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When liver disease progresses to an advanced stage, an excess amount of scar tissue replaces the normal liver tissue. This condition is termed cirrhosis. At this stage, the damage is considered irreve...

Your gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. The gallbladder holds a digestive fluid called bile that's released into your small intestin...

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. Also called bowel incontinence, fecal incontinence ranges from an occasional...

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be aff...

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a term for a range of liver conditions. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells. Some individuals with N...

Gastroparesis is a condition that affects the normal spontaneous movement of the muscles (motility) in your stomach. Ordinarily, strong muscular contractions propel food through your digestive tract. ...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, occurs when stomach acid frequently flows back into your esophagus, which is the tube connecting your mouth and stomach. This backwash, called acid reflux, ca...

Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. They are found most often in the lower part of the large intestine (colon). Diverticula are common, especi...

In patients with peptic ulcer disease, an open sore or crater develops on the inside lining of your stomach and the upper portion of your small intestine (duodenum). The most common symptom of a pepti...

Celiac disease, also called sprue, is an immune reaction to eating gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in you...