Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine that ensures the normal function and diseases of the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and liver.
It involves having a detailed understanding of how the gastrointestinal organs normally function, including how food moves through the stomach and intestines, how nutrients are digested and absorbed into the body, how waste is eliminated from the system, and how the liver functions as a digestive organ. Primarily, it covers the complete digestive track from the oesophagus to the rectum.
It includes common and important conditions such as :
a) Colon polyps and cancer
b) Hepatitis
c) Gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn)
d) Peptic ulcer disease
e) Colitis
f) Gallbladder
g) Biliary tract disease
h) Nutritional problems
i) Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
j) Pancreatitis
In essence, the study of gastroenterology includes all normal activity and disease of the digestive organs.