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All Digestive Health Alerts
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Alternative Goes Conventional for IBS
If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you may have tried a variety of alternative therapies -- probiotics, cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, acupuncture, or simple dietary changes -- to reduce your painful symptoms. In this excerpt from a longer article from our Health After 50 newsletter, Linda Lee, M. D., Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins talks about alternative treatment for IBS. More...
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The Truth About Food Safety Claims
As germ-laden as your bathroom might seem, there's another room in your house even more likely to make you sick: your kitchen. That's because foodborne illnesses cause 76 million infections -- including 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths -- in the United States every year. Fortunately, most foods are safe and contain only small amounts of microscopic agents that are usually harmless. It's only when these organisms are allowed to multiply through improper handling that they become a problem. Here are some tips on keeping your food safe. More...
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Should You Try a Gluten-Free Diet?
People with celiac disease are sensitive to gluten, a component of wheat and other grains. No medication or surgical procedure can cure celiac disease. The only way to treat it is to adopt a completely gluten-free diet: avoiding all food and drink containing wheat, barley, rye, and other grains. But what if you don't have celiac? Is a gluten-free diet good for your health? … More...
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The Promise of Probiotic Yogurt
Evidence suggests that yogurt may help maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract, and some companies are introducing products with extra bacteria. But are new products like Activia, which is marketed to regulate the digestive system, all they claim to be? More...
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Eat More Fiber
If you’re like many Americans, you don't consume enough fiber in your diet. That's a shame because experts now believe that fiber might prevent digestive woes, such as diverticulosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallstones, and hemorrhoids. Here's research on fiber and four common conditions. More...
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Relieving Your Upset Stomach
Who hasn’t experienced nausea? A queasy stomach and an imminent urge to vomit are common digestive problems. Most often, nausea occurs as the result of ingesting foods or medications or traveling in a moving vehicle. Here's some practical advice on avoiding nausea from Johns Hopkins. More...
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Botox -- Not Just For Wrinkles
Botox is best known for its ability to ease facial lines and make a person appear younger. But before the drug went Hollywood, it was originally developed for a less glamorous purpose: treating strabismus (crossed eyes) and blepharospasm (abnormal blinking). Today, Botox is used off-label to treat many conditions, including some digestive disorders. More...
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Separating the Wheat From the Teff
Although people with celiac disease need to avoid many common grains such as wheat, a wide variety of grains are safe for people who require a gluten-free diet. In this Health Alert, Johns Hopkins reviews safe grains and food ingredients for people with celiac.
A diagnosis of celiac disease -- intolerance to the protein gluten -- means that patients must avoid all foods that contain gluten, including all products made with wheat, barley, rye, and related… More...
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Should You Take GERD Medication Over the Long Term?
If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and take medication to control your symptoms, you're probably wondering what the long-term effects are. In this article Dr. Sergey V. Kantsevoy and his team of gastroenterologists at Johns Hopkins answer the question: What are the risks of taking reflux medication over the long term? … More...
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What Should You Eat If You Have Diverticulosis?
If you have diverticulosis, which foods should you eat … and which foods should you avoid? Johns Hopkins experts answer these common questions and offer bottom-line advice.
As we age, most of us develop small pouches (diverticula) that bulge outward through weak points in the wall of the large intestine -- a condition called diverticulosis. The condition is present in about half of Americans ages 60-80 and in virtually everyone older than age 80. A disorder… More...
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Treating Constipation
When should you use a laxative to treat your constipation? In this excerpt from our Health After 50 newsletter, Dr. H. Franklin Herlong, Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, offers advice.
The National Institutes of Health defines constipation as having bowel movements less than three times a week; however, frequency isn't as important as whether you experience constipation symptoms, such as painful stools, bloating, or cramping. … More...
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Targeting H. Pylori for Stomach Discomfort
If you have chronic stomach discomfort, your first line of attack should be the ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, according to a recent study.
Chronic dyspepsia -- discomfort in the upper abdomen that is sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting -- requires treatment. A study reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (Volume 101, page 1200) finds that testing for -- and eradicating -- the ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori may be helpful. … More...
