. To digest the food you eat, your stomach makes strong acids and enzymes. A healthy stomach has built-in defenses that protect its lining from damage created by these acids and enzymes. When you have gastritis acids may damage the stomach lining when the built-in defenses of the stomach don't function as they should. The stomach lining can then become inflamed. When this occurs, it is called gastritis.

There are things you can do to help your stomach heal and keep gastritis from returning. Take your medications as directed, even if your stomach pain goes away. Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse. Also, avoid alcohol and tobacco, as well as aspirin and other anti-inflammatory medicaitons. Learn ways to manage your stress better.

Some common symptoms are:

• A burning feeling in your upper abdomen
• Pain that occurs after eating certain foods
• Gas or a bloated feeling in your stomach
• Frequent belching
• Nausea with or without vomiting

 

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

UC is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon, or large intestine. It is a also referred to as an inflammatory bowel disease. The inflammation sometimes occurs only in the lower part of the colon and the rectum, but it may also affect the entire colon. The most common symptoms of UC are diarrhea and bleeding.

Although the exact cause of inflammatory bowel diseases like UC is not yet known, extensive research has been conducted in this area. It is believed that UC occurs when the patient's immune system inappropriately responds to something it perceives to be a foreign substance in the body (eg., the bacteria normally found in the colon). Once triggered, this abnormal immune response leads to inflammation and intestinal damage.

Both men and women have an equal chance of developing UC, and it is known that genetics play a role in determining who is at greater risk. Although the disease usually develops between the ages of 15 and 30, UC can occur at any age. In fact, some people don't experience their first attack until they are between the ages of 50 and 70. Overall, about one million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease: approximately half with UC and half with Crohn's disease.

Some common symptoms are:

• Abdominal cramping
• Frequent stools that are loose, or bloody
• Severe urgency to have a bowel movement
• Fatigue

 

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis

You may be having trouble in your colon (large intestine). Small pouches may have formed in your colon wall. Many people have this condition, called diverticulosis. If these pouches become infected or inflamed, a painful and more serious condition called diverticulitis has developed. Aging may contribute to colon conditions. But eating plenty of unprocessed, high-fiber foods may make a difference in the health of your colon.

You and your doctor can discuss how to control your diverticular condition. Diet changes or medications may be enough to bring relief. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Either way, the better you understand your body and your conditon, the more you'll benefit from treatment and be able to avoid colon problems in the future.

To diagnose your colon condition, your doctor will take your medical history, examine you thoroughly, and do one or more diagnostic tests. After the evaluation, your doctor will talk with you about a treatment.