Melanosis Coli Center - West Babylon, NY
West Babylon 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 West Babylon * Island Digestive Disease  Island Digestive Disease  Island Digestive Disease  Island Digestive Disease  Michael C Braunstein MD  Quintana Family Medical  Krishnaiyer Subramani MD  Island Gastroenterology Consultants  Island Gastroenterology Consultants  Island Gastroenterology Consultants  Island Gastroenterology Consultants  Island Gastroenterology Consultants  Michael R Delman MD  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Western Suffolk Gastroenterology Associates  Broadway Internal Medicine Associates  Island Medical Group PC  Melissa Palmer MD  Gastrointestinal Associates PC  Gastrointestinal Associates PC  Dix Hills Medical Associates  William Caccese MD  Santa Nandi MD  Michael C Barth MD  Mount Sinai North Shore Medical Group  Queens-Long Island Medical Group PC  Mount Sinai North Shore Medical Group  Gastrointestinal Specialists of LI  Gastrointestinal Specialists of LI  East Islip Professional  Robert Gross MD PC  West Carver Medical Associates  West Carver Medical Associates  West Carver Medical Associates  Huntington Gastroenterology  Huntington Gastroenterology  Huntington Gastroenterology  North Country Medical Associates  North Country Medical Associates  Mark Nyitray DO PLLC  North Country Medical Associates  North Country Medical Associates  Oppenheimer & Marchitelli MDs  Gary B Hanfling MD  Sandra Layne MD  Joseph C Lazar MD  Syosset Gastroenterology  Plainview Medical Group  Richard B Rubin MD PC  Karl Friedman MD  VA Medical Center Northport  VA Medical Center Northport  Arun Gupta MD & Neelam Gupta MD  Nassau University Medical Center  Long Island Gastroenterology Group  Long Island Gastroenterology Group  Zvi A Alpern MD  Farzad Forohar MD  Robert M Lazar MD  Alan L Spielberg MD  Gamaliel Immanuel MD  Mount Sinai North Shore Medical Group  Mount Sinai North Shore Medical Group  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Sridevi Bhumi MD  Christopher Demetriou MD  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Long Island Gastroenterology PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Long Island Gastroenterology PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Gastroenterology Associates PC  Long Island Gastroenterology PC  Richard Ferstenberg MD  Cardiovascular Medical Associates  Sonya S Ventour MD  David Gutman MD  Drs Kirchblum & Mausner  Drs Krigsman & Moskowitz  Drs Kirchblum & Mausner  Drs Krigsman & Moskowitz  Island Wide Medical Associates  The Center For Healing  Winthrop Gastroenterology PC  Winthrop Gastroenterology PC  Winthrop Gastroenterology PC  William A Ross MD  Winthrop Gastroenterology PC  Drs Geier Klein Lipp & Pereira  Drs Geier Klein Lipp & Pereira  Drs Geier Klein Lipp & Pereira  Drs Geier Klein Lipp & Pereira  Steven J Friedman MD  Charnjit Singh MD West Babylon, New YorkUpcoming 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 ColiWhat is flexible sigmoidoscopy?Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon. The flexible sigmoidoscope is a flexible tube 60 cm long and about the thickness of your little finger. It is inserted gently into the anus and advanced slowly into the rectum and the lower colon. It is an accurate and simple method of investigating the cause of rectal bleeding, change in bowel habit, and rectal symptoms such as pain and diarrhea. Flexible sigmoidoscopy also is a part of colon screening and surveillance for colon cancer. What is the preparation for flexible sigmoidoscopy?In order to obtain accurate results, the rectum and the lower colon must be completely clean of stool. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions on how to cleanse your colon. In general, this requires the use of one or two enemas prior to the procedure and may also call for a laxative and some dietar... Other Related Melanosis Coli ArticlesEmergency Contact for West Babylon
Nearby West Babylon Hospitals *Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center BonSecours Health & Wellness Center Brunswick Hall Center South Oaks Hospital Sagamore Children's Psychiatric Center Southside Hospital New Island Hospital Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Plainview Hospital Nassau University Medical Center Syosset Hospital Huntington Hospital St Catherine of Siena Medical Center Northport VA Medical Center Mercy Medical Center Winthrop University Hospital South Nassau Communities Hospital Long Beach Medical Center Franklin Hospital St Francis Hospital The Heart Center Glen Cove Hospital Stony Brook University Medical Center Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center Long Island Jewish Medical Center Schneider Children's Hospital North Shore University Hospital at Manhasset The Zucker Hillside Hospital Queens Children's Psychiatric Center Creedmoor Psychiatric Center The Holliswood Hospital St John's Episcopal Hospital South Shore John T Mather Memorial Hospital St Charles Hospital Cornerstone of Medical Arts Center Hospital Peninsula Hospital Center Queens Hospital Center Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Flushing Hospital Medical Center New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens New Parkway Hospital Rye Hospital Center Forest Hills Hospital Stamford Hospital Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester Greenwich Hospital Bronx Children's Psychiatric Center St Vincent's Hospital Westchester Bronx Psychiatric Center Calvary Hospital Jack D Weiler Hospital New York Westchester Square Medical Center Jacobi Medical Center Elmhurst Hospital Center Norwalk Hospital Beth Israel Medical Center Mount Vernon Hospital The Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center Wyckoff Heights Medical Center North Division of Montefiore Medical Center MMC South Bronx Health Center The Burke Rehabilitation Hospital St Barnabas Hospital Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Fulton Division Lawrence Hospital Center Montefiore Medical Center Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services The Mount Sinai Hospital of Queens North Central Bronx Hospital Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center Interfaith Medical Center Kingsboro Psychiatric Center Woodhull Medical & Mental Health Center Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Concourse Division James J Peters VA Medical Center New York Presbyterian Westchester 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
- A colon polyp is a benign tumor of the large intestine. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during colonoscopy and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant over time.
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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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