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More Myths About Digestive Disorders
Here's a discussion of common myths about heartburn, constipation, and diverticulosis. For more digestive disorders myths, see Three Popular Myths About Digestive Disorders.
Before the advent of modern medicine, the average person relied on folklore, old wives' tales, and remedies handed down from previous generations to treat various ailments of the digestive tract. Today, despite extensive research, misunderstandings about the causes and treatments of many digestive diseases still persist. Here, then, are three common myths, according… More...
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Dietary Changes and GERD
Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that contrary to common advice, dietary changes alone will not improve symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn or acid reflux.
If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) you know these unpleasant feelings -- heartburn, indigestion, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Acid from the stomach can even regurgitate into organs connected to the esophagus, such as the larynx, trachea, and lungs. … More...
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Advice on Treating GERD
Recent research suggests that some lifestyle changes are more helpful than others for treating the symptoms of GERD.
There are four types of treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): lifestyle measures, medication, surgery, and endoscopic procedures. Treating GERD is important. Untreated GERD can lead to serious complications, such as esophageal ulcers (nonhealing mucosal defects), esophageal strictures, Barrett's esophagus (a disorder of the cells lining the esophageal mucosa, which may lead to cancer), and esophageal cancer. … More...
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Relief for IBS
Good news for IBS patients. Studies show that people who suffer with bloating and flatulence due to IBS may get relief from an antibiotic used to treat diarrhea.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common -- and frequently misunderstood -- digestive disorders. One in five adults in the United States have symptoms of IBS, yet only a small number of people with symptoms seek treatment. In a recent poll of 201 women who… More...
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Bleeding in the Digestive Tract
Vomiting blood or finding it in your stool can be frightening, because it is a sign that you are bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract and you may have a digestive disorder. But not all causes of gastrointestinal bleeding are ominous. For instance, bleeding from the rectum can be caused by hemorrhoids, which are uncomfortable but definitely not life threatening.
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Diagnosing Constipation
Nearly everyone has had a bout of constipation -- infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stool -- at some point in their life. Constipation is not a disease, but rather a symptom that can stem from a number of medical conditions. Constipation becomes more common with age and occurs in at least 25% of people over age 65. More...
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When Your Stomach Stops
Gastroparesis -- literally “paralyzed stomach” -- is a serious condition manifested by delayed emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine after a meal. There is no cure for gastroparesis, but treatment can speed gastric emptying and relieve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. More...
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The Benefits of Fiber
If you’re like many Americans, you should increase your consumption of fiber to help your digestive system – and your overall health, too. Experts now believe that fiber does not protect against colorectal cancer, but fiber might prevent other digestive woes -- diverticulosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallstones, and hemorrhoids. More...
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Fiber and Your Digestive Tract
Experts now believe fiber does not protect against colorectal cancer or constipation. But that doesn’t mean you can cross off high-fiber foods (like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains) from your grocery list. In fact, there are still plenty of reasons -- both digestive and not -- to get your daily fill of fiber.
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Try Biofeedback Instead
Nearly everyone has had a bout of constipation -- infrequent bowel movements and difficulty passing stool -- at some point in their life. Constipation is not a disease but rather a symptom that can stem from a number of medical conditions. Constipation becomes more common with age and occurs in at least 25% of people over age 65. More...
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Your Aging Digestive System
If you have a digestive disorder, you’re certainly not alone. More than 56 million Americans report symptoms of GERD, 20.5 million suffer from gallstones, 14.5 million from peptic ulcer, and 3.1 million from constipation. More...
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Colon Cancer Proteins Show Promise For Blood Test
This article on new colon cancer biomarkers comes from a recent Johns Hopkins Medicine Press Release.
Searching for less invasive screening tests for cancer, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered proteins present in blood that accurately identify colon cancer and precancerous polyps.
Initial studies of the proteins, CCSA-3 and CCSA-4, suggest they could be used to develop a blood test to identify individuals at-risk for colon cancer. … More...
