Alcoholic liver disease is the damage of the liver as a result of long term or excessive alcohol consumption. Eventually it may lead to liver failure. This condition will not occur in every person who drinks excessively but the chances of developing this form of liver disease is higher in a person who drinks more than the recommended average per week.
Alcoholic liver disease starts of as liver inflammation (heptatitis, not to be confused with viral hepatitis A, B and so on). It then progresses to fatty liver disease and the final stage is cirrhosis.
What is an Endoscopy?
An endoscopy, sometimes referred to as a gastroscopy, is a procedure whereby a device known as an endoscope is inserted through the mouth to examine the interior of a the gastrointestinal tract (throat, food pipe, stomach and small intestine). This provides high definition video images in real time and any abnormalities in the gut can be identified and small samples of diseased tissue can be taken if necessary (biopsy).
Types of Endoscopy
There are three types of endoscopy, all of which perform a similar function.
The stomach is a bag like organ that contains gastric acid to help with the breakdown of food. Sometimes sores develop in the inner lining of the stomach. These stomach ulcers which are also known as peptic ulcers or gastric ulcers are a common problem which can be persistent and painful. The term peptic ulcer may also refer to sores that form in the first part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcer) or the food pipe (oesphageal ulcer).
A diarrhoea diet is the foods that you should eat during and immediately after a bout of diarrhoea. These foods will be less likely to aggravate the diarrhoea or trigger another spell of diarrhoea once your condition settles. Every case of diarrhoea should be investigated and you should not try to manage your diarrhoea at home without medical treatment.
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Gas production in the gastrointestinal tract is a normal process related to digestion of food. If it is excessive, it can be an embarrassing problem when it causes frequent and uncontrollable belching (burping) and flatulence. A gas build up in the bowels may cause visible abdominal bloating and trigger intestinal cramps which can be painful.
Some causes of increased gas in the bowels may be due to dietary or lifestyle factors while at other times it may be related to medical conditions, particularly those that affect the gastrointestinal tract.
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