Hemorrhoids are common, and many refer to them as piles. They are enlarged blood vessels just inside or outside the anus and look like small red or purple lumps. You might find blood after you go for a poop (this will be bright red blood, seen on wiping or on the stool), or you can get pain and itching around the anus. For the majority of people, they cause no symptoms at all. Sometimes hemorrhoids can become thrombosed, which means they have no blood flow due to a blood clot. These are very painful and tender to touch. Hemorrhoids are not contagious and cannot be passed on.

If you have repeated indigestion or acid reflux, you may be at risk of developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is a general term, used to describe acid reflux, either with or without inflammation of the gullet (esophagus). In it, the corrosive acid our stomach produces to break down food moves up to the esophagus (the food pipe), where the lining is much more sensitive and so can get damaged over time. If you have GERD, you typically experience heartburn, where you may feel a gnawing or burning pain in your central chest that moves up to the throat after eating. While you may have suffered indigestion before, symptoms with GERD may be much more easily triggered, more severe, and last longer after eating or drinking. It can also be the case that the usual treatments you have used before and which worked well may no longer be effective. Regular acid reflux is more common in smokers, pregnant women, heavy drinkers, the overweight or obese and people aged between 35 and 65 years old.

Gastroenteritis is a gut infection that causes abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea or vomiting. You might also feel feverish and will almost certainly have lost your appetite. It's very common, with about 20 per cent of people in the US being affected by it every year, although for most people this is mild and self-limiting and does not require medical attention. Any number of bugs can cause it, but viruses are the most common cause in the US – rotavirus is a common culprit and outbreaks can occur in schools and workplaces. Bacteria may cause gastroenteritis from contaminated food or water, such as meat that hasn’t been cooked through, for example at barbecues; or rice or salad that has sat out, such as at a buffet on a warm day; or drinking from a stream or pond. Travel to exotic locations or ones without good sanitation may bring you into contact with parasites or bacteria, and these may be responsible for your gastroenteritis. Most cases will resolve without treatment and by drinking plenty of fluids in order to prevent dehydration. The majority of gastroenteritis cases improve significantly within 72 hours, however sometimes they may continue for up to 5-10 days. The infection – whether  viral or bacterial – irritates the lining of the stomach and gut making the bowel muscles tighten, which in turn triggers vomiting and/or diarrhea. Depending on the type of bug involved and its severity, symptoms can occur from an hour to several days after getting infected. How is it diagnosed? Most people with mild gastroenteritis recognize their symptoms and do not need any medical attention. Tests are not usually needed, although if diarrhea persists for a number of days, then a stool (feces) sample may be tested to try to identify the cause of the infection. Diagnosis is mostly by the symptoms alone however.

Gastritis means the lining of the stomach is inflamed. You may feel a gnawing or burning pain in your tummy, just above the belly button, a feeling of fullness or bloating, nausea or vomiting, and you may suffer belching. It’s closely related to acid reflux, and you may experience heartburn or discomfort in your chest or throat after eating. If prolonged, it’s important that it is recognized and treated, as it carries a risk of stomach ulcers, which is serious. You should avoid anything that makes it worse – there are well-known triggers – and seek medication if things aren’t improving.

Gallbladder cancer is a rare malignancy that originates in the tissue lining of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ located beneath the liver, responsible for storing bile: a fluid produced by the liver to aid in digesting fatty foods. Although gallbladder cancer is uncommon, it can have serious consequences if not detected and managed promptly.

The esophagus is another name for the food pipe, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. Esophageal cancer can arise anywhere along the food pipe. In the US, it is rather uncommon. There are two types of esophageal cancer: adenocarcinoma is the most common, arising from within the mucous glands towards the bottom of the tube, and squamous cell carcinoma, which arises from the lining of the esophagus in the top and middle part of the tube. The sooner the cancer is found, the better the chance of curing the disease. It’s tough to treat, and survival depends on whether the cancer has spread to other body parts.

