Patients often have difficulty describing abdominal pain. It can seem vague and hard to define. Everyone has occasional abdominal pain caused by gas, constipation, or diarrhea.

You may have heard the term acid reflux from your doctor or on television commercials. 

Over time, chronic acid reflux can cause permanent damage to the esophagus. 

The biliary system of the body is an intricate webbing of small ducts that connect various organs. 

Bleeding from any location along the gastrointestinal tract should be treated by your IllinoisGastro physician. 

You know the feeling when suddenly your pants don't fit! The bloat hits with a sudden, uncomfortable, vengeance. 

Polyps are small growths on the lining of the colon. During a colonoscopy your doctor will look for polyps and remove them. 

Celiac Sprue, or celiac disease, is an autoimmune disease of the digestive tract which affects nutrient absorption in the small intestine. 

Colitis is an inflammatory response in the colon, caused by an infection, use of some medications, allergic reactions, or an autoimmune reaction.

Everyone experiences occasional constipation, or dry and hard stools that are difficult to pass, but chronic constipation should not be ignored. 

Crohn's Disease is part of the family of illnesses known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD. 

No one likes to talk about it, but everyone has it on occasion. 

There are several common diseases of the gallbladder which can be treated by your Illinois Gastro physician.

Illinois Gastro treats some of the major liver diseases.

Illinois Gastro treats some of the major diseases of the Pancreas

Diverticular disease describes small pouches that form in the wall of the intestine. 

Encopresis is the leaking of stool without knowledge of the person. 

Eosinophilic esophagitis, or allergic esophagitis, is caused by a certain type of white blood cell, eosinophils, typically associated with allergies. 

Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach. 

GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, is simply chronic acid reflux. Patients who experience reflux more than twice per week - every week - are diagnosed with GERD.

H. Pylori is a spiral shaped bacterium found in the majority of peptic ulcers. 

A hiatal hernia occurs when your stomach pushes up through a hole in your diaphragm into your esophagus.

When veins in your anus and lower rectum are under pressure they become inflamed and swollen. The result is known as hemorrhoids. 

There are many different types of Hepatitis. The most common types, identified alphabetically as A, B, and C are all viruses that can cause liver damage.

Inflammatory bowel disease is also referred to as IBD. It is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive system.

Many people deal with the symptoms of IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, daily. 

Low levels of iron cause the cells in your body to not carry enough needed oxygen throughout your body. 

Some autoimmune diseases have their root in inflammation. Many common autoimmune inflammatory diseases are now treated with infusion therapy. 

Lactose is a sugar molecule found in milk and other milk products including yogurt and ice cream. 

Ulcers, which are open sores by definition, can occur in the lining anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract. 

Total parenteral nutrition, or TPN, is a method of delivering nutrients while bypassing the GI tract.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the outermost lining of the colon and rectum.