honeypot link
skip to main content
Professional
Consumer
MERCK MANUAL
Consumer Version
HEALTH TOPICS
HEALTHY LIVING
SYMPTOMS
EMERGENCIES
DRUG INFO
RESOURCES
COMMENTARY
ABOUT US
HEALTH TOPICS
HEALTHY LIVING
<
Quick Facts
Quick Facts: Digestive Disorders
Expand all
Collapse all
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
What causes IBS?
What are the symptoms of IBS?
How can doctors tell if I have IBS?
How do doctors treat IBS?
Esophageal and Swallowing Disorders
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
What is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?
What causes GERD?
What are the risk factors for GERD?
What are the symptoms of GERD?
What are the complications of GERD?
How can doctors tell if I have GERD?
How do doctors treat GERD?
Hiatus Hernia
What is hiatus hernia?
What causes hiatus hernia?
What are the symptoms of hiatus hernia?
How can doctors tell if I have a hiatus hernia?
How do doctors treat hiatus hernia?
Gastroenteritis
Staphylococcal Food Poisoning
What is staphylococcal food poisoning?
What are the symptoms of staphylococcal food poisoning?
How can doctors tell if I have staphylococcal food poisoning?
How do doctors treat staphylococcal food poisoning?
How can I prevent staphylococcal food poisoning?
Traveler's Diarrhea
What is traveler’s diarrhea?
What are the symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea?
How can doctors tell if I have traveler’s diarrhea?
How do doctors treat traveler’s diarrhea?
How can I prevent traveler’s diarrhea?
Gastroenteritis
What is gastroenteritis?
What causes gastroenteritis?
What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis?
How can doctors tell I have gastroenteritis?
How do doctors treat gastroenteritis?
How can I prevent gastroenteritis?
Anal and Rectal Disorders
Anal Fissure
What is an anal fissure?
What causes an anal fissure?
What are the symptoms of an anal fissure?
How can doctors tell if I have an anal fissure?
How do doctors treat an anal fissure?
What are anal spasms?
Hemorrhoids
What are hemorrhoids?
What causes hemorrhoids?
What are the symptoms of hemorrhoids?
How can doctors tell if I have hemorrhoids?
How do doctors treat hemorrhoids?
What can I do to prevent hemorrhoids?
Diverticular Disease
Diverticulosis
What is diverticulosis?
What causes diverticulosis?
What are the symptoms of diverticulosis?
How can doctors tell if I have diverticulosis?
How do doctors treat diverticulosis?
Diverticulitis
What is diverticulitis?
What causes diverticulitis?
What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?
How can doctors tell if I have diverticulitis?
How do doctors treat diverticulitis?
Gastrointestinal Emergencies
Abdominal Wall Hernias
What is a hernia?
What is an abdominal wall hernia?
What are the types of abdominal wall hernias?
What are the symptoms of an abdominal wall hernia?
How can doctors tell if I have an abdominal wall hernia?
How do doctors treat an abdominal wall hernia?
Appendicitis
What is appendicitis?
What causes appendicitis?
What are the symptoms of appendicitis?
How can doctors tell if I have appendicitis?
How do doctors treat appendicitis?
Intestinal Obstruction
What is an intestinal obstruction (blocked intestine)?
What causes a blocked intestine?
What are the symptoms of a blocked intestine?
How can doctors tell if I have a blocked intestine?
How do doctors treat a blocked intestine?
Inguinal Hernia
What is a hernia?
What is an inguinal hernia?
What are the symptoms of an inguinal hernia?
How can doctors tell if I have an inguinal hernia?
How do doctors treat an inguinal hernia?
Perforation of the Digestive Tract
What is a perforation of the digestive tract?
What causes a perforation of the digestive tract?
What are the symptoms of a perforated digestive tract?
How can doctors tell if my digestive tract has a perforation?
How do doctors treat a perforation of the digestive tract?
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)
Crohn Disease
What is Crohn disease?
What causes Crohn disease?
What are the symptoms of Crohn disease?
How can doctors tell if I have Crohn disease?
How do doctors treat Crohn disease?
Ulcerative Colitis
What is ulcerative colitis?
What causes ulcerative colitis?
What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
How can doctors tell if I have ulcerative colitis?
How do doctors treat ulcerative colitis?
Gastritis and Peptic Ulcer Disease
Gastritis
What is gastritis?
What causes gastritis?
What are the symptoms of gastritis?
How can doctors tell if I have gastritis?
How do doctors treat gastritis?
