Bile is a fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ located beneath the liver, which aids in the digestion of fats. Gallstones are formed from bile deposits that have hardened within the gallbladder due to many...
The gallbladder is located on the right side of the abdomen, just beneath the liver. This organ holds bile, a digestive fluid that is released to the small intestine to aid in digestion. Hardened deposits of bile, called gallstones, can form in...
The gallbladder is a small, elastic sac on the underside of the liver in the right upper abdomen. The liver produces bile, which collects in the gallbladder until it releases into the small intestine. Chemical imbalances in the bile within the...
A sudden excruciating pain that begins at the upper part of the stomach after eating a fatty meal may be a sign of a gallbladder attack due to gallstones. According to the Mayo Clinic, gallstones are a hardened form of digestive juices. Sometimes,...
Hidden behind the stomach but playing a crucial role in the digestive process as well as hormonal production is a large gland called the pancreas. Besides secreting digestive enzymes into the small intestine that aid in the digestion of fats,...
Amylase and lipase are digestive enzymes. Amylase breaks down dietary starch, and lipase aids in the digestion of dietary fats. The pancreas produces these enzymes in large quantities and secretes them into the small intestine. Diseases of the...
Patients with autoimmune pancreatitis experience symptoms similar to pancreatitis; however, the symptoms are chronic and often less severe than those associated with acute pancreatitis. Symptoms of pancreatitis include nausea, vomiting, fever and...
Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is considered chronic if the condition persists for an extended period of time such as years, according to MayoClinic.com. A normal pancreas produces enzymes that aid with digestion and hormones that...
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a pancreas infection is also known as pancreatitis and is defined as the inflammation of this organ. The pancreas produces several enzymes, such as insulin, key to the digestion of food....
The pancreas, a small organ located behind your stomach, produces digestive enzymes that flow through the pancreatic ducts to the small intestine, where they help break down food particles into usable nutrients. Pancreatic enzymes include a...
Chronic pancreatitis is a medical term used to describe inflammation of the pancreas that becomes progressively worse over time. This condition develops when the naturally occurring enzymes within the digestive tract abnormally attack the pancreas...
Formation of stones within the gall bladder, also known as gall stones, is a condition that can cause many problems. Certain people are at increased risk, and a common saying among clinicians is people who have the "4 F's" get them the most: fat,...
The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 29,000 individuals are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year. The pancreas is a gland in the abdomen, located between the stomach and spine. It has two different types of cells:...
Your pancreas, a gland located behind your stomach, produces digestive enzymes and insulin, which controls blood sugar. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that can cause tissue death and bleeding in or around the gland. Excessive use...
Your pancreas has two types of tissue: endocrine and exocrine. Endocrine tissue produces hormones that help regulate bodily processes, such as your blood glucose level. Exocrine tissue produces a variety of enzymes, which aid in the digestion of...
The gallbladder is a pear-shaped sac located under the liver on the upper right side of the abdomen, according to MayoClinic.com. The liver produces bile---a digestive fluid that aids in the digestion of fat---and the gallbladder stores it. In...
The liver produces bile that helps the body with digestion, and this bile is sent to and stored in the gallbladder, according to the National Institutes of Health. There are various conditions that can affect the gallbladder, from inflammation to...
People who suffer from acute or chronic pancreatitis experience pain and inflammation in their pancreas, a large gland nestled behind the stomach that participates in digestion and metabolism. Pancreatitis can cause potentially serious adverse...
In general, drinking coffee will not affect your gallbladder, unless you add cream or half-and-half to the beverage. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that gallbladder attacks typically occur after eating a meal that...
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...
Gallstones are formed in the gallbladder when digestive fluids produced by the liver solidify. They can range in size from tiny to about the size of a golf ball, according to Medline Plus. People can develop a single gallstone, many gallstones or...
According to the American Cancer Society, one of the most important factors in deciding on treatment options and figuring out prognosis for pancreatic cancer is the stage of the cancer. Staging describes the spread of the cancer and is based on...
While the health effects of human tapeworm infection, or taeniasis, are usually mild, there are some rare cases when the human health effects can become more serious. According to the Mayo Clinic, on rare occasions, the tapeworm infection can...
Tapeworms enter the human body through consumption of contaminated food or improper food handling. The most common type of tapeworms are found in beef (Taenia saginata) and pork (Taenia solium). The medical term for tapeworm infection is...
The pancreas is a small gland that secretes enzymes that aid in digestion. A diet high in fatty foods, alcohol consumption and even gallstones can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis. Pancreatitis may come on suddenly, known as...
Digestion takes place mainly in the small intestine but also involves accessory organs, like the gallbladder and the pancreas. Digestive problems can result from diseases, viruses, an allergy or intolerance to certain dietary substances or...
There are numerous diseases associated with alcoholism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prolonged excessive alcohol consumption or binge drinking often leads to significant health problems, due to the increased...
It is hard to believe that gallstones as small as grains of sand can be painful enough to make you nauseous. They give you fever and chills, too. Fortunately, 80 percent of the people who have gallstones do not have any symptoms at all. There are...
Rapid weight loss is a form of dieting that causes the body to shed more than 2 lbs. a week. They're usually highly restrictive, limiting your caloric intake well below the recommended levels of 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men, as indicated by...
