Medical Conditions

There are many different types of surgery for each part of the body. Some surgeries are simple and routine, while others are complex and require a good deal of preparation before they can be...

Pain medications in the narcotics class cause constipation. It is a very common side effect and one that you will continue as long as you're on the pain medication. Narcotics slow the movement...

External hemorrhoids, also known as piles, are dilated or bulging veins of the rectum and anus. Individuals who have sedentary lifestyles, pregnant women and women who have given birth have this...

A medical diagnosis can be determined through stool color. Stool is typically brown, but bowel movement colors can vary. However, just because a person's stool color isn't brown doesn't mean he is...

A rectal fissure, or anal fissure, is a small tear in the lining of the anus or lower rectum. This condition may develop in adults who pass stools that are large or hard. Most fissures heal...

A colonoscopy examines the anus and rectum with a colonscope. The scope is inserted on a long bendable tube into the anus, through the rectum, and into the large intestines. The tube is pushed...

Back pain and rectal bleeding can be caused by numerous medical conditions including anal fissures, hemorrhoids, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), polyps, diverticulitis, intestinal vascular issues...

Although it can be a delicate, embarrassing health topic to discuss, hemorrhoids, sometimes called piles, afflict nearly half of all adults over the age of 50, but can appear in anyone at any age....

Potassium is an electrolyte involved in regulating neuromuscular function. Low potassium, or hypokalemia, can be caused by a number of health- and diet-related factors, and it is usually an easy...

An adhesion typically forms after a surgery, when scar tissue joins two surfaces within the body that normally are not bound to each other. Symptoms of an adhesion vary depending on the parts of...

Many of us have experienced abdominal pain at some point in our lives. As the term connotes, abdominal pain refers to pain experienced in the abdomen, more commonly known as the stomach or belly...

When people decide to go on a diet they may change their eating habits drastically. In some ways this can benefit the dieter, if they end up eating more healthy foods. But if they are eliminating...

A carcinoid is a cancerous tumor that grows slowly and usually appears in the lungs, small intestine, colon, stomach, rectum, appendix, ovaries or testes. Smokers and those with a family history...

Diverticulitis is a painful condition that usually manifests in the lower left abdominal region. Caused when diverticula, or pockets in the wall of the intestine, become inflamed or infected,...

Ischemic bowel disease is a condition where both the small and large intestines are not getting enough oxygenated blood. This causes damage to the intestines and can be mild to severe, and...

Miralax is a medication that treats constipation. Miralax is a stool softener and it increases the frequency of bowel movements. Miralax side effects are usually mild, but they can be...

An anal fissure is a small tear or crack in the tissue of the anus that causes pain and bleeding during bowel movements. According to the Mayo Clinic, fissures are commonplace in infants six to 24...

Abdominal adhesions are irregular attachments between organs within your abdominal cavity. They vary in consistency and density and are often caused by diseases (like endometriosis) or surgery....

Constipation is a common condition characterized by the inability to have a bowel movement or the inability to pass stools without a great deal of effort. The definition of a normal bowel movement...

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anal canal, which can be caused by straining during constipation, heavy lifting, and pressure on the anal and rectal region. Most cases of hemorrhoids are...

Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener used in juices, sugar-free pastries, gum and mints. By itself, sorbitol is a harmless additive. Problems occur when sorbitol is ingested in large amounts or...

The small intestines can become blocked and grow narrow due to several different causes such as tumors, hernias and adhesions. Intestinal obstruction (or small bowel narrowing) can lead to serious...

Anal fissures are a painful condition which affects no particular gender or age group. Fissures are caused by an injury to the anal canal and can be confirmed by a health care professional. Most...

Hemorrhoids, also referred to as piles, are a condition typified by swollen veins near the anal and lower rectal regions in individuals. Exertion of increased pressure, and strained bowel...

Laxatives are an oral medication used to produce a bowel movement after serious constipation. These medications work by loosening up the stool within the body, which in turn allows the intestines...

