Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a disorder of excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine. Patients with bacterial overgrowth typically develop symptoms including nausea, bloating, vomiting and diarrhea, which is caused by a number of mechanisms. Many of the symptoms are due to malabsorption of nutrients due to the effects of bacteria which either metabolize nutrients or cause inflammation …

Wilson’s Disease causes the body to retain copper. The liver of a person who has Wilson’s disease does not release copper into bile as it should. Bile is a liquid produced by the liver that helps with digestion. As the intestines absorb copper from food, the copper builds up in the liver and injures liver tissue. Eventually, the damage causes the …

Whipple’s disease is a malabsorption illness. It interferes with the body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients. The disease causes weight loss, incomplete breakdown of carbohydrates or fats, and malfunctions of the immune system, and it may affect the heart, lungs, brain, and eyes. When recognized and treated, Whipple’s disease can usually be cured. Untreated, the disease may be fatal. Whipple’s disease is …

(Also known as: Colitis, Proctitis) Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the large intestine. The inflammation usually occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon, but it may affect the entire colon. Ulcerative colitis rarely affects the small intestine except for the end section, called the terminal ileum. Ulcerative colitis …

Proctitis is inflammation of the lining of the rectum, called the rectal mucosa. Proctitis can be short term (acute) or long term (chronic). The most common symptom is a frequent or continuous sensation or urge to have a bowel movement. Other symptoms include constipation, a feeling of rectal fullness, left-sided abdominal pain, passage of mucus through the rectum, rectal bleeding, and …

Porphyria is a group of different disorders caused by abnormalities in the chemical steps leading to the production of heme, a substance that is important in the body. The largest amounts of heme are in the blood and bone marrow, where it carries oxygen. Heme is also found in the liver and other tissues. Multiple enzymes are needed for the body to …

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a liver disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Bile, a substance that helps digest fat, leaves the liver through these ducts. When the ducts are damaged, bile builds up in the liver and damages liver tissue. Over time, the disease can cause cirrhosis and may make the liver stop working. Causes The cause of …

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum. The duodenum is the upper part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. These enzymes help digest fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in food. The pancreas also releases …

Malabsorption means the failure of the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract, usually the small intestine, to absorb one or more substances from the diet. This is generally the result of some defect or damage to the mucosal lining of the small intestine, where most of our nutrient absorption takes place. The most common symptoms of malabsorption syndrome are diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, cramping and …

What is lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose, the predominant sugar of milk. This inability results from a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally produced by the cells that line the small intestine. Lactase breaks down milk sugar into simpler forms that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. When there is …

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Medically, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is known by a variety of other terms: spastic colon, spastic colitis, mucous colitis, and nervous or functional bowel. Usually it is a disorder of the large intestine (colon), although other parts of the intestinal tract -even up to the stomach- can be affected. The colon, the last five feet …

Also see: Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis Inflammatory bowel disease is a general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are two types of bowel inflammation that affect the colon (large intestine). They are not related to Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which are more severe forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are …

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control your bowels. When you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you may not be able to hold it until you can get to a toilet. Or stool may leak from the rectum unexpectedly. More than 6.5 million Americans have fecal incontinence. It affects people of all ages–children as well as adults. Fecal …

A hiatal hernia is an anatomical abnormality in which part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm and up into the chest. Although hiatal hernias are present in approximately 15% of the population, they are associated with symptoms in only a minority of those afflicted. Normally, the esophagus (or food tube) passes down through the chest, crosses the diaphragm, and enters the …

Also see: Hepatitis A Hepatitis C Autoimmune Hepatitis is a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks liver cells. This causes the liver to become inflamed (hepatitis). Researchers think a genetic factor may predispose some people to autoimmune diseases. About 70 percent of those with autoimmune hepatitis are women, most between the ages of 15 and 40. The disease is …

DHS Practices accepting new patients:  Consultants in Gastroenterology and DHS of St. Joseph Summit Gastroenterology is not accepting new Hepatitis C patients at this time.  (Also see: Hepatitis A) What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a liver disease. Hepatitis (HEP-ah-TY-tis) makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things …

What is hepatitis B? Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The hepatitis B virus is transmitted through contact with the blood and body fluids of somebody who is infected. For most people this is a very mild infection, often times subclinical, that is the patient doesn’t even know they have hepatitis and present as if they …

(Also see: Hepatitis C) What is hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a liver disease. Hepatitis (HEP-ah-TY-tis) makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy …

What are hemorrhoids? The term hemorrhoids refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids may result from straining to move stool. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and anal intercourse. Hemorrhoids are either inside the anus (internal) or under the skin around the anus (external). What are the …

Often described as a harsh, burning sensation in the upper abdomen, heartburn can radiate through the chest, and into the throat and neck. Other symptoms may also include regurgitation, difficulty swallowing and chronic coughing or wheezing. Heartburn occurs when stomach contents leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from the mouth to …

What is a peptic ulcer? A peptic ulcer is a sore on the lining of the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. Peptic ulcers are common: One in 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life. One cause of peptic ulcer is bacterial infection, but some ulcers are caused by …

