Digestive Health Specialists
Summer is right around the corner. Barbecue grills are getting fired up, graduation parties with delectable cakes and sweet summertime drinks are just a few weeks away, and restaurants with outdoor patios are in full swing ready to serve you their finest southern cuisine. Don’t let difficulty swallowing interfere with your fun summer plans.
It’s March and that means a lot more than bracket busters and the final four. It’s colon cancer awareness month. It’s true; it doesn’t sound as exciting… But oh man, is it! Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the US. This month signifies the leaps and bounds we have made in the fight against colorectal cancer.
On any given day, our providers here at Digestive Health Specialists see patients who experience a choking or strangling sensation in their throat. The medical term for this sensation is “dysphagia” and it means difficulty swallowing. It can occur in anyone but most commonly older adults.
Digestive Health Specialists is fighting back as a company against Colon Cancer! About three years ago, DHS formed a wellness team that acts as overall motivators and cheerleaders for the company’s health and well-being. At least 4 times a year, this team rolls out a “wellness challenge” that incorporates some part of their health that may be physical, stress management, healthy alternatives, fitness challenges, etc.
After years of seeing loyal DHS patients at JR Jones in King, NC we are building our own separate office location to continue the same excellent patient care. Starting in April, patients in communities north of Winston Salem, Stokes County, between Rural Hall and Mount Airy and even Virginia will be offered the same quality of GI healthcare received in our main office.
If you are a new patient to Digestive Health Specialists, consider scheduling your appointment with Dr. Dhyan Rajan! As our newest provider, his areas of expertise include Crohn’s disease, IBD, and ulcerative colitis. He is originally from rural Maryland but attended medical school in England, where he graduated magna cum laude with his Doctorate of Medicine in 2008.
Diarrhea, Fatigue, and Weight Loss… Oh My! Symptoms of IBD are no fun. IBD stands for inflammatory bowel disease and it involves chronic inflammation of all or part of your digestive tract. Two primary conditions we see patients for are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms of both are usually severe diarrhea, pain, fatigue, and weight loss.
Has it ever struck when traveling somewhere new and different? Maybe you thought nothing of it, but chances are it was traveler’s diarrhea. This is a digestive tract disorder that usually causes loose stools and stomach cramping. It stems from ingesting contaminated food or drinking water. The good news is traveler’s diarrhea is usually not serious, just inconvenient!
It seems that every passing month offers a new perspective on one of many digestive health-related topics. April is no exception—it is IBS awareness month! Irritable bowel syndrome can sound like a daunting disorder because it is common and encompasses many different symptoms. Affecting the large colon, IBS can cause cramping, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and constipation. Yikes!
March is Colon Cancer awareness month, and with that an influx of screening colonoscopies were scheduled here at Digestive Health Specialists! We did our best to show the community how important it is to get screened and how you can participate in fighting this disease.
