Gallstones Center - Augusta, GA
Augusta Gastroenterologist Doctors for GallstonesType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Augusta * Augusta GI Specialists  Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists PC  Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists PC  Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists PC  Augusta GI Specialists  Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists PC  Digestive & Liver Disease Specialists PC  Medical College of Georgia Gastroenterology  Medical College of Georgia Gastroenterology  Medical College of Georgia Gastroenterology  Medical College of Georgia Gastroenterology  Medical College of Georgia Gastroenterology  Gastroenterology of Augusta  Gastroenterology of Augusta  Augusta Gastroenterology Assoc  VA Hospital Gastroenterology  VA Hospital Gastroenterology  Ramzi T Assad MD  Ramzi T Assad MD  Ayaz J Chaudhary MD  Gastroenterology Consultants of Augusta PC  Gastroenterology Consultants of Augusta PC  Gastroenterology Consultants of Augusta PC  Gastroenterology Consultants of Augusta PC  East Georgia Gastroenterology Center  Statesboro Gastroenterology  Middle Georgia Gastroenterology PC  Middle Georgia Gastroenterology PC  William K Garnto MD  Dublin Internal Medicine  Dublin Internal Medicine  Athens Gastroenterology Association  Athens Gastroenterology Association Augusta, GeorgiaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-17
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GallstonesWhat are gallstones?Gallstones (often misspelled gall stones, or gall stone) are stones that form in the gall (bile). (The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ just below the liver and stores the bile secreted by the liver.)
From the common bile duct, there are two different directions that bile can flow.
Once in the gallbladder, bile is concentrated by the removal (absorption) of water. During a meal, the muscle that makes up the wall of the gallbladder contracts and squeezes the concentrated bile in the gallbladder back through the cystic duct into the common duct and then into the intestine. (Concentrated bile is much more effective for digestion than the un-concentrated bile that goes from the liver straight into the intestine.) The timing of gallbladder contraction-during a meal-allows the concentrated bile from the gallbladder to mix with food. Gallstones usually form in the gallbladder; however, they also may form anywhere there is bile; in the intrahepatic, hepatic, common bile, and cystic ducts. Gallst... Recommended Reading Related to GallstonesObesity facts
Other Related Gallstones ArticlesEmergency Contact for Augusta
Nearby Augusta Hospitals *Walton Rehabilitation Health System University Health Care System Medical College of Georgia Medical Center Trinity Hospitals of Augusta Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center East Central Regional Hospital Augusta Campus Doctors Hospital East Central Regional Hospital Gracewood Campus Aiken Regional Medical Center Edgefield County Hospital Burke Medical Center McDuffie Regional Medical Center Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
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Liver Disease
- Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause; however, common symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.
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Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are common symptoms.
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Cirrhosis (Liver)
- Cirrhosis of the liver refers to a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue caused by alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C. This disease leads to abnormalities in the liver's ability to handle toxins and blood flow, causing internal bleeding, kidney failure, mental confusion, coma, body fluid accumulation, and frequent infections. Symptoms include yellowing of the skin, itching, and fatigue.
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Alcoholism
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Pancreatitis
- Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
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- Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
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Nausea and Vomiting
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Jaundice
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Cystic Fibrosis
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Obesity
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Liver
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Pleurisy (Pleuritis)
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Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia)
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Pancreatic Cysts
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Beta Thalassemia
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Antiemetics
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Alpha Thalassemia
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Asbestos
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Childhood Obesity
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