Gastroenterology is the study of health and illness in the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver. It delves deeply into our digestive system as a whole and provides a thorough understanding of the normal action (physiology) of the gastroenterologist in dubai, including the motility or movement of material through the stomach and intestines, the digestion and absorption of nutrients into the body, the removal of waste from the system, and the function of the liver as a digestive organ.
This broad field of study also covers essential and widespread disorders like hepatitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (heartburn), colitis, gallbladder and biliary system illness, dietary issues, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and pancreatitis. The world’s top gastroenterologists work at Aster Clinics, a groundbreaking gastrointestinal facility in Dubai.
At Aster Gastrocare, we provide top-notch gastrointestinal care and prioritize the comfort and convenience of our patients.
GERD
The disorder known as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when food or liquid from the stomach rises into the oesophagus, the tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach. Smoking, unhealthy eating, obesity, alcohol abuse, stress, and the modern way of life all contribute to GERD, which if left untreated can have serious problems.
Barrett Oesophagus
The muscular tube that delivers food from the mouth to the stomach is the oesophagus. Changes in the cells lining the lower oesophagus are the hallmark of the disorder known as Barrett’s oesophagus. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), a condition where the contents of the stomach flow into the oesophagus, is closely related to Barrett’s oesophagus. The stomach’s digestive juices and food can irritate and harm the oesophagus. The oesophageal lining changes caused by repeated admission of these liquids are known as dysplasia. Despite being a pre-cancerous condition, Barrett’s oesophagus occasionally progresses to oesophageal cancer.
Chronic & Acute Hepatitis
The liver is a crucial organ that aids in digestion, energy storage, and body purification. Hepatitis is characterized by inflammation of the liver cells and interference with the liver’s regular function. Both acute and chronic hepatitis are possible. Chronic hepatitis lasts longer than acute hepatitis, which lasts for fewer than six months. Hepatitis that is severe enough to leave scarring or malignancy can also affect the liver.
Gallstones
The Gallbladder, a little, pear-shaped structure on the right side of the abdomen beneath the liver, develops gallstones, which are hard deposits of digestive fluid (bile). Gallstones can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball.
Bile’s constituents must balance each other out for gallstones to form. The cause of these abnormalities is still a mystery. Gallstones are thought to develop, though, if the bile has abnormally high concentrations of cholesterol or bilirubin or not enough bile salts.
Many people who have gallstones may not exhibit any symptoms and may not even be aware that they do until the stones are discovered during testing done for another cause. If symptoms develop, they could be:
continuous, dull or intense abdominal cramping that lasts at least 30 minutes and is felt in the right upper or middle upper abdomen.
an extreme temperature
Jaundice
Other signs include nausea, vomiting, and faeces that are clay-coloured.
Biliary & Hepatic Diseases
The liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts make up the biliary tract, which functions to produce bile and discharge it into the small intestine to help in fat breakdown. The liver produces bile, which is then stored in the gallbladder, which is shaped like a pear and excreted into the common bile duct, which leads to the small intestine.
By obstructing the ducts, numerous biliary tract illnesses might prevent bile from passing through for digestion. Cholangitis and cholecystitis are two serious illnesses that can develop as a result of common bile duct blockage. Other potential causes of occlusion include bile duct malignancy, scarring (strictures) brought on by infection, surgery, or inflammation, primary sclerosing cholangitis (inflammation), and autoimmune diseases such as biliary cirrhosis.
Chronic & Acute Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disorder brought on by inflammation of the pancreas. You can have acute or chronic pancreatitis. Rapid and severe abdominal pain is the hallmark of acute pancreatitis, a typically milder form of pancreatitis. Other signs and symptoms include fever, nausea, vomiting, sweating, abdominal swelling, a sense of being full from gas, slight jaundice, and faeces that are clay-coloured.
The most common causes of acute pancreatitis include drinking too much alcohol, genetic factors, autoimmune conditions, blockages of the pancreatic duct or common bile duct, which transports digestive enzymes from the pancreas into the intestine, as well as other diseases like cystic fibrosis and some drugs like estrogen and corticosteroids. With chronic pancreatitis, the pancreas’s inflammation does not subside or become better over time, which results in long-term harm.
inflammatory colitis
The immune system in our bodies works to keep us from getting sick. It is thought that IBD patients’ immune systems malfunction, leading your immune system to confuse gut bacteria for foreign invaders. White blood cells are thus directed to the intestinal lining by the immune system, causing ulceration and inflammation at the intestinal location.
Based on the observed symptoms, ulcerative colitis is determined to be the cause. In addition to performing a physical examination and several medical tests, your doctor will confirm the diagnosis.
bowel cancer
The largest intestine or colon, which is located at the bottom of the digestive tract, can develop colon cancer. When bodily cells multiply uncontrollably and improperly, cancer develops. Adenomatous polyps on the inner walls of the large intestine alter and develop into cancerous (malignant) tumours over time, which is how the majority of colon cancers are brought on. Therefore, it is crucial to detect these benign polyps early on before they develop into cancer. Regular screening tests can help with this.
Stomachache or dyspepsia
Indigestion, often known as dyspepsia, is a medical ailment that causes discomfort in the upper belly. It is a collection of symptoms rather than an illness. Eating too much or too quickly, consuming spicy, fatty, or greasy food, consuming too much coffee, alcohol, or carbonated beverages, smoking, and being stressed all contribute to dyspepsia. It may also be linked to other illnesses like gallstones, pancreas inflammation, stomach ulcers, and other gastrointestinal problems like gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining).
Early feelings of fullness, feeling uncomfortable after eating, a burning sensation, a feeling of tightness and pain in the upper abdomen, bloating, and nausea are all signs of dyspepsia.
