A hernia is the protrusion of something from the inside of the body, generally the intestines, that creates a lump in the skin elsewhere in the body. In the case of abdominal or ventral hernia, the bulge is in the center of the abdomen. The bulge may be painful and annoying. An abdominal hernia is not dangerous, but can become dangerous if the intestines become trapped outside the abdomen (incarcerated hernia). Hernias need to be repaired if they are growing in size, are painful, or become i ...

An anal fissure is a small break or tear in the skin of the anus which causes bleeding and/or pain. The anus is the muscular area at the end of the colon (or large bowel) that controls defecation (having a bowel movement). The job of the anus is to use its muscle (called the anal sphincter) to control when a bowel movement leaves the body. Usually, an anal fissure will occur as a result of passing stool that is hard or large, as happens with constipation. Any type of inflammation in the anal ...

Appendicitis is a painful abdominal condition caused by an inflamed appendix. Appendicitis usually causes acute abdominal pain and is a surgical emergency. The appendix is a small structure which branches off the small intestine and is what scientists call “vestigial” (meaning it once had a purpose in for other animals throughout evolution, but doesn’t for humans). The cause of appendicitis is the obstruction of its opening to the intestines causing backup of mucus in its pockets and rapid sw ...

Barrett’s esophagus is the name for abnormal changes in the cells of the lower part of the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth with the stomach). Most of the time, Barrett’s esophagus is caused by repeated exposure to acid from the stomach from gastroesophageal reflux disease though some people who get Barrett’s esophagus never have had any symptoms of acid reflux. If acid is coming into the esophagus but you have no symptoms, this is a condition called “silent reflux”. The repeated e ...

Bedsores are the areas of dead and damaged skin that happen as a result of sustained pressure cutting off circulation to certain areas of the body. Bedsores are also commonly called pressure sores or pressure ulcers. The most common locations for these types of sores are the low back (just above the buttocks), the buttocks, the hips, and the heels. As with all other tissues in the body, when blood supply is cut off, the tissue begins to die. Other factors that contribute to pressure ulcers i ...

Blind loop syndrome is a condition where a section of the smaller intestine does not function normally because it does not get the normal flow of food and digestive juices due to being cut off from the rest of the intestine. Normally, food enters the body through the mouth where it gets chewed up and mixed with saliva and some digestive enzymes. The food then passes down the esophagus to the stomach. In the stomach, the food gets broken down by acid and churning motion. The food passes in sm ...

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the breast tissue of either men or women, though it is more common in women. DNA normally controls how the cells grow and reproduce. In breast cancer, the DNA of these cells has a mutation that allows the cells to grow and reproduce at a very high rate. Instead of dying like a normal cell would, these cells live a particularly long time and can spread through the body. In breast cancer, these abnormal cells form a mass in the breast that can m ...

A breast cyst is a closed, fluid-filled sac that can be present in the breast that is not harmful. Unlike other more solid masses in the breast, a cyst has the feeling of being filled with fluid, like a small water balloon. Generally, breast cysts feel round, fluid-filled and separated from the tissue around them though they can be more firm. The breast is made up of distinct areas of glands in a circular pattern around the breast as well as milk ducts that connect together just under the nip ...

Mastalgia is the medical term for pain in the breasts. Breast pain is very common, happening to roughly 70% of women at some point during their lifetime. Many women have breast pain every month with their menstrual cycles with a lot of women reporting breast pain more than five days per month. Breast pain is most common in younger women who are menstruating, though it can occur after menopause as well. Breast pain can have a major impact on a woman’s life, including her relationships at work ...

Cholangiocarcinoma is the medical name for cancer of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ that sits nestled under the liver in the upper right part of the abdomen. The job of the gallbladder is to store the bile produced by the liver and release the bile when it is needed to help digest food. While bile is important to the body, the gallbladder is not a necessary organ. When the gallbladder is removed, the bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine without a pro ...

Cholecystitis is the inflammation of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ which sits underneath the liver in the right upper abdomen. The normal job of the gallbladder is to store bile, which is made in the liver then passed down the bile duct system to the gallbladder. This bile is used to help break down the fats that we eat. When something fatty enters the stomach, bile is released from the gallbladder to help break down fats to be used by the body. Most often, the cause of ...

Cholelithiasis is the medical word for gallstones which are small stones formed from various things that collect in the gallbladder. The normal job of the gallbladder is to store bile, which is made in the liver then passed down the bile duct system to the gallbladder. This bile is used to help break down the fats that we eat. When something fatty enters the stomach, bile is released from the gallbladder to help break down fats to be used by the body. Gallstones can be made of breakdown prod ...