Peptic Ulcer Disease
What is a peptic ulcer?
What causes peptic ulcers?
What are the symptoms of a peptic ulcer?
What are the complications of peptic ulcers?
How can doctors tell if I have a peptic ulcer?
How do doctors treat peptic ulcers?
Helicobacter pylori
Infection
What is
Helicobacter pylori
infection?
What are the symptoms of
H. pylori
infection?
How can doctors tell if I have
H. pylori
infection?
How do doctors treat
H. pylori
infection?
Pancreatitis
Acute Pancreatitis
What is acute pancreatitis?
What causes acute pancreatitis?
What are the symptoms of acute pancreatitis?
How can doctors tell if I have acute pancreatitis?
How do doctors treat acute pancreatitis?
Chronic Pancreatitis
What is chronic pancreatitis?
What causes chronic pancreatitis?
What are the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis?
How can doctors tell if I have chronic pancreatitis?
How do doctors treat chronic pancreatitis?
Diagnosis of Digestive Disorders
Acid-Related and Reflux-Related Tests
What are the tests for acid reflux?
Catheter-based monitoring
Wireless monitoring
Endoscopy
What is an endoscope?
What is endoscopy?
Why do doctors do endoscopy?
How do I get ready for an upper endoscopy?
How do I get ready for a lower endoscopy (colonoscopy)?
What happens when I have endoscopy?
Is endoscopy safe?
Malabsorption
Celiac Disease
What is celiac disease?
What causes celiac disease?
What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
How can doctors tell if I have celiac disease?
How do doctors treat celiac disease?
Overview of Malabsorption
What is malabsorption?
What causes malabsorption?
What causes digestion problems?
Why can't you absorb nutrients?
What are the symptoms of malabsorption?
How do doctors diagnose malabsorption?
How do doctors treat malabsorption?
Bacterial Overgrowth Syndrome
What is bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
What causes bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
What are the symptoms of bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
How can doctors tell if I have bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
How do doctors treat bacterial overgrowth syndrome?
Intestinal Lymphangiectasia
What is intestinal lymphangiectasia?
What causes intestinal lymphangiectasia?
What are the symptoms of intestinal lymphangiectasia?
How can doctors tell if I have intestinal lymphangiectasia?
How do doctors treat intestinal lymphangiectasia?
Short Bowel Syndrome
What is short bowel syndrome?
What causes short bowel syndrome?
What are the symptoms of short bowel syndrome?
How can doctors tell if I have short bowel syndrome?
How do doctors treat short bowel syndrome?
Tropical Sprue
What is tropical sprue?
What causes tropical sprue?
What are the symptoms of tropical sprue?
How can doctors tell if I have tropical sprue?
How do doctors treat tropical sprue?
Whipple Disease
What is Whipple disease?
What are the symptoms of Whipple disease?
How can doctors tell if I have Whipple disease?
How do doctors treat Whipple disease?
Lactose Intolerance
What is lactose intolerance?
What causes lactose intolerance?
What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
How can doctors tell if I have lactose intolerance?
How do doctors treat lactose intolerance?
Tumors of the Digestive System
Colon Cancer
What is colon cancer?
What causes colon cancer?
What are the symptoms of colon cancer?
How can doctors tell if I have colon cancer?
How do doctors screen for colon cancer?
How do doctors treat colon cancer?
Esophageal Cancer
What is esophageal cancer?
What causes esophageal cancer?
What are the symptoms of esophageal cancer?
How can doctors tell if I have esophageal cancer?
How do doctors treat esophageal cancer?
Pancreatic Cancer
What is pancreatic cancer?
What causes pancreatic cancer?
What are the symptoms of pancreatic cancer?
How can doctors tell if I have pancreatic cancer?
How do doctors treat pancreatic cancer?
Polyps of the Colon and Rectum
What is a polyp of the colon or rectum?
What causes polyps of the colon or rectum?
What are the symptoms of polyps of the colon or rectum?
How can doctors tell if I have polyps of the colon or rectum?
How do doctors treat polyps of the colon or rectum?
Stomach Cancer
What is stomach cancer?
What causes stomach cancer?
What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
How can doctors tell if I have stomach cancer?
How do doctors treat stomach cancer?
Biology of the Digestive System
Overview of the Digestive System
What is the digestive system?
Esophagus
What is the esophagus?
Stomach
What is the stomach?
Small Intestine
What is the small intestine?
Large Intestine
What is the large intestine?
Rectum and Anus
What are the rectum and anus?
Pancreas
What is the pancreas?
