The Digestive Process: The Liver and its Many Functions
The liver is the largest organ in your body. At about 3 pounds and about the size of a football, it performs many functions essential for good health and a long life.
The liver is the largest organ in your body. At about 3 pounds and about the size of a football, it performs many functions essential for good health and a long life.
Your esophagus is the tube that carries food from your throat to your stomach. It plays a vital role in digestion. Sometimes, violent coughing or vomiting can tear the tissue of your lower esophagus and it can start to bleed. The condition is called a Mallory-Weiss tear.
If your healthcare provider determines that you have an intestinal obstruction, it means that something is blocking your intestine. Food and stool may not be able to move freely. Read on to learn more about this condition, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Pancreatitis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in your pancreas, the small organ that produces fluids and enzymes to break down food. This is part of the digestive process. Sometimes a gallstone that gets stuck in the common bile duct can block your pancreatic duct and cause pancreatitis. This is known as gallstone pancreatitis.
The gallbladder is key to digesting your food and getting energy from it.
Fecal incontinence means that you are not able to hold your bowel movements (feces or stool) within your rectum until you get to a toilet. Read on to learn more about this condition, from diagnosis to treatment and complications.
Sometimes brain tumors start in the lung, breast, skin, kidney, or other body parts and spread to the brain. These are called secondary or metastatic brain tumors.
Gastroenteritis is when the stomach and intestines become inflamed. When it's caused by a type of bacteria, it’s called bacterial gastroenteritis.
The term annular pancreas means that a ring of excess pancreatic tissue encases the first part of your small intestine. Your pancreas can still function, but the excess tissue can cause a number of symptoms. Read on to learn more.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It can be caused by gallstones, alcohol consumption, and certain medicines, among other causes.