Cirrhosis is the medical term for scarring of the liver. The liver is located in the right upper part of the abdomen. The liver has several jobs including getting rid of toxic material from the blood making clotting components to help stop bleeding, producing hormones, and storing energy in the form of glycogen for later use. Scarring of the liver or cirrhosis happens when the liver is having long-term damage. The long-term damage can be caused by chronic alcohol abuse, hepatitis B, hepatiti ...

Colon polyps are a cluster of cells that grows in the last part of the digestive tract called the colon. Polyps are usually benign, but can some develop into cancer. The colon is located at the end of the digestive tract and has the job of reabsorbing water from the digested matter and making solid waste. DNA normally controls how the cells grow and reproduce. In colon polyps, the DNA of these cells has a mutation that allows them to grow and reproduce at higher rate than normal. Instead of ...

Crohn’s Disease is a condition causing chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, one of the inflammatory bowel diseases. Ulcerative colitis can cause chronic diarrhea, cramping and abdominal pain as well as symptoms elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract. Unlike Ulcerative colitis, which affects only the most superficial layer of the colon and rectum, Crohn’s disease affects all of the layers of the gastrointestinal tract and occurs in patches throughout the digestive tract from the ...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most prevalent diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; prompting more than 1.8 million outpatient clinic visits per year.  Approximately 44% of Americans report GERD at least once a month.  The Center for Digestive Disorders at The GW Medical Faculty Associates offers comprehensive management of GERD, including the latest technology in diagnosis and therapy.

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Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of cancer that causes swelling, tenderness and redness of the breast which appears and spreads in a very short time frame. This type of breast cancer is rare, but can be very serious. Normally, lymph fluid draining from the breasts moves to the body through lymphatic ducts. In inflammatory breast cancer, these ducts become blocked off, fluid backs up and the breast becomes very swollen and painful. It is very easy to confuse inflammatory breast cancer wit ...

An inguinal hernia is the protrusion of something from the inside of the body, generally the intestines, that creates a lump in the inguinal area of the body (to the sides of the groin). The bulge may be painful and annoying. An inguinal hernia is not dangerous, but can become dangerous if the intestines become trapped outside the abdomen (incarcerated hernia). Inguinal hernias need to be repaired if they are growing in size, are painful, or become incarcerated. Sometimes hernias occur as a ...

Ischemic colitis is the name given to inflammation of the large intestine (colon) caused by decreased blood flow to the colon. Ischemic colitis can happen in any part of the colon but is most common on the left side of the colon as a result of the blood distribution to that side of the colon. The symptoms of ischemic colitis include abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and having to defecate urgently. Ischemic colitis is most often caused by a small blood clot in the arteries which supply blood t ...

Breast cancer does occur in men, although it is less common. Men do not think of themselves as at risk for breast cancer, so masses felt in the breast tissue will often be ignored, rather than seeking the help of a doctor. DNA normally controls how the cells grow and reproduce. In breast cancer, the DNA of these cells has a mutation that allows the cells to grow and reproduce at a very high rate. Instead of dying like a normal cell, these cells live a particularly long time and can spread th ...

Mastitis is the medical name for infection of the breast. Mastitis is characterized by pain, swelling, redness of the breast and may involve fever or chills. Generally, mastitis is a result of breast-feeding, but can occur to women who are not breast feeding as well. Most often, mastitis happens within the first three months of breast feeding, but can occur at any time throughout that period. Mastitis is common during breast feeding because bacteria from the skin or the baby’s mouth can ente ...

Primary aldosteronism is a medical condition where the adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone. Adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system which regulates hormones in the body. The hormones produced by the adrenal glands are extremely important to regulation and balance (homeostasis) of most of the organ systems in the body. There are two sections to the adrenal gland, the medulla and cortex. The inner section ...

Primary aldosteronism is the overproduction of aldosterone in the adrenal glands. Aldosterone is a mineralocorticoid which is produced to balance the body’s sat content. The adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system, which is the system that regulates hormones in the body. The hormones produced by the adrenal glands are extremely important to regulation and balance (homeostasis) of most of the organ systems in the ...

Ulcerative colitis is a condition causing chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, one of the inflammatory bowel diseases. Ulcerative colitis can cause chronic diarrhea, cramping and abdominal pain. Ulcerative colitis is different than other inflammatory bowel disease because it affects only the very inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract and begins at the end of the digestive tract (in the rectum and colon) and is continuous. This pattern is different than Crohn’s disease whic ...