Welcome to Katy Stomach Doctor, where you can find trusted digestive health specialists Waller County, TX. We want you to feel great and know that taking care of your gut health is important for your general health. Our digestive health specialists are experts at preventing, identifying, and treating digestive diseases like hepatitis C, GERD, and helicobacter pylori. We have done a lot of treatments with good results, like colonoscopies and hemorrhoid banding.
Our Digestive Health Specialists Waller County, TX Can Help You Out
At Katy Stomach Doctor, our goal is to give each customer care that meets their needs and is effective and kind. We think it is important to listen to our patients and make treatment plans that fit their tastes and way of life. Our team, led by Dr. James Maher, has a lot of experience with the latest medical technology, and our state-of-the-art building has everything we need to give you the best care.
What You Should Know About GI Problems
Gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses affect the digestive system, which includes the esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines, and rectum. Acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn ?Ts disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease are some of the most common GI diseases.
When it comes to GI problems, getting them diagnosed and treated quickly is the best way to avoid long-term damage or difficulties. GI illnesses can cause symptoms like chronic pain and changes in bowel habits that can make life hard and stop people from living to the best. Thus, it is important to go to the doctor as soon as possible.
At Katy Stomach Doctor, we know how important it is to get help for stomach problems right away. Our team of trained and experienced gastroenterologists cares for you with kindness and safety in mind. We use advanced diagnostic testing methods and procedures like colonoscopies and hemorrhoid banding to make quick and accurate diagnoses so that treatment can start right away.
Options for Treating Stomach and Intestine Problems
At Katy Stomach Doctor, we offer full treatment plans that are made to fit the needs of each patient. Our team of experienced doctors will work with you to figure out the best way to treat your GI problems.
Changes to your food and exercise routines, as well as medications like proton-pump inhibitors and biologics, may be part of a treatment plan. In some cases, you may need surgery. Before starting any treatment, our doctors will tell you in detail what the benefits and risks will be.
When you come to our Katy location, you can be sure that you are in good hands. We take the time to talk to you and answer any questions you might have so that you can make an educated decision about your health care.
Common Questions
Q: What are the signs of hepatitis C, what are the risk factors, and how is it treated?
A: Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that affects the liver. If it is not treated, it can lead to major problems. It is one of the main causes of long-term liver disease in the U.S., and it is spread from person to person through blood contact. The virus is very contagious, but some medicines work.
Hepatitis C is often called aosilent ? infection because many people with it do not show any signs at all. In some cases, though, signs may include fatigue, jaundice, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, nausea, and fever. If you have any of these signs, you should see a doctor to get a correct diagnosis and the right treatment.
Hepatitis C can happen to anyone, but some groups are more likely to get it than others. Sharing needles or other drug equipment, getting a blood transfusion before 1992, having unprotected sex with someone who has the virus, or coming into direct touch with the blood of someone with hepatitis C are all ways to get the disease. If you are in any of these groups, you should get checked for the virus.
Most of the time, hepatitis C is managed with drugs that help get rid of the virus in the body. Most of the time, you have to take more than one drug over the course of a few weeks or months. Some people may react well to treatment and get better as a result. In other cases, the medicine might not work, and the infection might keep coming back.
If you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C, you should get checked right away and see a doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment can avoid long-term health problems and make it less likely that the disease will spread to other people. There is help available, so do not be afraid to ask for it.
Q: What are the signs of GERD, what causes it, and how is it treated?
A: Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a common digestive disorder that can cause pain and even long-term health problems if it is not handled. When food and stomach acid go back up into the esophagus, GERD happens. This causes heartburn and other symptoms.
The most common sign of GERD is heartburn, which feels like your chest is on fire. Other common signs are trouble eating, pain in the chest or abdomen, a sore throat, or a dry cough. If you have any of these symptoms often, you should talk to your doctor so that you can get a correct diagnosis and start treatment.
GERD can happen to anyone, but the chance goes up if you are overweight, eat big meals, lie down within three hours of eating, smoke, or drink alcohol. Some foods, like coffee, tomatoes, chocolate, booze, spicy or greasy foods, and acidic foods, can also cause GERD symptoms. If you are at risk for GERD, you should be aware of what you eat and what might set it off.
The first step in treating GERD is making changes to your lifestyle, like staying away from things that make it worse, losing weight if you need to, and not drinking or smoking. Also, your doctor may suggest that you take medicine to lower stomach acid and help stop GERD symptoms.
If making changes to your lifestyle and taking medicine is not enough to control your GERD, your doctor may suggest surgery. Surgery is generally only needed in severe cases, like when GERD causes complications or when medicines do not work.
