December 2023

Raising Awareness About Abdominal Pain That Won’t Go Away

The first week of December is National Crohn’s and Colitis Week. The goal is to raise awareness about Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) which are disorders that cause chronic inflammation of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Two of the most common forms of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. 

If you have an IBD, you may be experiencing abdominal pain that won’t go away. It may be intense, crampy, and last for weeks or longer (not the occasional pain of a stomach bug or gas). Other signs of IBD may include:

• Chronic diarrhea, constipation, or both 
• Bloody bowel movements or mucus in your stool
• Feeling of an incomplete bowel movement
• Urgent need to empty your bowel

If you or a loved one are experiencing these symptoms, learn more about IBD. It’s important to find out what’s wrong and what you can do to feel better. Your doctor can diagnose your symptoms and help you manage them. Contact us for an appointment. We’re here to help.

Are You Regular? Find Out!

Your GI tract is a whopping 30 feet of muscle that breaks down what you eat and carries those nutrients to cells throughout your body. When running as it should, your GI tract strengthens your immune system, regulates your mood, and helps you sleep. Congrats! Your GI tract is considered “regular.” But if your GI tract is not running well, you may experience all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms, some that aren’t even related to your gut like skin irritation and migraines. 

These quick “gut tests” will help you determine if your GI tract is working as it should, or if you’re among the 60 to 70 million Americans who experience signs of digestive illnesses. Find out here.

Ryan’s Colonoscopy Story

Ryan had never had a colonoscopy. But when he turned 45 his doctor said it was time. That turned out to be good advice!

Preparing for the procedure meant spending an evening on the couch watching football in between trips to the bathroom. “It wasn’t fun. But it wasn’t horrible either,” he says. Turns out the colonoscopy also wasn’t horrible. “I was a little anxious because I wasn’t sure what to expect,” he recalls. But from the minute he walked in the door at Anderson Endoscopy Center he knew he was in good hands. 

Today, as he waits for the pathology results of biopsies taken during the procedure, he’s urging others who are due for a colonoscopy to get it scheduled. “Even if they find something as simple as a benign polyp, removing it could reduce your risk of colon cancer.” Read Ryan’s story.

Cincinnati GI Among Top Ambulatory Surgery Centers for 4th Year

The only outpatient surgery center in Cincinnati to appear on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers 2024 is our very own Anderson Endoscopy Center. It’s our fourth year making the list!

The five-room center provides endoscopic procedures in a private outpatient setting that is more convenient than many alternative locations. The Anderson Endoscopy Center staff specializes in endoscopic procedures and offers a cost-effective and convenient alternative to the hospital setting, but with the same quality of care and new state-of-the-art equipment.

The Anderson Endoscopy Center is located in the same building as Cincinnati GI’s Anderson physician office.