What is retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction? Retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD) is a somewhat newly described syndrome that could explain an inability to belch or burp. It can also be associated with other symptoms including but not limited to: loud, gurgling noises, and chest and abdominal pain/distention. Researchers and practitioners believe the...
IBS-C is a type of IBS characterized by symptoms of abdominal pain/discomfort and bloating in conjunction with constipation. There is no cure, but symptoms can be managed and reduced significantly with treatment or diet changes. A fairly new FDA-approved medication called IBSRELA has shown great promise in treating IBS-C symptoms...
New research released by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor suggests that transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) at acupoint ST36 (see below image) may improve functional constipation. The mechanism here is through delivering weak electrical pulses to acupressure points near peripheral nodes via electrodes placed onto the skin. Led by...
We are spotting an alarming trend of eating disorders amongst our younger patients. It reminds us of comparable features in other disorders of eating. This week’s highlight is orthorexia nervosa. Orthorexia nervosa is a pathological compulsion or obsession with healthy eating and nutritional quality of meals. While being mindful and...
Promising research is highlighted in a recent study conducted by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center investigators which supports the first use case for virtual reality (VR) therapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Experts suggest that practicing mindfulness can improve the lives of people who have IBS symptoms such as constipation, toilet anxiety,...
Scroll to the bottom to scan a QR code that will take you directly to download the Nerva app. It’s no surprise that living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be a daily struggle. Facing strict diets, food anxiety, frequent medical visits, and medications is exhausting. Thankfully, modern technology has...
Dr. Treyzon now offers cancer detection testing via the GRAIL Galleri blood test. GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL develops new technologies for early cancer detection. The company is using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art...
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...
Family history is a vital component of medical examination. Doctors across all medical fields routinely ask for family history information during consultations. It is defined as a record of conditions and diseases that run through a person’s family line and is used to gauge a patients’ genetic risk factor for...
The buildup of eosinophils indicates reactions to foods, allergens or acid reflux. This chronic inflammation of EoE or damaged esophageal tissue eventually leads to symptoms. What are the symptoms of EoE? The symptoms tend to vary with age. Infants/Toddlers: dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), food impaction (food getting stuck in the...
For patients who suffer from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), or similar conditions, the low FODMAP diet could be helpful in overall symptom improvement. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, which are short chain carbohydrates found in commonly eaten foods. This diet is...
What is a keto diet? Even though keto began as a standard treatment for pediatric epilepsy patients in the 1920’s, it is more widely known now as an alternative to the standard, everyday diet. A ketogenic diet consists of high-fat, low-carbohydrate meals with moderate protein consumption. To adjust to low levels...
Anal cancer is a type of cancer that affects the anus. The anus is a region in the gastrointestinal tract that is located at the end of the colon and below the rectum. It functions as an opening for stool or waste to pass out the body. A tumor can...
Pet therapy has been widely known to have a multitude of positive effects and improve patients’ well-being physically, psychosocially, and emotionally. It involves animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy to provide opportunities for motivation, education, or recreational to improve a person’s quality of life. Animal-assisted activities are often conducted by volunteers...
Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED), are often accompanied by gastrointestinal issues. The desire for thinness leads patients with disordered eating to inappropriately restrict their diet, or to binge eat and subsequently purge through self-induced vomiting and/or laxative abuse. These behavioral patterns cause several digestive problems that could complicate the...
There is evolving information regarding the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which has affected multiple countries worldwide. Patients with COVID-19 commonly present with symptoms of a dry cough, shortness of breath and fever. However, aside from respiratory symptoms, there is a new study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology that shows digestive...
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder condition which often presents with pelvic pain, urinary urgency and urinary frequency. Although this sounds very similar to a bacterial bladder infection, this chronic condition is not caused by an infection. The diagnosis is established by exclusion of other conditions such as infection,...
The brain has a direct effect on our digestive health. An individual’s gastrointestinal upset can be the cause or the result of anxiety, stress, or depression. There are three key parts of the brain and nervous system that play a role in IBS symptoms: Psychosocial Stressors: Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated...
