Abdominal pain is a common childhood ailment. In most cases of lower ab pain, the cause is a minor injury or illness and the pain does not indicate a serious underlying condition. To determine the cause of the pain, note your child's recent food...
Your colon, or large intestine, is the largest part of your digestive system. Conditions characterized by colon pain include diverticulitis, in which tiny pouches in your colon become inflamed, colitis and Crohn's disease, which cause intestinal...
Inflammatory bowel disease is the medical term for illnesses associated with chronic inflammation of the intestines. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two types of inflammatory bowel disease. Both disorders involve damage to the colon...
The appendix is a small finger-like organ attached to the large intestine. When a blockage occurs in the appendix, bacteria begin to grow and an infection develops, also referred to as appendicitis. Symptoms of appendicitis includes fever, nausea,...
Cigarette smoking is commonly associated with lung cancer, emphysema, asthma and a wide variety of other respiratory problems. Many people mistakenly think that the health risks stop there. The sad truth is that cigarette smoking can damage your...
Eating an excessive amount of fiber can cause abdominal pain due to gas production. However, don't let that stop you from eating the fiber your body needs. Fiber benefits the digestive system by keeping it healthy and functioning properly. The key...
The majority of people produce between 1 and 4 pt. of gas in the stomach each day. Most of that gas is expelled through burping or passing gas through the rectum, which occurs on average about 14 times a day, according to the National Digestive...
Colorectal cancer occurs in the large intestine or rectum--the area where stool is stored until passed from the body. The American Cancer Society reports that nearly 147,000 people in the United States were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in...
When the large intestine, or colon, becomes weak because of advancing age, a low-fiber diet or abnormally high pressure in the colon, it may cause diverticula to form in the colon. Diverticula are small pouches that bulge outward and when inflamed...
The colon, also called the large intestine, removes fluid from food as it passes through the final portion of the digestive tract. At times, a blockage occurs in the colon. Common causes of bowel obstruction in the colon include cancer, scar...
Most healthy adults do not expereince stomach problems from hot sauce. If you develop adverse reactions when you eat hot sauce, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms. Common conditions that...
Irritable bowel syndrome, also called IBS, is a common condition affecting the portion of your colon known as the large intestine. Symptoms include abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation and mucus in the stool, and they...
Toothaches often arise at the least convenient time---when there's no chance of getting to your dentist. Fortunately, acupressure---the ancient Chinese practice of stimulating key sensitive points on the body---can help to release pain and...
According to the National Center For Complementary and Alternative Medicine, as many as one in five Americans have symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome is a problem that affects the large intestine and causes pain and a...
Experiencing back pain or nausea after eating a meal is usually an indication of a gastrointestinal problem. Several gastrointestinal conditions can cause nausea and abdominal pain that radiates to locations in the back. While some conditions may...
Tooth pain can disrupt eating and sleeping as well as indicate a more serious condition. If your toothache continues for a few days, seek the advice of a dentist. Once the dentist assesses your condition, you might also want to try alternative...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects the colon or large intestine. It involves abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Up to 20 percent of U.S. adults have IBS symptoms, according to...
Several health conditions are characterized by weight loss, loss of appetite and pain or swelling in the armpits. While many of these conditions are not life-threatening, you should pay attention to these symptoms and discuss them with a health...
Vitamin B-12, or cobalamin, is a B-complex vitamin found in eggs, milk, cheese, beef, pork, poultry and fish. This vitamin helps protect your nervous system by stimulating the production of myelin, a fatty substance that coats nerve endings. It...
Stomach pain can be uncomfortable and even life-threatening. To help a doctor determine what organs might be causing the pain, she envisions the abdomen as being drawn into four sections--upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right,...
Diverticulitis occurs when pouches in the intestine, known as diverticula, become inflamed or infected. It commonly occurs in the sigmoid colon part of the large intestine. Common symptoms include gas, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea,...
Many pressure points exist in the wrist area, according to Chinese medicine and acupuncture theory. Some can be useful for decreasing pain, while others are useful for alleviating symptoms associated with disorders of specific organs. Be sure to...
Ulcerative colitis is a condition that affects more than 500,000 Americans, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This condition is characterized by chronic inflammation of the lining of the large intestine, and can produce...
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a disease of the colon, or large intestine. Abdominal pain, bloating and gas, constipation, diarrhea, and constipation are some common symptoms of IBS. Certain foods may make symptoms worse and troublesome...
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a disorder marked by stomach cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation. Symptoms and severity of symptoms vary; in some cases they can cause severe discomfort. Though IBS symptoms can be managed through...
Many organs in the lower abdomen, such as the intestines, ovaries, uterus and appendix, are subject to conditions and diseases that cause cramps. Conditions that cause cramping range from very mild with minimal pain to severe pain and...
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) notes that the medical community attributes the primary cause of chronic stomach bloating to some form of intestinal disorder. In acute cases, other reasons such as overeating,...
A swollen tummy in a child frequently indicates a mild condition such as gas or extreme fullness. However, this symptom also is associated with more serious illnesses, including appendicitis and bowel infections. Contact your pediatrician if your...
Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract. The disease usually affects people between the ages of 15 to 35, but it can start at any age. Risk factors include smoking, Jewish ancestry and a family...
Acupuncturists sometimes use a method called the four gates in order to help alleviate stress. Learn more about acupuncture and how it can help you from our medical expert in this free video.
A hernia is the breaking or protuberance of a membrane. Hernias can be very painful and are often associated with heavy lifting. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of hernias in this health video.
