Acute Hepatic Porphyria (AHP)
Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is a group of rare genetic conditions that can cause severe, sudden (acute) symptoms. These symptoms can happen in various parts of the body and often require a hospital visit. There are four types of AHP which include: It is estimated that 5 in every 100,000 persons have AHP. Most people […]
Scleroderma
Progressive GI Symptoms: Could it be Scleroderma? Functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are extremely common. However, on rare occasions, people thought to have a functional GI disorder can develop progressive GI symptoms from another underlying condition. This is truly rare, but when symptoms do not respond as expected, or if symptoms get worse and worse despite […]
Bowel Incontinence
Many otherwise healthy, active people suffer from loss of bowel control, or bowel incontinence. It can strike people of all ages. It is a long-term (chronic) and unpredictable symptom, which can be caused by many conditions. It is often referred to as fecal incontinence or accidental bowel leakage (ABL). Why Does Bowel Incontinence Occur? Continence […]
Hirschsprung’s Disease
Hirschsprung’s disease, or congenital intestinal aganglionosis, is a lack of nerve cell bodies (ganglion cells) in a segment of the bowel. This interferes with the coordinated squeezing action called peristalsis, which normally moves intestinal contents forward. Symptoms of Hirschsprung’s Disease Hirschsprung’s disease is a rare condition that people are born with. Symptoms usually begin within a […]
Dyssynergic Defecation: About a Common Cause of Chronic Constipation
Introduction There is no single definition of constipation. A person may experience one or more problems such as infrequent bowel movements, hard and difficult to pass stool, incomplete bowel movements, or straining to have a bowel movement. A number of factors can cause chronic constipation. An estimated one-quarter or more of chronic constipation is caused […]
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
What is inflammatory bowel disease? Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic irritation and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract; Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common disorders. The disorders can develop in any age group but are usually diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 30. What is Crohn’s disease? The digestive […]
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
IBS affects up to 5-10% of individuals worldwide and affects children and adults of both genders. Although IBS does not shorten a person’s life span, it is associated with a large health care and economic burden. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder in which people have reoccurring issues with abdominal discomfort or pain that […]
Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction
Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) is a rare condition with symptoms like those caused by a bowel obstruction, or blockage. But when the intestines are examined, no blockage is found. Instead, the symptoms are due to nerve (visceral neuropathy) or muscle (visceral myopathy) problems that affect the movement of food, fluid, and air through the intestines. The […]
Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
Note: Many disorders can affect the digestive tract. Some can have symptoms that may be similar to or overlap with gastrointestinal (GI) functional or motility disorders. These will have uniquely identifying features which differentiate them from functional GI or motility disorders. What is Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis? Diverticulosis: Diverticulosis is the condition of having small pouches […]