Internal scar tissue forms as a result of surgery, injury, inflammation, infection or radiation treatment. The medical term for internal scarring is adhesion. It is different from external scar...

Fecal incontinence refers to the inconvenient and possibly embarrassing incapacity to control your bowel movements. The symptoms of fecal incontinence (also referred to as bowel incontinence)...

Fissures are a painful condition that are all-too-common throughout the world. While avoiding developing a fissure in the first place is clearly the best solution, that is not much help if you...

A bowel perforation is a hole that occurs in the large or small bowel and it is considered a medical emergency. This condition can be caused by many different diseases such as appendicitis,...

A strangulated hernia is the result of an incarcerated or enlarged hernia that is left untreated. All hernia types require medical treatment to repair and prevent future problems or complications....

For some people, the lining of the digestive tract, particularly the large intestine, can develop small pouches known as diverticula. The presence of these pouches is known as diverticulosis. When...

Stress, diet, heavy lifting, giving birth, constipation and diarrhea are all causes of hemorrhoids. These bulging blood vessels near your anus will cause you to strain while you are having a bowel...

A hernia can occur in an individual at any age. This protrusion of body tissue is the result of a section of the intestine, abdominal tissue or other organ being forced out of place. A spigelian...

Colitis, an inflammation of the colon, affects approximately 2 million people in the United States. While dietary changes and consuming more water can be an effective form of treatment, some...

Gastroschisis is a type of hernia in which the intestine of a newborn infant protrudes through a defect in the umbilical cord. The problem can be detected before birth with frequent monitoring of...

Hemorrhoids are painful, swollen veins that are found within the anus and lower rectum. Effective treatment for hemorrhoids should begin as soon as you notice them. Treating hemorrhoids from the...

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lower rectum and anus that often result from straining during bowel movements. Constipation can cause hemorrhoids, and many women also develop hemorrhoids...

There are many reasons for lower stomach pain, also referred to as pelvic pain or lower abdominal pain. The most common reasons stem from the urinary system, intestines and female reproductive...

Intussusception (rare in adults) is the telescoping of one part of the bowel into another, most commonly the last part of the small intestine into the cecum of the large intestine at the ileocecal...

Piles are formed from enlarged blood vessels near the opening of the anus that start to bleed. They rarely become or indicate serious problems, but can be uncomfortable and difficult to deal with....

Abdominal pain can include discomfort anywhere from the upper chest to the pelvic area and can be caused by a variety of disorders, infections and illnesses. Consider this information from the...

Have you been suffering from the pain, irritation and itch of hemorrhoids? Hemorrhoids can come on quickly and cause much irritation. Hemorrhoids are a common problem caused by swollen veins in...

Hemorrhoids (also known as piles) are swollen veins in your anus and rectum that can bleed, burn and itch. There can be internal or external hemorrhoids, but normally only external ones cause...

When a child develops impacted stool, it can be the result of constipation or a condition known as encopresis. There can be many reasons your child is having issues with impacted stool, such as...

Patients with Crohn's disease face many embarrassing symptoms from their condition, such as stomach cramps, diarrhea and bloody stool. Some of the symptoms are quite debilitating, depending on the...

Intestinal ileus is an obstruction, usually of the small intestine, that prevents bowel contents, such as stool, fluid and gas, from moving through the intestine, which becomes distended.

The majority of people who develop anal fissures will know they have them. Anal fissures are tears in the rectum lining and they can occur on the inside or the outside of the rectum. Anal fissures...

Can constipation cause abdominal pain? An easy answer to this question is yes. But there may be underlying causes that need attention. One is an impacted bowel, which can cause additional...

Fecal incontinence can be a cause of humiliation and embarrassment. Because of this, most will try to conceal the problem and avoid situations that could become embarrassing. It is natural for the...

Symptoms of colon problems include anal bleeding, itching, stomach pain, diarrhea and constipation, and their severity can range from mildly uncomfortable to extremely alarming. Symptoms are...