Indigestion and related disorders--including everything from heartburn and belching to peptic ulcer and hiatal hernia--are among the most common ailments in America. These complaints are so frequent that the most widely prescribed class of drugs is the group that blocks stomach acid, histamine II blockers (not to mention over-the-counter remedies). Indeed, almost ten percent of Americans, some twenty million people, will at some time suffer from peptic ulcer. Now, one of Americas most eminent gastroenterologists, Dr. Henry Janowitz, offers readers a complete guide to these exceedingly common disorders.
In clear laymens language, with healthy doses of humor and many easy-to-understand examples, Dr. Janowitz provides you with everything you need to know about indigestion, offering sound advice on how to avoid problems and soothing the fears of those in distress. He shows you how to prepare for a visit to the doctor--what the physician needs to know, what tests you might undergo (from a general physical to CAT scans and sonograms), and what the latest diagnostic techniques are (including MRI and endoscopy). Dr. Janowitz then zeroes in on specific problems of the esophagus, stomach, gall bladder, liver, and pancreas. He outlines the causes of peptic ulcers and discusses the best methods of prevention and treatment, shows how to distinguish between chest pain originating in the esophagus and the anginal pain of heart disease, and surveys such problems as gallstones, pancreatic disorders, jaundice, malabsorption, maldigestion, and food allergies. He also examines the effects of aging on the upper digestive tract and, in a final chapter, illuminates the role of stress in functional indigestion.
Indigestion is a down-to-earth, reliable guide to extremely common medical complaints, written by one of Americas leading experts on gastroenterological disorders. It is must reading for anyone suffering from heartburn, ulcers, gall bladder disease, or any number of common gastrointestinal ailments.