Most of us have experienced instances where a bowel movement did not feel complete. We may use a range of terms to describe this type of bowel movement, including unsatisfied or incomplete. There may still be the urge to pass stool after the bowel movement and sometimes an inability to defecate despite this urging. There >> Read More ...
We all experience indigestion every now and then. It is not uncommon after overeating or exercising immediately after a meal. Indigestion is a collection of symptoms like nausea, bloating and excessive belching that we refer to as an upset stomach. Sometimes it is caused or worsened by stomach acid which is irritating the >> Read More ...
Bleeding can occur within any organ but internal bleeding tends to be more common in the gut. This includes the esophagus, stomach or intestines. It occurs when the inner wall of the gut is damaged and there is break within the blood vessels in the wall. The stomach is one of the commonly affected >> Read More ...
Stress has wide ranging effects on the body and the stomach can also be affected. From a loss of appetite to indigestion, there are many stomach symptoms that are associated with stress. It is also not uncommon to hear about a stress ulcer or gastritis caused by stress. However, it is important to differentiate between >> Read More ...
The gut contains solids, liquids and gases which constantly enter and exit through the mouth and rectum. Most of the gas in the gut is air from the environment around us. It enters during swallowing food or beverages but also enters the gut while talking, chewing and breathing. Ths gas is eventually passed out as a belch >> Read More ...
Some people experience stomach problems every night while being relatively symptom-free during the day. There are several reasons why this occurs. While it can be related to diet and lifestyle in the evening, there are also certain conditions that worsen in relation to the body’s 24 hour cycle. Nighttime stomach >> Read More ...
The colon is the last part of the gut. It is the longest part of the large intestine. Most of us know the colon for being the place where stool is formed and stored. Sometimes this stool can become a hard mass. However, it is not the only type of mass that can occur in the bowels. Some colon masses can serious and >> Read More ...
The bowels (small and large intestines) occupy most of the abdominal cavity. The small intestine is about 20 feet (6 meters) long in adults. It is coiled in the middle of the abdomen. The large intestine is shorter at 5 feet (1.5 meters) and lies along the sides of the abdomen. Pain in the bowels can arise for several >> Read More ...
Swallowing is a process that many of us take for granted. We have been swallowing from the time of birth and is a reflex action when eating or drinking. Swallowing also occurs when saliva or mucus accumulates in the mouth and this is normal. However, there are cases where swallowing can be repetitive. This constant >> Read More ...
The human stomach can stretch significantly to accommodate the food and fluid then may enter it. As its stretches, receptors in the stomach wall sends signals back to the brain. Individual stomach sizes vary but this feedback mechanism prevents us from overeating and overstretching the stomach wall. Our tolerance to that >> Read More ...