Dr. Robert D. Mathieson M.D.

Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, a disease that is mostly known as the rupture of the appendix. The human appendix is considered to be a vestigial structure. Vestigial means lacking meaningful work, or the evolving of a part of the body to take on a new shape, or an organ that has...

The symptoms accompanying drug withdrawal can be psychological or physical, changing your thoughts, feelings, and actions. For instance, drugs like cocaine and heroin trigger strong physical dependence. For other chemical substances, dependencies are more likely to cause psychological problems....

A colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure, wherein the rectum and the large intestine are checked. You do not need to stay overnight at the hospital or clinic unless your doctor needs to have additional tests done or needs you to be monitored for a short while.A colonoscopy can be used to identify...

You can opt to take ursodiol (a bile acid that occurs naturally and assists in dissolving cholesterol) in case you do not want surgery, if you are not able to undergo surgery, or if your gallstones are small. Ursodiol dissolves the gallstones that are made up of cholesterol, and sometimes, it can...

When a piece of tissue or an organ protrudes from its normal position, the condition is called a hernia. An abdominal hernia occurs when a piece of bowel protrudes through a weak area of the abdominal walls. Muscle and tissue layers form the abdominal walls. Weak spots may arise from these layers,...

In the United States alone, more than 1 million individuals suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Such diseases interfere with the body’s ability to absorb the nutrients it requires, thereby leading to deficiencies. If you are suffering...