When we evaluate women with bloating and lower abdominal discomfort, we consider endometriosis as a potential cause. What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a common health condition in women. The name derives from the word “endometrium,” which is the tissue lining the inside of the uterus. Women with endometriosis develop tissue...
Anticholinergic drugs block a common neurotransmitter named acetylcholine, in both the central and peripheral nervous system. It is used for a variety of conditions like chronic migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Neurogenic cough. Examples of these medicines include antihistamines, antidepressants, and gastrointestinal and bladder agents. This study highlights the potential danger of...
H. pylori infection is a common indolent infection. It affects around 35% of our population. H. pylori is one of the main causes of gastritis, stomach ulcers, and stomach cancer. Because of these adverse associations, there is more attention focused on easy ways to eradicate it. In this blog, we...
Many times, we advise a modified diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, bacterial overgrowth, and functional bowel diseases. Sometimes we give dietary recommendations for prevention of chronic diseases as well. Recently, there has been a trend towards home meal delivery. This is quite popular because it takes the guess work...
I often wonder whether it is worth it to ask young healthy people to eradicate H. pylori infection if they have no symptoms, or minimal symptoms. H. pylori infection is very common, and most people don't know and don't care if they harbor this infection. Recent research from China shows...
Many patients who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and/or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) are recommended to try the low FODMAP diet. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols, which are short chain carbohydrates found in commonly eaten foods. This diet is an elimination trial of certain...
A recent study showed that there may be a protective role of Vitamin D against colorectal development in women. Vitamin D levels below 30 nmol/L were associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk of 31%. On the flip side, an increase of Vitamin D levels by 25 nmol/L reduces the...
We have been performing CDx Diagnostics WATS3D for our patients the last 2 years. This allows us the increased ability to detect Barrett’s esophagus (the earliest precursor to esophageal cancer) by 83% and esophageal dysplasia (a.k.a. the next step in the pre-cancer cascade) by 88% in GERD patients. WATS3D diagnostic tool can...
What is H. pylori? Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is bacteria that infects the stomach lining or upper part of the small intestine and can cause the formation of ulcers. This infection can also increase the risk of stomach cancer. Generally, most people infected with H. pylori will not develop an ulcer or...
A human pilot trial of ingestible electronic capsules capable of sensing different gases in the gut What is an ingestible sensor? Ingestible sensors have the capability of measuring and transmitting information and chemical composition of the gut in real time. How is the information transmitted? ...
What is functional dyspepsia?Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a chronic sensation and movement disorder of the upper digestive tract. This means that those with FD perceive pain and discomfort, and often have delayed gastric emptying or other esophageal dysmotility. It is referred to as functional due to the fact there are...
Human DNA is about 99.5% identical from one individual to another. However, there are small differences, called variants, that make each person unique. These variants can be linked to certain health conditions, traits and ancestry groups. 23andMe provides two Personal Genetic Services that require submitting a saliva sample using the...
What is Colorectal Cancer? Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death and the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States for men and women combined. However, if the cancer is found at an early stage, it can often be treated and cured. Colorectal cancer...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a chronic condition that affects the large intestine. Common symptoms include gas, bloating, abdominal pain or cramping, diarrhea or constipation (or both), and mucous in stool. There is no cure for IBS, but there are treatments such as lifestyle changes, diet modifications or medications...
Kidney stones are predominantly composed of calcium oxalate (CaOx) derived from both endogenous and exogenous sources affecting 1 in 11 people in the United States. It is a multifactorial disorder with a complex interaction between gut, liver, bone, and kidney that the underlying mechanisms are complex. There are different types...
Gut Microbiome Alterations in Neurocognitive Conditions The human microbiome refers to the trillions of diverse microbial organisms living inside our bodies, primarily in the digestive tract. These gut microbes have important roles in performing key functions that contribute to human health. Studies have shown that changes in the microbial...
Leaky gut syndrome refers to the weakened gut barrier that readily exposes individuals to food antigens, toxins, and foreign microbes. A major task of the intestinal mucosa is to prevent harmful substances from penetrating the mucosa and into the internal environment of the body. When this protective function is...
