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Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
About me
After graduating in 2006, I worked in the infectious disease department of a top-tier hospital, and later switched to the gastroenterology department where I am currently.
Proficient in diseases
Hepatitis, gastritis, enteritis, viral hepatitis, pancreatitis and other common internal medicine diseases and infectious diseases.
Voices
What department should I go to for acute gastroenteritis?
Symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever may indicate acute gastroenteritis. It is recommended to register for the Department of Gastroenterology, as acute gastroenteritis is primarily treated within this specialty. However, if the hospital does not have a Department of Gastroenterology, you can register for the Department of Internal Medicine for further examination and treatment. But if a large number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and pus cells are found in the stool, it is likely not acute gastroenteritis but bacterial dysentery, and it is advisable to register with the Department of Infectious Diseases or proceed to an infectious disease hospital for formal treatment.
How to check for pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis can cause acute abdominal pain, along with symptoms of nausea and vomiting, and severe cases can lead to hypotensive shock. In laboratory tests, the diagnosis is generally made by assessing serum or urine amylase levels. An amylase level that exceeds three times the normal value can diagnose pancreatitis. Additionally, ultrasound and CT scans can reveal an enlarged or exuding pancreas, and the presence of a small amount of fat necrosis around the pancreas can be diagnosed as pancreatitis. The onset time of serum amylase in pancreatitis varies; typically, serum amylase begins to increase between 6 and 12 hours and starts to decline after 48 hours, and can be detected within 3 to 5 days. Lipase levels typically start to rise between 24 to 72 hours and remain elevated longer, up to 7 to 10 days. Thus, lipase has diagnostic value for later stages of pancreatitis and tends to have higher specificity compared to amylase.
Can alcoholic liver cirrhosis be cured?
Cirrhosis caused by alcohol can be treated clinically. The first and foremost treatment for alcoholic cirrhosis is abstinence from alcohol. If one cannot abstain, no treatment will achieve the desired effect or be of much use. Once cirrhosis has developed, the condition cannot be reversed; it can only be managed with medications to slow the progression of the cirrhosis and reduce the occurrence of complications. If financial circumstances allow, a liver transplant can be considered for treatment. Naturally, alcoholic cirrhosis can also be treated with a liver transplant. Thus, alcoholic cirrhosis is a treatable condition.
What should I do if I have indigestion?
In real life, many people experience symptoms of indigestion after eating, especially those who have had their gallbladder removed or those who are bedridden due to trauma. How should this situation be handled? In clinical practice, medications can be used for treatment. In terms of medication selection, probiotics for the intestines can be utilized along with digestive enzymes. It is recommended to use medicinal probiotics rather than purchasing health supplements. Additionally, people who are bedridden for a long time may have insufficient gastrointestinal motility, so medications that enhance gastrointestinal motility, such as Itopride tablets, should be used. Medication is one aspect; diet also needs attention. It is important to consume easily digestible foods and adequately supplement dietary fiber, which means eating plenty of vegetables and easily digestible foods. (Please use medications under the guidance of a clinical doctor and based on specific conditions)
Can a gastroscopy detect Helicobacter pylori?
Helicobacter pylori is a type of bacterium that can easily infect and cause chronic gastritis, and it even has the potential to lead to cancer. Therefore, patients with Helicobacter pylori generally require formal treatment. In terms of diagnostics, Helicobacter pylori can be detected through a gastroscopy, but the bacteria cannot be detected by gastroscopy alone; the test for Helicobacter pylori is performed under the scope. However, the current main method for testing Helicobacter pylori is through a breath test, since undergoing a gastroscopy just to test for the bacteria can be quite uncomfortable. Moreover, the accuracy of the breath test is relatively high, so currently, Helicobacter pylori is generally detected via breath testing rather than gastroscopy.
Is it okay not to remove the spleen for cirrhosis with splenomegaly?
Once cirrhosis patients are found to have splenic hyperfunction, in order to reduce the splenic hyperfunction and its phagocytic destruction of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, the spleen must be dealt with. Traditionally, the treatment plan could involve surgically removing the spleen, also known as splenectomy. However, current treatment plans generally involve interventional methods. After multiple interventional embolizations, the spleen undergoes aseptic necrosis and is absorbed, thus improving the condition of splenic hyperfunction. Therefore, now in cases of cirrhosis with splenic hyperfunction, it is possible to treat without removing the spleen, using interventional methods instead.
Can bile reflux gastritis cause chest pain?
Once symptoms such as abdominal bloating, acid reflux, and belching are noticed and diagnosed as bile reflux gastritis, there could be chest pain which should be noted. This supposed chest pain is related to the esophagus; therefore, it occurs in the center of the chest, not on the sides. In such cases, symptomatic medical treatment can be applied. Typically, for bile reflux gastritis, proton pump inhibitors along with mucosal protectants and gastrointestinal prokinetic drugs can be used for treatment. Drugs that improve bile metabolism may also be used. Additionally, it's important to note in terms of diet, that chest pain is not necessarily caused entirely by reflux and other causes of chest pain should also be ruled out.
Does acute gastritis cause diarrhea?
If symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting occur acutely, it may be considered acute gastritis. However, if abdominal pain is accompanied by diarrhea, this condition should be considered gastroenteritis. Thus, acute gastritis generally does not cause diarrhea, whereas acute gastroenteritis can cause symptoms beyond those of the stomach, including diarrhea. Therefore, the difference between acute gastroenteritis and acute gastritis lies in the intestinal issues of the digestive tract. For the treatment of acute gastritis, medications for gastritis can be used to alleviate symptoms. Both are diseases of the digestive system, and proper examination and treatment can be sought in the gastroenterology department. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, do not self-medicate)
Is alcoholic cirrhosis ascites serious?
Once ascites caused by alcoholic liver cirrhosis is discovered, it indicates that the liver has reached the decompensated stage of cirrhosis, which is quite severe. Decompensated cirrhosis itself has a relatively low five-year and ten-year survival rate. Moreover, once the liver enters the decompensated stage, it is also prone to corresponding complications, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, infections, etc. Therefore, when alcoholic liver cirrhosis presents with ascites, it is crucial to seek treatment at a formal hospital. The condition is quite serious and requires active treatment.
Is gastroenteritis contagious?
There are many causes of gastroenteritis, and whether it can be contagious depends mainly on the pathogen involved. For example, if gastroenteritis is caused by an infection with bacterial dysentery leading to gastrointestinal symptoms, this situation can be spread via the digestive tract and is contagious. However, if the gastroenteritis symptoms arise from exposure to air conditioning and getting a chill, this situation is not contagious. Therefore, patients with gastroenteritis must undergo routine blood and stool tests to identify the cause of the infection.