Andrea Elizabeth Hanson MSW

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the body’s immune system attacking the digestive tract. In celiac disease, the immune system assaults and destroys the villi of the small intestine. When these villi are damaged, the intestines can no longer absorb nutrients...

What is the stomach flu?The stomach flu, as the name indicates, is not related to the respiratory disease influenza. It is the common name for gastroenteritis, a condition characterized by irritation and inflammation of the gut. This disease spreads through contaminated food and water, and is caused...

Jaundice is the yellowish color that often appears on the skin of newborns. This condition develops when bilirubin builds up in the baby’s blood. While pregnant, the mother’s liver gets rid of the infant’s bilirubin; however, after birth, the child’s liver eliminates the bilirubin on its...

IntroductionHemicrania continua is a rare and severe form of daily headaches. It is a continuous headache disorder, which is known to affect more women than men. It is a primary headache disorder, which means that an underlying cause has already been ruled out by carefully examining the medical...

For some, the first time they heard much about the term "Gluten-free" was from Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who was formerly on The View. She also was a hardcore player on the show Survivor, inspiring many across the nation. Some didn't understand what celiac disease really was when she spoke about it, but...

What is laparoscopy?Laparoscopy is a common procedure used for diagnosing and removing mild to moderate endometriosis. The surgeon puts a small viewing instrument known as laparoscope through a small abdominal cut. If more access is needed, the surgeon makes a small cut or two on the abdomen to...