Digestive Health

There are two approaches to colon cleansing. The oral approach involves ingesting colon cleaners in the form of pills, powders and herbs. Colonic irrigation is an alternate technique intended to...

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD occurs when stomach acid and/or bile surges (refluxes) up from the stomach and back into the esophagus, causing irritation to the lining of...

Stool can range in color from brown (healthy) to green, yellow, clay color, red and black. Red or black indicates a bloody stool, which can be caused by a variety of conditions. Knowing the...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disease that is caused by a backflow of bile into the esophagus. GERD can often be treated with over-the-counter and prescription medications,...

Cayenne pepper (capsicum) is an ancient herb that is used for a number of ailments, including arthritis pain. It is also effective in treating excess candida albicans in the digestive tract and...

A lazy colon, medically known as "colonic inertia" and more commonly known as "constipation," is a condition characterized by your colon contracting poorly and retaining stool rather than...

Bile reflux, or duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER or DGOR), is a condition similar to acid reflux where bile backs up into the stomach. It occurs when the pyloric valve that connects the small...

Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach lining that allows stomach acid to damage the lining. Some cases of gastritis are caused by bacteria and require prescription antibiotic treatment,...

Colon cleansing is basically known as the process of casting mild spurts of water in the large intestine for the intoxification of waste along with the toxins present in it. But an important...

Excess stomach gas is uncomfortable, embarrassing and can even be painful. There are several causes for excess stomach gas, especially around the holidays. Eating rich food, overeating, stress,...

Amitiza is a brand name for the prescription oral laxative medication lubiprostone. Despite its effectiveness in relieving chronic constipation in women and men and irritable bowel syndrome in...

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is characterized by heartburn and a burning sensation all the way up the esophagus. GERD is caused by a weakened muscle (the lower esophageal sphincter)...

Porcine pancreatin is a cocktail of enzymes derived from the pancreas of pigs. It is generally used to replace digestive enzymes in patients with diseases affecting the ability of the pancreas to...

What goes in must come out, but does colon cleaning really work? Look on the Internet and you will find more claims than you can count about the wonders of colon cleansing, but is it all true?

Mylanta Maximum Strength is an oral antacid used to relieve heartburn, indigestion, sour stomach and gas. It contains 400mg each of aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, which neutralize...

GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease and happens when stomach acid makes its way back up the food pipe. Angina is chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. The two have very...

Many people suffer from gluten and neurological disorders, and research is finding that the two can be related.

Jaundice is a condition where too much bilirubin is circulating in the blood. Bilirubin is produced from the breakdown of hemoglobin from the red blood cells. Too much bilirubin causes the...

To test stomach PH, it's necessary to perform a stomach acid test. This type of test will determine the amount of acidity present in the contents of your stomach and should be performed by a...

Acid reflux, with its symptoms of heartburn, acid taste in the mouth and nausea, is a fairly common digestive disorder that can cause discomfort and interfere with sleep. Its severity ranges from...

Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) treats numerous conditions, including constipation, and is widely recognized as one of the safest laxatives available. It works by increasing the water content in...

The colon, the lower section of the large intestine, plays a major role in the digestive process. An enema is a process of flushing the colon to remove waste, debris, toxins and fecal matter...

Having your colon cleansed can seem like a scary situation, however colon cleanses have many benefits. Proponents say they can clear digestive buildup, flush out toxins, make you feel more...

If you suffer from nausea, indigestion, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea, you might have been told at some point that you have a "nervous stomach." This catchall term, like dyspepsia, is often...

So the pain is gone, but the nausea remains after your gallbladder surgery? Nausea is a common complaint after gallbladder removal, also called cholecystectomy, and may take some time to subside...

Severe nausea is a common symptom that could be caused by an array of factors. Though it is usually not a sign of anything serious, nausea is an uncomfortable thing we would like to avoid.

Colic is a general term used for reoccurring abdominal pain. While this isn't always connected to the digestive system, most often colic is considered a problem with roots in an out of balance...

Polyethylene glycol is a drug that's used to treat chronic or intermittent constipation. As an osmotic laxative, it stays in your bowel and draws water into your stools. You'll have softer, more...

Gallstones are small, hard deposits that form in the gallbladder, which is a small, pear-shaped organ just under your liver. Gallstones are the most common cause of gallbladder disease....

Acid reflux is a condition characterized by the regurgitation of food particles and digestive juices from the stomach back into the esophagus, which connects the stomach to the throat. It is a...

Colon cleansing refers to a number of processes, including colonic irrigation, enemas and herbal-cleansing techniques. The colon is responsible for absorbing electrolytes and water and makes up...

Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections, such as of the skin, respiratory tract, heart, abdomen and teeth. According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National...

Acid reflux is a disease caused by stomach acid flowing into the esophagus from the stomach, which produces common symptoms including heartburn, hoarseness, bloating and belching. Acid reflux is a...

Portal Hypertension (PHT) is a complaint often found in both pediatric and adult patients who suffer from various chronic liver diseases. The liver is an abdominal organ that secretes bile for...

Proctitis is medically defined as an inflammation of the tissues lining the rectum. The Mayo Clinic states that the most common cause of the condition is sexually transmitted diseases, otherwise...

Colitis is the medical term used to describe an inflamed colon. An inflamed colon can be caused by many things, but is often caused by poor dietary choices. Dietary changes may be able to reduce,...

Your colon helps rid your body of toxins and helps your digestive system function properly. Sometimes waste materials form on your colon's walls, and the colon cannot properly process fatty and...

Sodium bicarbonate, also called sodium hydrogen carbonate, or "baking soda," is an effective acid-neutralizer and can help with symptoms of indigestion or heartburn when mixed with water and...

Mineral oil is a clear liquid derived from petroleum that is available without a prescription. When used as an enema, mineral oil is effective as a laxative, but it does pose a risk of some side...

Belching remains one of the easiest and most common ways of releasing trapped air from the stomach. Any number of things, including various medical conditions or eating and lifestyle habits, can...

According to American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the third most common cancer in both men and women in the United States. Symptoms of colon cancer are the same as symptoms of other diseases....

Candida albicans is a fungus or yeast that lives naturally on the skin as well as internally. Internal yeast infections usually occur because of an overgrowth of candida albicans known as...

Acid reflux disease, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, is caused by stomach acid flowing from the stomach to the esophagus due to an impaired lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES...

Excessive gas, also known as flatulence, is a problem that affects many people. Stomach and intestinal gas passed from the anus stems primarily from the improper breakdown of undigested foods, but...

Symax is a brand name for the prescription medication hycosyamine sulfate. Doctors commonly prescribe Symax for the treatment of a variety of digestive disorders and other diseases.

The large intestine or colon may contain small pouches called diverticula. When the pouches, or diverticula, are inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis. Treating diverticulitis depends...

Hemorrhoids are bulges in the blood vessels of the rectum that can be very painful and irritating. Approximately 1 million Americans are afflicted with hemorrhoids each year but there are a number...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive condition that is worsened by certain lifestyle conditions. GERD creates acid reflux, which is stomach acid or bile washing back into...

A colonoscopy is performed in order to see the inside of the rectum and colon (large intestine). Colonoscopies are usually performed to screen for colon cancer, to look for inflamed tissue,...

Colon cleansers are often used to improve digestion, flush fecal buildup, ease bloat, improve absorption of minerals from food and relieve constipation. If the colon is not cleansed of toxins, it...