Constipation is the inability to pass stools, or the passage of hard, dry stools. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases defines constipation as having a bowel movement less than three times in a week. Constipation is...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, known as the FDA, approved Amitiza---generic name lubiprostone---for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in 2006 and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in 2008. Additionally,...
Stomach distention, or bloat, can be a constant source of aggravation for people working so hard to sculpt their physique. Although stomach distention can be a normal part of the digestive process, excessive or constant bloating can decrease your...
Abdominal distention and bloating are common signs of gas in your digestive tract. Although certain medical disorders can cause these symptoms, the most likely culprits are the foods you consume in your diet. Apples are among the many foods that...
According to Dr. Michael Bimbaum at InfertilityPhysician.com, 5 percent of women with endometriosis experience symptoms of intestinal involvement. Referred to as intestinal endometriosis, 70 percent of these cases involve the sigmoid colon and are...
Stomach bloating is a condition wherein your abdomen feels full and tight. It can be caused by any disorder in your stomach that causes intestinal inflammation or obstruction, such as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. Fatty foods are typically...
Bloating or abdominal distention may be caused by any gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, wherein your body has increased sensitivity to gas in the large intestine. When too much gas is present, your abdomen may be...
According to "Schwartz's Principles of Surgery," obstruction is the most common surgical disorder of the small intestine. It can result from a variety of pathologic conditions, including those which originate within the bowel itself and those...
Abdominal bloating is not only uncomfortable and unsightly, but can keep you from fitting into your favorite clothes. Everyone has a small amount of intestinal gas and occasional water retention, but if you're experiencing such symptoms...
Gastric bypass surgery reduces the size of the stomach in morbidly obese patients and reroutes the digestive system to block some calorie absorption, according to MayoClinic.com. Patients often complain of constipation in the first three months...
Vegetables, although healthy foods, don't generally soothe a baby's stomach any more than any other food. The fiber in vegetables might help if your baby has constipation. However, if your baby has gas, foods high in fiber might worsen a...
Water weight, water retention or edema all describe the bloated feeling when your body holds excess water in the tissues. Water weight can be caused by medical problems, such as congestive heart failure or, more commonly, by hormonal fluctuations...
Heart failure affects approximately five million Americans and causes over one million hospitalizations annually, according to Debra Moser, DNSc and lead author of a 2008 article addressing decompensated heart failure published by the Postgraduate...
Bloating occurs when the body retains water or air, resulting in feelings of abdominal distention and discomfort. While it may result in weight gain, the weight increase associated with bloating is generally no more than five pounds. Most causes...
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is used to treat cardiac arrest. The person performing CPR gives oxygen by breathing into the person's mouth or by forcing oxygen into the lungs via an oxygen mask, while also compressing the chest to squeeze...
Potassium is an electrolyte in the blood that regulates body functions. In most situations, electrolyte levels change as the body's water level changes. Low potassium levels, or hypokalemia, result when blood levels drop below 3.5 milliequivalents...
The endometrium is the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus. The endometrium, like any tissue, can become irritated, inflamed or infected. Sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause endometritis. Endometritis is...
Amitiza is a brand name for the generic drug lubiprostone, a derivative of a naturally-occurring substance called prostaglandin E. In 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Amitiza for the treatment of...
A hysterectomy is the removal of either part of the uterus or the full uterus, and it may include the surgical removal of the fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix and part of the vagina. This procedure results in a cessation of menstrual periods and...
The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen and has several important functions, primarily digestion and glucose metabolism. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. There are many cause of pancreatitis; however, the most common causes are...
When your belly is lean and flat, your confidence tends to be higher, clothes fit better, and, according to the Mayo Clinic, your risk of serious illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease are lower. A flat belly is the result of smart eating...
Kidney disease impacts 26 millions Americans, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Many of them will have renal failure, and the physician may prescribe sodium polystyrene, a medication that influences the level of potassium in the body....
There is no connection between lactose intolerance and asthma. If you develop asthmatic symptoms when you consume dairy products, you are most likely allergic to milk, not lactose intolerant. These two conditions are commonly confused with one...
A gluten allergy or intolerance is very similar to celiac disease, though celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which a person has a permanent intolerance to gluten and not a true allergy. All of these conditions can cause diarrhea and it is...
Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas produces enzymes that digest proteins and fats. Pancreatic inflammation causes digestive enzyme seepage into the pancreatic tissue, leading to organ damage. In addition to excessive...
The thin fibrous tissues lining the abdominal and chest cavities and covering the contained organs are the peritoneum and the pleural, respectively. Mesotheliomas represent rare cancers arising from these tissues. Heavy occupational asbestos...
Antibiotic-associated olitis, also known as pseudomembranous colitis or C. difficile colitis, is an inflammation of the colon that occurs in some people who have received antibiotic therapy. Taking antibiotics kills many of the beneficial...
Doctors use colonoscopy to diagnose conditions affecting the lower gastrointestinal tract---specifically the colon and the rectum. The American Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy every ten years for people over 50 as a screening tool for...
Tropical islanders have used the immune-enhancing effects of coconut oil for centuries. The fruit, which grows in across many exotic regions and regularly features in Asian cuisine, yields an oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids, known for their...
Ascariasis is caused by the Ascaris lumbricoides worm, which lives in the intestine. Learn how to treat ascariasis in this video.
Bloating is the common term for gas buildup in the stomach and intestines. It's often accompanied by abdominal pain which may be either mild and dull or sharp and intense. Passing gas or having a bowel movement may relieve the pain. Learn about...
