Gallstones are a fairly common condition that is estimated to affect as many as 25 million U.S. adults, which is around 15% of the population. Gallstones are believed to occur when there is too much cholesterol in the bile that our liver produces.
Gallstones are a relatively common condition, and studies estimate that as many as 1 in 10 U.S. adults could have them. However, many of these patients will be unaware of since not everyone experiences symptoms. As a result, many people unknowingly live with gallstones without any problems for many years. Nevertheless, there is a percentage of patients who go on to experience issues caused by their gallstones, and these manifest in a variety of different symptoms. Here’s what you need to know about gallstones, and the signs and symptoms that indicate that you need medical intervention.
A hernia is the medical term used to describe when an organ or a section of fatty tissue squeezes through a weak spot in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue, which is known as fascia. Hernias are surprisingly common, and whilst in the majority of cases they are not harmful, it is still important that patients get them checked out by a professional.
Do you feel that you can’t so much as look at a bar of chocolate without gaining weight? Or are you one of the lucky people who can seem to eat whatever foods they enjoy without much thought, and never put on a pound? That some people become overweight or obese and others don’t despite having the same diet and exercise habits can be a very real source of frustration for those who seem to gain weight particularly easily. If you are one of these patients, you may find that a large percentage of your thoughts are consumed by food and this can lead to an unhealthy relationship with what you eat.
A gastrectomy is a medical procedure where part or all of the stomach is surgically removed. There may be several reasons why someone is referred for a gastrectomy procedure. The most common in cancer of the stomach. However, a patient may also be referred for a gastrectomy due to esophageal cancer, stomach ulcers, non-cancerous tumors and in some instances, because they are so obese that their condition is life-threatening.
Each year in the United States, more than 600,000 surgical procedures relating to the colon are carried out making them extremely common. Colon surgery is normally referred to as colectomy and is a procedure to remove part or all of the colon, which is more commonly known as the large intestine.
