Gastro-oesophageal reflux (acid reflux)
Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a condition where the lower oesophageal sphincter (the muscular ring at the lower end of the oesophagus) is abnormally relaxed and allows the stomach's acidic contents to flow back or 'reflux' into the gullet ... [... more]
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Appendicitis
Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small worm-like pouch attached to the large bowel. It can happen at any age but most cases are between 8 and 25 years of age. It is rarely seen in children aged under two years. Dr Robert ... [... more]
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Baby constipation
Constipation is a condition where stools become firmer and harder. Your child will be troubled or in pain when they need to empty their bowels, and the bowels will not be emptied as often as usual. A breastfed baby will very rarely get ... [... more]
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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterised by a mixture of symptoms that are believed to be due to a disorder of intestinal motor function. It is the commonest condition seen by gastroenterologists and some estimates suggest that as many as ... [... more]
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Screening for gastrointestinal cancer
The gastrointestinal tract runs from the mouth to the anus, and includes the oesophagus (gullet), stomach, small bowel or intestine, and the large bowel (colon and rectum). Cancer can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, although, ... [... more]
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Children and vomiting
Almost all infants vomit once in a while. This applies to both breastfed and bottlefed children. When children become ill their stomach stops working properly. It does not empty as fast as usual and this causes the food to come up again. Unwell ... [... more]
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Chronic pancreatitis
The pancreas is a soft, elongated gland situated at the back of the upper abdominal cavity behind the stomach. Dr Alan Ogilvie, consultant physician and gastroenterologist It is divided into the head (through which the common bile duct runs as it ... [... more]
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Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a superficial inflammation of the large intestine, not caused by bacteria, which results in ulceration and bleeding. The patient typically experiences alternating periods with no or few symptoms, and periods with frequent ... [... more]
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Polyps in the colon (large bowel)
The most common sort of polyp is a metaplastic polyp (in which cells change from one normal type to another). These usually do not grow much more than 5mm in diameter and have almost no risk of becoming malignant (cancerous). These polyps can be ... [... more]
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Constipation
Large amounts of laxatives are bought over the counter every day. Although constipation is a common term, from a medical perspective it is hard to define precisely. The dictionary definition is: 'A condition in which bowel emptying occurs ... [... more]
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Crohn's disease
This is a chronic inflammatory disease which causes stomach pains, diarrhoea, and weight loss. The disease is characterised by periods of activity and remissions. It typically affects the lower part of the small intestine (ileum) or the large ... [... more]
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Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is the passing of increased amounts (more than 300g in 24 hours) of loose stools. It is often caused by a virus or bacteria and can be acute (short term) or chronic (long term) - lasting more than two to three weeks. Most people are ... [... more]
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