Can you explain alcoholic liver disease? Alcoholic liver disease involves an inflamed liver induced by years of alcohol consumption. This can lead to cirrhosis, which causes tissues and cells in the liver to be replaced by scar tissue. Ethanol, an ingredient in alcohol, is toxic to the liver and can impair its ability to filter blood, make bile, aid digestion,…
I had a friend who had hepatitis and I was told I should be immunized. What kind of immunization is necessary? Hepatitis is an infection of the liver. Common forms include hepatitis a, b, c, d, e and g. There are vaccines for hepatitis a and b; no vaccine is available for hepatitis c. Transmission of hepatitis a is fecal…
My doctor thinks I have an “irritable bowel.” What does that mean? If you have constipation (frequently associated with abdominal discomfort and/or bloating), diarrhea, or alternating symptoms (constipation at times, diarrhea at others) you may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS is a real medical condition, but it is not life-threatening and will not lead to other serious diseases. Your…
I have been having trouble swallowing my food lately. It just doesn’t want to go down. What could be wrong? Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) has numerous potential causes. Just a few are: infections of the esophagus, narrowing of the esophagus from chronic acid reflux, and rarely tumors. Discuss your symptoms with your physician. He or she will likely suggest and EGD…
Exactly what are hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids are normal veins that are located at the opening of the rectum and that over a period of time, become dilated and stretched and often are associated with bleeding, rectal pain and rectal itching. The blood in the vein can become clotted causing severe discomfort that requires immediate attention. Most of the time, hemorrhoids do…
I recently had a colonoscopy and had several polyps removed, although my doctor said I was fine. Are all polyps early cancer? No, must polyps are not cancers. Polyps are small growths in the lining of the colon and most are benign. They usually are flesh colored and can range in size from a pea to a grape. If allowed…
