Toddlers are no strangers to minor health issues such as colds and flu, as their immune system continues to grow and develop. Stomach pain also is a common toddler complaint, and while the majority of the time it is nothing serious, a more ominous...
An intestinal blockage or obstruction is the condition in which something prevents food and water from progressing through the digestive tract. The cause of an intestinal blockage can be either a mechanical obstruction (something physically in the...
Abdominal cramping is a common symptom that can have a variety of causes. In most cases, abdominal cramps are not serious and occur as a result of the gas and bloating associated with digestive diseases or intestinal infections. Occasionally,...
There are numerous rare colon diseases. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the colon, also known as the large intestine, is a long, hollow tube at the terminal end of a person's digestive...
There are many possible causes of sharp stomach or abdominal pain. According to Medline Plus, abdominal pain is pain that's felt anywhere between a person's chest and groin, including the stomach and other organs in the abdominal cavity. In some...
A tapeworm is a parasitic organism that infects humans after consuming undercooked meats that contain the eggs or larvae of the tapeworm. After ingesting the tapeworm eggs, they travel to the intestines and grow into adult tapeworms. Some...
A distended colon is a colon that has become greatly enlarged in size, giving rise to the alternate name of megacolon. Several factors can cause a distended colon, such as an intestinal obstruction in which the intestines become physically blocked...
Abdominal pain is a common complaint. It could signal a benign illness or indicate a serious medical condition. The location, duration and associated symptoms of the pain are important in diagnosing its cause. Constipation is one of the most...
Many people experience bloating and gas at some point during their lives. Fleeting gas and bloating are common symptoms that do not usually indicate any underlying health conditions. Acute, severe bloating and gas can signal a viral infection,...
An intestinal blockage is a partial or complete obstruction of the small or large intestine. In adults, intestinal blockages usually occur as a result of a mechanical issue, such as the formation of a hernia or tumor. In children, however, the...
Abdominal pain and bloating are common symptoms felt by everyone at some point in his life. Most cases of abdominal pain and bloating occur as a result of acute digestive abnormalities and do not signify serious conditions. However, If symptoms...
A blockage in the intestinal tract is referred to as an intestinal obstruction. The blockage usually occurs in the small intestine or colon and may be partial or complete. Partial blockages significantly hinder the movement of contents through the...
Colon cancer is a potentially curable disease if it is caught in early stages. This is the reason the American Cancer Society has recommended screening people starting at age 50. The symptoms of colon cancer vary according to location of the...
Stomach flu, or gastroenteritis, occurs when your infant’s digestive tract becomes inflamed. This condition can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, fever and chills. If the stomach flu is accompanied by a...
Food poisoning is not a common cause of intestinal obstruction, a condition where stool cannot pass through the intestines, although botulism, a type of food poisoning, can cause ileus, a slowdown or stoppage of peristalsis. Peristalsis, the...
An abdominal adhesion is a tough band of tissue that attaches organs or tissues within the body that are not normally conjoined. Up to 93 percent of patients who undergo abdominal surgery will develop these adhesions, according to the Better...
Hernias occur when a weakness in the abdominal wall allows the intestines or other soft tissue to bulge beneath the skin. Most hernias are reducible, meaning they can be pushed back into place. If a hernia is irreducible, a portion of the...
Numerous conditions can cause abdominal pain without bleeding. According to MayoClinic.com, it's often difficult to determine the exact location or source of abdominal pain. Structures in one area of the abdomen may cause pain locally or in...
Psyllium is a fiber supplement that acts as a bulk-forming fiber laxative used to relieve both constipation and diarrhea. Psyllium husk comes from a plant and is processed into a powder that can be found in granular or gel tablet form. Taking...
Colostomy surgery is a procedure in which a portion of the large intestine, called a stoma, is brought through the abdominal wall to carry stool out of the body. Stool exits the body through the stoma and enters a bag attached over the abdomen....
Bowel patterns vary from person to person. Some individuals have regular daily bowel movements, while others have them every two or three days. When bowel movements do not occur after three days, however, constipation may be an issue. Constipation...
Stomach cramps and nausea are common symptoms that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. In most cases, stomach cramps and nausea occur as a result of minor digestive problems or common viral infections that clear up quickly....
Cramping pain in the stomach is a common symptom that is usually a result of gas and bloating and in the majority of cases does not signal a serious problem. When cramping pain in the stomach occurs frequently, lasts more than 24 hours or is...
According to a tutorial on the Tufts University website by Dr. Scott Bailen, the main functions of the colon are the storage and conversion of liquid stool into solid waste and its elimination from the body. Herbal teas, such as black walnut,...
Abdominal adhesions are fibrous bands of tissue which form between tissues of your abdomen and your internal organs, causing them to adhere to each other. Some adhesions may cause no problems, and you may not even be aware that you have them;...
Intussusception is a serious condition where a section of the intestine moves into another section of the intestine. The Mayo Clinic explains that this disorder is rare and often occurs because the small intestine or colon moves and prevents the...
The body employs a number of immune system responses that protect it from invasion by infectious organisms and irritants. Vomiting, which can be triggered by the brain, digestive system and bloodstream, is one of those important immune responses....
Abdominal bloating is defined by Medline Plus as visibly swollen stomach that fells full and tight. Occasional abdominal bloating does not usually indicate an underlying condition and may be caused by overeating, constipation or gas. Severe...
Abdominal pain is pain that is actually located between the chest and groin, says MedlinePlus. This pain can be sharp, dull and heavy. It may be constant or intermittent. Sometimes, abdominal pain can be the result of a serious and potentially...
Gallbladder disease occurs when a build up of bile acids and salts form gallbladder stones and clog the gallbladder. Learn more about the symptoms and treatments for gallbladder disease in this health video.