What is Gastroparesis? Gastroparesis, also called delayed gastric emptying, is a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. It often occurs in people with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Gastroparesis happens when nerves to the stomach are damaged or stop working. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food through the digestive tract. …

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common clinical problem frequently requiring hospitalization. It can vary in degrees, from massive life threatening hemorrhage to a slow, insidious chronic blood loss. The overall mortality for severe GI bleeding is approximately 8 percent, but this number is diminishing with the arrival of superior diagnostic techniques and newer medical treatments. Many bleeding episodes resolve on their …

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly and stomach contents leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The LES is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that acts like a valve between the esophagus and stomach. The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach When …

Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining. It can occur suddenly or gradually. Causes: Acid production, pepsins, bile and stress Aspirin and NSAIDs Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are pain relievers, either over-the-counter or prescription. These drugs usually do not cause any problems when taken on a short-term basis, but regular use can lead to gastritis because the NSAIDs diminish …

Everyone has gas and eliminates it by burping or passing it through the rectum. However, many people think they have too much gas when they really have normal amounts. Most people produce about 1 to 3 pints a day and pass gas about 14 times a day. Gas is made primarily of odorless vapors – carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, …

What are gallstones? Gallstones form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. The liquid, called bile, is used to help the body digest fats. Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder until the body needs to digest fat. At that time, the gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into a tube …

The Liver The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is found high in the right upper abdomen, behind the ribs. It is a very complex organ and has many functions. They include: Storing energy in the form of sugar (glucose) Storing vitamins, iron, and other minerals Making proteins, including blood clotting factors, to keep the body healthy …

The esophagus is a relatively simple tubular structure connecting the throat to the stomach. The major functions of the stomach are to transport food from the mouth to the stomach and to prevent regurgitation of food and gastric contents from the stomach back up into the esophagus. At the same time it allows air to be vented out of the …

What is Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE)? Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is a disease characterized by swelling of the esophagus (the part of the body connecting the throat and the stomach) caused by an allergic white blood cell, the eosinophil. Symptoms of EE can range from severe heartburn, difficulty swallowing, food impaction in the esophagus, nausea, vomiting and weight loss. There appears to …

(also known as Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis) Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots, like an inner tube that pokes through weak places in a tire. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. Pouches (plural) are called diverticula. The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis. About 10 percent of Americans over the age 40 …

Diarrhea – loose, watery stools occurring more than three times in one day – is a common problem that usually lasts a day or two and goes away on its own without any special treatment. However, prolonged diarrhea can be a sign of other problems. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is …

(also known as Ileitis or Enteritis) Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in the small intestine. Crohn’s disease usually occurs in the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The inflammation can cause pain …

Constipation is passage of small amounts of hard, dry bowel movements, usually fewer than three times a week. People who are constipated may find it difficult and painful to have a bowel movement. Other symptoms of constipation include feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and sluggish. Many people think they are constipated when, in fact, their bowel movements are regular. For example, some people …

What are colon polyps? A polyp is extra tissue that grows inside your body. Colon polyps grow in the large intestine. The large intestine, also called the colon, is part of your digestive system. It’s a long, hollow tube at the end of your digestive tract where your body makes and stores stool. Are polyps dangerous? Most polyps are not …

(also known as Colorectal Cancer) Colorectal cancer is now the third leading cancer killer in the United States. Each year, 60,000 people die due to colorectal cancer. In addition, more than 200,000 hospitalizations per year are a result of primary diagnosis of colorectal cancer. But the statistics don’t have to be this high. If everybody age 50 or older had …

Also see: Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis Inflammatory bowel disease is a general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are two types of bowel inflammation that affect the colon (large intestine). They are not related to Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, which are more severe forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis are …

(Also known as: Ulcerative Colitis, Proctitis) Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the large intestine. The inflammation usually occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon, but it may affect the entire colon. Ulcerative colitis rarely affects the small intestine except for the end section, called the terminal ileum. Ulcerative …

What is C. Difficile? C. Difficile is a disease-causing bacteria that can affect the large bowel and cause colitis (inflammation). The intestinal tract of normal people contains millions of bacteria, referred to as “normal flora,” that have a role in protecting the body from infection. Taking antibiotics can kill these “good bacteria,” allowing C. Difficile to multiply and release toxins …

The liver, the largest organ in the body, is essential in keeping the body functioning properly. It removes or neutralizes poisons from the blood, produces immune agents to control infection, and removes germs and bacteria from the blood. It makes proteins that regulate blood clotting and produces bile to help absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. You cannot live without a …

Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats. When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine. Specifically, tiny fingerlike …

Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach, changes so that some of its lining is replaced by a type of tissue similar to that normally found in the intestine. This process is called intestinal metaplasia. While Barrett’s esophagus may cause no symptoms itself, a small …

Foodborne illness results from eating food contaminated with bacteria (or their toxins) or other pathogens such as parasites or viruses. The illnesses range from upset stomach to more serious symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and dehydration. Although most foodborne infections are undiagnosed and unreported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year about 76 million people in …

Achalasia is a rare disease of the muscle of the esophagus (swallowing tube) which is usually diagnosed in young adults. The term achalasia means “failure to relax” and refers to one of the abnormalities of the esophagus seen in the disease, specifically, the inability of the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter) to open and …