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The Effects of Smoking on Your Digestive Tract
No doubt you’ve heard about the deleterious effects smoking can have on your lungs and heart, but did you know smoking also increases your risk of certain digestive disorders?
Smoking irritates the digestive tract, boosting the chances that you’ll suffer from heartburn, peptic ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and colon polyps.
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Tips on Avoiding and Treating Nausea
Who hasn’t experienced nausea? A queasy stomach and an imminent urge to vomit is a common digestive problem. Luckily, in most cases nausea is not a sign of anything serious. And mercifully, nausea typically only lasts for a few hours (although that’s often plenty long enough) and requires no medical treatment. More...
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Pancreatic Cancer – Serious and Deadly
Pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, is notoriously difficult to detect. In addition, mortality is high; only 4% of patients are still alive five years after diagnosis. Until recently, smoking cigarettes or cigars was the only known, controllable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, recent research indicates that some of the lifestyle measures proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, and rectum may also help prevent pancreatic cancer. More...
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Can You Have a Pain-Free Endoscopy?
Endoscopy is done to find the cause of any number of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, bleeding, abdominal pain, or acid reflux. Traditional endoscopy involves inserting a flexible tube, with a tiny camera at one end, down the esophagus and into the stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). More...
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Research Update on GERD
Many people, including up to 79% of those with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), suffer from heartburn that awakens them during the night. Research reported in the journal Chest (Volume 127, page 1658 May 2005) shows that people who are overweight, drink a lot of carbonated beverages, snore, experience daytime sleepiness or insomnia, have high blood pressure or asthma, or use anti-anxiety medications (such as diazepam [Valium]) are most likely to experience this problem.
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Research on IBS
Many patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and some with Crohn’s disease (a form of inflammatory bowel disease), suffer from non-gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to their digestive problems, according to new research. More...
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Colonics: How Risky Are They?
Johns Hopkins doctors advise against colonics because of concerns about the potential for side effects.
Do most diseases begin in the colon? Is your bowel a cesspool? Does it harbor toxins that are harmful to your health? Some alternative health practitioners would have you believe that the answer to these questions is “yes.”
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Three Popular Myths About Digestive Disorders
The truth about the causes of peptic ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, and gastroparesis
Before the advent of modern medicine, the average person relied on folklore, old wives’ tales, and remedies handed down from previous generations to treat various ailments of the digestive tract. Today, despite extensive research, misunderstandings about the causes and treatments of many digestive disorders still persist. Here, then, are three common myths, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse—and the real truths based on the latest research findings.
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Is Your Stomach Depressed?
For a long time, psychological problems were believed to cause many stomach problems. But the relationship may be just the reverse -- physical problems of the stomach can cause psychological distress. New research suggests that there is a kind of brain in the belly. This “brain” is called the enteric nervous system (ENS). What’s more, treatments for psychological disorders may also help ease stomach problems. More...
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How to Avoid Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is estimated to cause 76 million infections, 300,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 or more deaths annually – but there are many ways to prevent food poisoning!
The most common forms of foodborne illnesses are infections caused by microscopic agents that thrive in or on food that has not been properly handled. Unwashed, raw, or undercooked foods are the most vulnerable to this type of contamination. In this country, the usual contaminants are bacteria (including various… More...
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When Heartburn Raises a Red Flag
Occasional heartburn can be treated with over-the-counter antacids. But if you have any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor to rule out more serious problems.
From time to time, everyone experiences heartburn—a burning sensation in the chest caused by the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Mild symptoms associated with heartburn include belching and a bitter or acidic taste in the mouth. Occasional heartburn is usually not serious and can be treated with over-the-counter… More...
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Diverticulitis -- Reducing the Risk of Recurrence
Diverticulitis is thought to occur when bacteria or hardened stool becomes trapped in small, bulging pouches (diverticula) in the colon wall and trigger infection or inflammation. Diverticula develop in most people as they age—a condition called diverticulosis. About 10% to 25% of those with diverticulosis eventually suffer an episode of diverticulitis.
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