Melanosis Coli Center - South Gate, CA
South Gate Gastroenterologist Doctors for Melanosis ColiType 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 South Gate * Multi Health Care Medical Group  Gastro-Digestive Medical Group  Gastro-Digestive Medical Group  LAC / Martin Luther King Jr General Hospital  Steven J Weiss MD  Gastro Digestive Medical Group  Frischer Medical Group  Western Healthcare  Ethelred Carter MD  Conrad A Cox MD  Internal Medicine Specialists Medical Groups  White Memorial Medical Group  Jun-Ichi Ohara MD  David Shih MD  Matsumoto Internal Medicine  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Mark Li MD  USC Internal Medicine  Coast Gastroenterology Group  William Essilfie MD  Jose Pantoja MD  Drs Sial & Cohen  West Gastroenterology Associates  Digestive Disease Center  Drs Sial & Cohen  West Gastroenterology Associates  William P Stuppy MD  Gastroenterology Consultants  Firmin Ho MD  Lisandro Quinones MD  Abdul Alaama MD  Ho S Bae MD  Laser Endoscopy Medical Group  Barry Morguelan MD  Anastacio Pinzon MD  B Raymond Lim MD & Myoza T Lim MD  Martin H Lee MD  Jin H Suh MD  Dennis Chan MD  Chia-Chi G Lai MD  Kwok-Leung Chung MD  Chun Yen Hsu MD  Shih Lin Lue MD  West Gastroenterology Associates  Paul Choi MD  Coast Gastroenterology  Coast Gastroenterology  Coast Gastroenterology  Coast Gastroenterology  Yong Tai Lee MD  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Long Beach Gastroenterology Associates  Pyoung I Kwon MD  Robert A Mecum MD  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Derek M. Dobalian MD  Harbor UCLA Medical Foundation  Thomas S Lam MD  Richard L Parks MD & Barton Ueki MD  Mingquan Bussarakum MD  Talbert Medical Group  Robert J Mehler MD  William Loebman MD  Tavitian Gastroenterology Medical Group  Tavitian Gastroenterology Medical Group  Tavitian Gastroenterology Medical Group  Vincente Villa Jr. MD  West Gastroenterology Associates  West Gastroenterology Associates  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants  Alliance Digestive Disease Consultants Medical Group  Artoon Arakel MD  Ioana A Bina MD Inc  Tu Tran MD  California Pancreatic Biliary Institute  California Pancreatic Biliary Institute  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Rangarao Panguluri MD  Gastroenterology Associates  Gastroenterology Associates  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties  Kaiser Permanente Harbor City Mixed Specialties South Gate, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
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Melanosis ColiRead the Melanosis Coli article » What is melanosis coli?Melanosis coli is a condition usually associated with chronic laxative use in which dark pigment is deposited in the lamina propria (one of the lining layers) of the large intestine (colon). The pigment deposition results in a characteristic dark brown to black discoloration of the lining of the large intestine. This condition is sometimes called pseudomelanosis coli because the pigment deposits consist of a pigment known as lipofuscin and do not contain melanin as implied by the term "melanosis." Lipofuscin is a cellular pigment that forms when cells are destroyed, often called "wear and tear" pigment that can be found throughout the body. The dark color of the intestinal lining may be uniform or patterned, and the discoloration may be slight or very pronounced. The intensity and pattern of the discoloration may even vary among different sites in the colon of a patient. The condition may also be reversed upon discontinuation of laxative use. In some cases, the wall of the colon appears normal to the eye, but microscopic evaluation of biopsies by a pathologist reveals areas of pigment in the colon's lining. The pigment in melanosis coli does not accumulate in polyps or tumors of the large intestine.
What are the symptoms of melanosis coli?Melanosis coli does not cause symptoms. What causes melanosis coli?Melanosis coli usually results from chronic use of laxatives of the anthranoid group. Some examples of anthranoid laxatives are senna and rhubarb derivatives. Many of these laxatives have been in use for hundreds of years. In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the popular anthranoid laxative phenolphthalein due to fears that it might be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Animal studies had shown that extremely high doses of phenolphthalein led to tumors in animals, but it has nev... Recommended Reading Related to Melanosis ColiConstipation facts
Other Related Melanosis Coli ArticlesEmergency Contact for South Gate
Nearby South Gate Hospitals *St Francis Medical Center Community Hospital of Huntington Park Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center Downey Regional Medical Center Los Angeles Community Hospital East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Orthopaedic Medical Center California Hospital Medical Center White Memorial Medical Center Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital Memorial Hospital of Gardena LAC + USC Medical Center LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital Vista Hospital of South Bay Bellflower Medical Center Beverly Hospital USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Lakewood Regional Medical Center USC University Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Monterey Park Hospital College Hospital Cerritos Pacific Alliance Medical Center Kaiser Mental Health Center Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center Centinela Campus St Vincent Medical Center Barlow Respiratory Hospital Metropolitan State Hospital Norwalk Community Hospital Los Angeles Metropolitan Medical Center Hawthorne Campus Garfield Medical Center Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center Temple Community Hospital City of Angels Medical Center Ingleside Campus Alhambra Hospital Medical Center LAC Harbor UCLA Medical Center Kindred Hospital Los Angeles Long Beach Memorial Medical Center Miller Children's Hospital Pacific Hospital of Long Beach VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center BHC Alhambra Hospital Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center Tri-City Regional Medical Center Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center Greater El Monte Community Hospital Kindred Hospital La Mirada Olympia Medical Center Miracle Mile Medical Center Whittier Hospital Medical Center San Gabriel Valley Medical Center Hollywood Community Hospital Brotman Medical Center Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance Community Hospital of Long Beach La Palma Intercommunity Hospital St Mary Medical Center Glendale Memorial Hospital & Health Center Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center Torrance Memorial Medical Center Huntington Hospital Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Del Amo Hospital Los Alamitos Medical Center Glendale Adventist Medical Center VA Long Beach Healthcare System 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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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Colon Cancer
- Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
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Constipation
- Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
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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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Colon Polyps
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Laxatives for Constipation
- Laxatives for treatment of constipation include over-the-counter preparations such as bulk-forming laxatives, stool softeners, lubricant laxatives, stimulant laxatives, saline laxatives, enemas and suppositories. Some over-the-counter laxatives are not recommended for patients with specific diseases or conditions. Some laxatives may have negative adverse effects if taken over long periods of time.
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Colon Cancer Prevention
- Colo-rectal cancer is both curable and preventable if it is detected early and completely removed before the cancerous cells metastasize to other parts of the body. Colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy (along with digital rectal examination and stool occult blood testing) are both effective at preventing colo-rectal cancers and detecting early colo-rectal cancers.
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Colon Cancer
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