Alcoholism is a disease affecting millions of Americans. According to Helpguide.org, signs of an alcohol problem include lying about drinking or regularly forgetting what happens while drinking alcohol. Long-term alcoholism causes emotional and...
The bile duct is a system of tubes connecting the liver, gallbladder and small intestine. It transports bile from the liver to the gallbladder for storage and the intestines to aid digestion. The portion of the bile duct closest to the intestine...
Alcoholism is a disease that has detrimental physical, psychological and social effects. One of the severe physical effects of excessive alcohol use is scarring of the liver, also called cirrhosis of the liver. According to Medline Plus, alcohol...
Chronic cirrhosis, which is ongoing inflammation and scarring of the liver over many years, leads to liver failure. The liver is the largest and most vascular organ in the body. The liver performs over 400 functions that involve storing blood and...
Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, is cancer arising from part of the stomach, but mostly the innermost lining, called the mucosa, according to the National Cancer Institute. There were over 20,000 new cases of stomach cancer in 2009 in the United...
Cancer that has spread from the primary location to other organs or parts of the body is called metastatic disease. The liver is a common place for metastases--especially from the breast, lung and gastrointestinal tract tumors like colon cancer,...
Unlike popular diets on the market designed to produce weight loss, the fluid-restricted diet is designed solely for medical use. Because water is a crucial nutrient for all body processes and there is a delicate balance involved with adequate...
The liver plays a vital role in your body. It controls infections, removes bacteria and toxins, makes proteins for blood clotting, produces bile to absorb fats and processes nutrients, hormones and drugs. Cirrhosis is a condition in which scar...
The portal vein is a large blood vessel that delivers blood from the intestines to the liver. Portal hypertension is an increase in blood pressure in that vein and its branches. Causes for portal hypertension include an increased amount of blood...
Donating eggs for an infertile woman, couple, or for an egg donation center can be an emotionally and financially fulfilling process. Strict screening rules mean that egg donation isn't for every woman, though, and even if you are able to donate...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, affects 12 million Americans, according to the Merck Manual, and is the second most common cause of death. COPD also runs second only to heart disease as a cause of disability that affects people...
A healthy liver has many essential functions such as purifying the blood, manufacturing nutrients and detoxifying harmful substances in the body. Over time, certain conditions such as alcohol abuse, cystic fibrosis and hepatitis B and C can scar...
Much controversy often surrounds the safety of herbal supplements. Because the FDA does not regulate the safety, purity and efficacy of these supplements, the products vary widely with respect to quality standards. Herbalists have used black...
Overview Cancer is a group of many related diseases that begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it is helpful to know about normal cells and what happens when they become cancerous. The body is made up of many...
Cirrhosis of the liver describes a condition of progressive destruction of liver tissue. Damaged liver tissue becomes replaced by hard fibrous nodules. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, up to 40 percent of patients with...
The liver is one of the largest and most important organs of the body. The liver has more than 500 functions. It regulates most chemical levels in the blood and, by excreting bile, helps to break down fats. The blood leaving the intestines, with...
Ascites is an abnormal collection of fluid in the abdominal cavity. The fluid collects in the spaces between the tissue that lines the abdomen and abdominal organs. Conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver, congestive heart failure and cancer of...
Pleural effusion, or excess fluid surrounding the lungs, is a serious condition that restricts breathing and reduces the exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen. Pleural effusion has many possible causes, including chronically poor nutrition. A...
Hernias occur when organs or their surrounding connective tissue, also known as fascia, push through the walls of the cavity where they are normally contained. Most hernias occur in the abdomen and are the result of the intestines or other tissues...
A positive pregnancy test sends many women through a flurry of emotions and questions, including the gender of the baby. While some couples wait until the baby is born, many others prefer to find out the baby's gender before the birth. Methods of...
