Diverticular Disease, Hemorrhoids, and Constipation Diet plays a vital role in your overall gastrointestinal health. What you eat directly impacts common conditions like diverticular disease, hemorrhoids, and chronic constipation. What is diverticulosis? Diverticulosis is a condition in which the wall

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It is extremely important that your colon be thoroughly cleaned before your colonoscopy. This will let the doctor see any abnormalities, such as colon polyps, during the procedure. Polyps are small growths in the colon that could later turn into cancer. Cleansing the colon before a colonoscopy is called

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Capsule endoscopy is a test that uses a pill-sized camera that you swallow in order to examine the inside of the small intestine. The small intestine is the middle portion of your gastrointestinal tract, located between your stomach and your large intestine (colon). The small intestine is made up of

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What is colonoscopy? Gastroenterologists use colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. This minimally invasive endoscopic procedure enables doctors to examine the lining of a patient’s rectum and large intestine (colon) for abnormalities. When they perform a colonoscopy, gastroenterologists pass

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Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives More than 130,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year and nearly 50,000 of them die from the disease. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. after lung cancer. Despite being preventable, more than 30 percent

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What is Crohn’s disease?
 Crohn’s disease is a form of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which there are patches or segments of inflammation in any portion of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation in Crohn’s disease is most often located in the lower part

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What is diverticulosis? Diverticulosis is a condition that occurs when the innermost layer of the digestive tract pushes through weak spots in the outermost layer of the digestive tract – resulting in small pouches or pockets. Diverticula generally form in the lower part of the large intestine (i.e.,

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What is ERCP? Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, or ERCP, is a specialized technique used to study the bile ducts, pancreatic duct and sometimes, the gallbladder. Ducts are drainage tubes or channels. The drainage channels from the liver to the intestine are called bile ducts and those from

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Understanding Endoscopic Ultrasonography You have been referred to have an endoscopic ultrasound, or EUS, a specialized procedure that combines endoscopy and ultrasound. EUS can (1) help identify the cause of your symptoms/conditions and/or (2) perform sampling and treatments for various disorders. What

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What is Esophageal Manometry? Gastroenterologists perform esophageal manometry to determine the strength and function of a patient’s esophagus and esophageal sphincter. It measures pressures and muscle contraction patterns in the patient’s esophagus. Esophageal manometry is used to evaluate patients

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What is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)? Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sometimes simply called reflux, is a condition where acidic stomach contents flow back from the stomach into the food pipe (esophagus). This can happen when the muscular valve between the stomach and the esophagus

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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that is estimated to affect between 25 and 45 million people in the United States, and about 5–10% of the population worldwide. IBS symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating and changes in stool frequency and/or appearance. IBS-D

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What is Minor Rectal Bleeding? Minor rectal bleeding (MRB) is when a few drops of bright red or fresh blood pass from the rectum into stools, toilet paper and/or a toilet bowl. Most of the causes of MRB are benign, not life threatening and easily treatable. There are, however, instances where rectal

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What is a PEG? Gastroenterologists use percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) to surgically insert a feeding tube (often called a PEG tube) into a patient’s stomach — bypassing the mouth and esophagus — so the patient can get the needed nutrients and fluids. The amount of time a patient needs

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What is a colon polyp? Polyps are benign growths (noncancerous tumors or neoplasms) involving the lining of the bowel. 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.

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What is ulcerative colitis? Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers in the large intestine. Crohn’s disease is another form of IBD that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract or gut, extending from the esophagus to the anus. Who gets

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What is 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

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