There is a sheath of muscle and fascia which runs the length of the torso from the ribs to the groin. This is called the abdominal wall and it holds in the intestines and the abdominal contents. Sometimes there are weak spots in this abdominal wall for a multitude of reasons.
When this happens the abdominal contents which push outwards from the body, break through it and push through to the surface.
This causes a bulge beneath the skin which is very often visible. The word hernia basically means ‘something coming through’ and thus aptly describes the condition. There are a number of types of hernia but the most common are inguinal (inner groin), femoral (outer groin), incisional (which results from an incision), hiatal (the upper stomach) and umbilical (at the belly button). As for the cause, the essential cause is pressure. Anything which causes excess pressure within the abdominal cavity combined with weakness of muscle in the abdominal sheath can result in a hernia.
This can include heavy lifting of objects, constipation, consistent coughing, sneezing, bad nutrition, obesity and so on. There are a number of surgical interventions for hernias.
This is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas. The pancreas is a gland which is part of the digestive system.
It produces hormones and enzymes which help to break down food. It also produces necessary hormones which regulates the the glucose levels in the body. Chronic pancreatitis is long-term and progressive and results in the permanent damage of the pancreas in both function and structure.
The most common cause for it is alcohol abuse and with the rising trends in income and consequent lifestyle changes, it is becoming more widespread. Some of the symptoms include pain in the region of the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal cramps, flatulence and so on. When it progresses it will render the pancreas unable to produce necessary hormones which will result in type 2 diabetes.
Bile is a fluid for aiding digestion. It is made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder – a tiny organ. Sometimes some of the components in the bile may crystallise and harden. This leads to gallstones. Gallstones are comprised of cholesterol, salt and bilirubin.
Most of them (around 80%) are made up of cholesterol while the rest are salt and bilirubin, called pigment stones. Some of the symptoms of gallstones are pain in the upper belly and upper back (lasting for up to several hours), nausea, vomiting, digestive problems and so on. Diagnosis is through blood tests, ultrasound, CT scans, MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography), endoscopic ultrasound and ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography).
Surgical treatment for gallstones usually involves surgery to remove the gallbladder laparoscopically or through the traditional open method.
Haemorrhoids, also commonly known as piles, are swollen veins in and around the anus or located in the lower rectum. They can be internal or external i.e. within the anus or outside the anus and rectum. The latter is the most common. There are a number of things which contribute to haemorrhoids including straining during bowel movements, chronic constipation, extended seating on toilets, family history and so on. During pregnancy the chances of contracting haemorrhoids are higher. Haemorrhoids are very common and affect as many as half the population by the age of 50. They are also very treatable.
Within the entrance to the anus exist a number of small glands. Sometimes they can be blocked resulting in an abcess or an infected cavity. A fistula is a condition in which a tiny tunnel is formed from the infected gland within the anus to the area around the anus. Around half of all anal abcesses develop into fistulas.
There are some other causes as well such as Crohn’s disease, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, trauma, diverticulitis and cancer. A fistula is diagnosed through rectal examination, an ultrasound and MRI. There are surgical procedures to treat the condition which have excellent results.
