Heed the warning signs of Pancreatitis

The pancreas, an organ in your upper abdomen, has several important functions. It secretes fluids into the bowel to help you digest your food. It also secretes hormones into the blood, one being insulin which regulates blood sugar levels. When the pancreas becomes inflamed for any reason, it is called pancreatitis.

GI Roundtable highlights focus on patient care

Recently I was privileged to be a part of a national GI Roundtable held here in Knoxville. During the course of two days, 130 invited leaders of gastrointestinal practices from across the country came together to discuss health care reform and the future of gastroenterology.

How to be Worry Free about Gluten-Free

Receiving a diagnosis of Celiac disease means a complete lifestyle change. The only accepted treatment of Celiac disease is a 100-percent gluten-free diet. Until recently, gluten-free products were sold only in specialty stores, and dietary options were extremely limited.

New Medicare Benefits Focus on Prevention

Beginning January 1, Medicare recipients will no longer be required to pay a co-pay or deductible to receive screening colonoscopies as part of the Medicare Preventive Services program.

Act Now! March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

There is no time like the present to schedule your colonoscopy. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a great time to remind you that colorectal cancer is a largely preventable, treatable and beatable disease.  But it is up to you.

Second annual GIA Screening Colonoscopy Day helps build awareness

Back by popular demand . . . we held our second annual GIA Screening Colonoscopy Day on Saturday, Oct. 9. This year we provided free colonoscopy screenings for 48 patients who were referred to us by Interfaith Health Clinic, The Free Medical Clinic of America and West Knox Free Clinic.

Ulcers: Separating Fact from Fiction

Ulcers are a common condition. About 20 million Americans now have, have had, or sometime in their lives will have an occurrence or recurrence of this chronic disease. Because ulcers are common, many people think they know all there is to know about the condition. Test your knowledge to see how much you really know:

Let’s Not Complicate Surgery with Infections

At Gastrointestinal Associates, we take infection control measures very seriously. We are so committed to this, in fact, that we have never experienced a single infection in our centers as a result of an endoscopic procedure since we began the very first gastrointestinal ambulatory surgery center in 1986. That is a remarkable record, and we are quite proud of it.

A Closer Look at Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, is a chronic inflammation of the intestinal wall that may affect any part of the digestive tract. Crohn’s has become more common in the past few decades, and chances are you know someone with the disease.