Diverticulitis is a condition where parts of the bowel become inflamed or infected. The bowel is a muscular tube with a smooth wall that stool (poop) can pass along easily, helped by contractions of the gut muscles. As we age, our bowel can develop small outpouchings which are known as diverticula, and we think this is likely to be due to not eating enough fiber in our diet. Diverticula are very common and become more common with increasing age. This means that in the US about half of all people have at least one large bowel diverticula by the age of 50, and by the age of 80 about 7 in 10 of people have them. In around three quarters of people with diverticula, there are no symptoms and they cause no harm. However, if these pockets get inflamed or infected – typically because of poop becoming trapped in them - this is known as diverticulitis and about 1 in 5 people with diverticula will experience this at some time. People with a sudden flare of diverticulitis will suffer from constant abdominal pain, usually in the left lower side, that comes and goes but is usually worse after eating and gets better after passing gas or stool. Other symptoms include constipation or diarrhea, mucus or blood in the stool, and a fever. You can become quite ill. Diverticulitis is diagnosed by your doctor after examining you, or from what is seen on either a CT scan or a colonoscopy (a camera placed inside the rectum). Occasionally, if you have no relevant symptoms or only mild tummy pain and occasional bleeding from the rectum, diverticula may be seen as an incidental finding if you have a scan for another reason, and this is of little significance.

Cystitis means inflammation of the bladder and is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Cystitis is often used interchangeably with the term urinary tract infection (UTI), although technically, cystitis is a subtype of the umbrella term UTI, which also includes infections in other parts of the kidney-bladder-urethra system. Common complaints are pain or burning on passing urine, needing to go more often, and yet little may be passed and racing to the bathroom with great urgency to pass urine. Less common symptoms include stomach pain, blood in the urine or smelly urine. Cystitis is usually caused by certain bacteria, many of which occur naturally on your skin and in your gut. Owing to the close proximity of your waterworks to the bowel system, bacteria that are usually harmless in the feces or on your skin can contaminate the urinary system and cause a bladder infection.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system. It can affect any part of the gut, from the mouth to the anus, but most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine (ileum) and the large intestine (colon). Crohn’s disease is one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), along with ulcerative colitis.

Constipation can happen to anyone from time to time. It's when you have to strain to open your bowels or have a bowel movement less often. This is usually less than three times a week, and stool can become hard and difficult to pass. Other symptoms include: bloating tummy pain nausea loss of appetite It's a very common problem and doesn't usually point to a serious cause, although certain health conditions make you more prone. You can take action yourself to address diet and activity levels or try some gentle medications to soften the stool and move it along. Constipation can feel uncomfortable and may cause complications such as: hemorrhoids anal fissures, which are small tears in the anus fecal impaction, where hard, dry stool collects in the rectum overflow diarrhea and possibly leakage It's important to address it early on before problems build up. We'll talk you through likely triggers, how to address them, and medications and remedies you can try to get things moving along.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where you react to eating gluten. Gluten provokes an immune response, causing damage to the bowel and causing tummy pain, bloating and other symptoms. Along with ongoing symptoms, if you keep eating gluten, this can have long-term implications such as anemia and osteoporosis as you will have difficulty absorbing essential nutrients.

Cancer occurs when cells in our body multiply out of control, producing lots of abnormal cells. These abnormal cells don't function like they should and can invade tissues or organs and sometimes spread to other parts of the body. Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, includes cancer of the colon (which is the large intestine) and cancer of the rectum (which is the last few inches of the large intestine before it turns into the anus). It is the third most common cancer in the US, affecting both men and women, and is more likely as we age. Certain genetic and lifestyle factors can increase your risk - we'll talk you through them. Symptoms of bowel cancer include blood in the stool, a change in your bowel habits for more than a few weeks, and a tending towards diarrhea, but may also tend towards constipation, too. Another symptom may be abdominal pain or discomfort and bloating. It is important to note that most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer, but if they persist, occur with older individuals, or occur with symptoms like loss of appetite, fatigue, and unintentional weight loss - this should be discussed with a doctor urgently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults aged 45-75 years be screened for colorectal cancer. Your doctor may recommend earlier testing if you are at higher risk. Results from this initial test will determine how often you should be rescreened. Evidence shows you can reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by eating a high-fiber diet with lots of fruit and vegetables and avoiding processed foods. You should avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake to lower risk and keep fit and maintain a healthy weight.