The digestive system is composed of an upper and lower gastrointestinal  tract. The lower GI tract includes the jejunum and the ileum (the middle and latter sections of the small intestine), the large intestine (colon), rectum, and anus.

Most of the nutrients from the food you eat are absorbed in the jejunum, while vitamin B12 is absorbed in the ileum. What’s left in the small intestine travels to the large intestine (colon). As these waste products move through the colon, water is absorbed and the particles become solid, forming into stool. The stool moves into the lower part of the colon then to the rectum and anal canal, where it passes out of your body as a bowel movement.

Lower GI symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids can be painful and shouldn’t be ignored, as they may indicate a serious underlying condition.

At Digestive and liver center of Florida, our board-certified Gastroenterologists are experts at diagnosing and treating lower GI conditions including:

• Anal Fissure, Abscess, and Fistula
• Anemia
• Colon Polyps
• Colon Cancer
• Constipation
• Crohn’s Disease
• Diarrhea
• Diverticulosis & Diverticulitis
• Hemorrhoids
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Rectal Bleeding
• Ulcerative Colitis

Your doctor may recommend diagnostic testing such as colonoscopy, enteroscopy, or a lower GI series/barium enema, along with lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery to alleviate symptoms and improve your quality of life.