What is FMT? FMT began as a more radical treatment involving the insertion of donor fecal material into the affected patient through a colonoscopy, however, it is becoming more widely used specifically in treating recurrent C. diff infection. Am I a candidate for FMT? FMT is currently only...
Previous research studies have demonstrated an association between the use of gastric acid-suppressing medications (such as Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid) and an increased risk of developing C. difficile (C. diff) infection. Until recently, however, the risk of C. diff recurrence in patients taking these medicines was not well understood. A recent...
Four years ago Dr. Treyzon implemented Elation electronic medical records (EMR) in his practice, offering patients improved quality, convenience, and coordination of care, as well as an increased opportunity for patient participation and communication. Elation Passport provides a secure website for patients to manage their healthcare and communicate directly with...
For many people the condition called GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease), or more commonly called acid reflux, can be a disruptive condition and can occur at night. This is due in part to the effects of gravity. When we are standing we have gravity working in our favor which plays a...
The specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) has helped to improve the quality of life for many thousands of people who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive ailments. This diet is intended to reduce symptoms experienced by people with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), celiac disease, diverticulosis...
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) represent the primary class of acid-suppressing medications used to treat indigestion, heartburn, peptic ulcer disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Other acid-suppressing medications include H2 receptor blockers (such as Zantac and Pepcid AC), but PPIs tend to be significantly more effective than these medicines. Because of...
Celiac DiseaseCeliac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley) triggers an abnormal immune response causing severe damage to the small intestine. The intestinal villi (small fingerlike projections lining the small intestine) are damaged during these immune attacks,...
SIBO: Finding a Treatment for You SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, can be a stubborn digestive affliction. Luckily, there are a variety of treatments, including diet, herbal and antibiotic, that can help you get back to having a healthy gut. There are benefits to each type of treatment,...
Understanding NSAID-Associated Intestinal Damage Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represent an important and effective class of medications, but their use has been associated with a number of adverse effects, most commonly affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Such adverse effects include heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain, and the development of ulcers in the stomach...
SIBO and the Elemental Diet Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is characterized by an overgrowth of certain bacteria in the small intestine which normally live in the large intestine. Currently, the most researched and most commonly applied therapy for SIBO is treatment with antibiotics to kill the invading bacteria....
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) refers to the presence of one or more defects, or breaks, in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. These ulcers can be superficial, or they can extend deep into the tissue wall. While some PUD patients...
“What is chronic diarrhea, and what causes it to occur?” Chronic diarrhea, or loose stools lasting longer than four weeks, is a common problem in the United States. In fact, up to 18% of Americans have reported experiencing at least three diarrhea episodes per day[1]. There are many potential causes...
Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer death in the United States among both men and women. About 150,000 patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year, and more than 40% of these will die of the disease. Due to the high mortality associated with colon cancer and the...
What is H. pylori? Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacterium that is the main cause of ulcers occurring in the lining of the upper part of the small intestine (duodenal ulcers) and in the lining of the stomach (gastric ulcers). It is also the leading known cause of stomach cancer....
If you are among the millions of Americans who experience symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you may be frustrated by not knowing the cause of your GI distress. Among numerous other potential causes, it is possible that your IBS symptoms are due to an undiagnosed bacterial, viral, or parasitic...
We are now offering a new GERD diagnostic technique called the BRAVO capsule. This new monitoring system can objectively assess and compare your reflux symptoms with the real-time pH level in your esophagus to more accurately diagnose and treat GERD. This pH testing provides insight on the degree of acidity...
What is Bloating? Bloating often refers to the feeling of increased abdominal pressure. This sensation can cause discomfort and occasionally be accompanied by an increase in abdominal girth (also known as “distention”). This could be due to excess production of gas or slow motility and abnormal contractions of the muscles...
What are Probiotics? Probiotics are microorganisms that are popularly known to be beneficial to your gut health. They are often described as “good bacteria” which could be found in foods such as yogurt or also as supplements. However, according to a recent study, researchers linked the cause of brain fog...