Where some people eat to live, most live to eat. With this juxtaposition, your colon health plays a truly important role in day to day activities.
Where some people eat to live, most live to eat. With this juxtaposition, your colon health plays a truly important role in day to day activities. It is quite common for people to ignore seemingly harmless symptoms of heartburn and stomach aches, but it is crucial to take such matters into the hands of medical professionals to assess risk and treatment options.
Whether or not you are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms, it is important to regularly schedule checkups with your doctor. During these visits, you will be given opportunities to screen for medical issues, determine your risk of future medical problems, plan for a healthy lifestyle, and help you get to know your provider in case of an illness.
If you are under age 50, you should be screened if you have a strong family history of colon cancer or polyps. Screening may also be considered if you have risk factors such as a history of inflammatory bowel disease.
If you are between ages 50 to 75, you should be screened for colorectal cancer. There are several screening tests available. Some common screening tests include:
You may need a colonoscopy more often if you have risk factors for colon cancer, such as:
One in five men has felt the burning discomfort of heartburn in the past month, and for many men it is a chronic malady requiring daily medication. For a variety of reasons, those with chronic heartburn end up having one or more endoscopies, in which a doctor uses a flexible lighted instrument to check for trouble down below in the esophagus.
With this procedure, you can be assured of the accuracy of the diagnosis. An endoscopy—upper or lower—is more accurate than an X-ray for detecting inflammation, ulcers, or small tumors of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, or lower GI tract. Endoscopy is also excellent for finding the causes of gastrointestinal bleeding. If you have had major surgery, it can be used to evaluate the inside of your esophagus or stomach to search for signs of bleeding.
The goal is to check for signs of cancer or precancerous growths (polyps) in individuals who have no symptoms and are considered at average risk.
Early detection can identify precancerous polyps or cancer in its initial stages, significantly improving treatment outcomes.
When you’re under stress—whether from a demanding job, personal challenges, or even anxiety caused by IBS itself—it can trigger physical reactions in your body.
Maintaining awareness of hemorrhoid symptoms and consistent use of effective treatments can help prevent these long-term issues.
The connection between female sex hormones and IBS is complex but crucial to understanding why your symptoms fluctuate.
Colitis and flare-ups can vary in intensity and frequency, influenced by factors such as diet, stress, and individual health conditions.
Some may tolerate caffeine well, while others with IBS or acid reflux need to monitor their intake to prevent aggravating their symptoms.
While there is currently no cure for Crohn’s disease, various treatments and lifestyle adjustments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) tends to affect women more frequently than men, and hormones may play a significant role in this disparity.
After a colonoscopy, patients are typically monitored in a recovery area until the effects of the sedative or anesthesia begin to wear off.
Both conditions appear to be influenced by heightened immune responses and the release of pro-inflammatory substances, further connecting their underlying mechanisms.
A gut cleanse is a practice designed to enhance digestive health by removing toxins, waste, and harmful bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract.
Please call our office to schedule an appointment.
Center for Digestive Diseases: (908)688-6565