Review of the Canadian Pain Task Force Report Background Pain, according to the International Association for the Study of Pain, is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such [...]
Ethical Dilemmas in Rare Diseases Scientists continue to make research advancements by creating specialized and highly effective therapies for many diseases and disorders, moving the population toward a better quality of life. It was fourteen years ago that Gail Attara, [...]
The History of Toilet Paper While grocery stores with fully stocked rows of toilet paper have made most of us take the product for granted, the widespread shortages that occurred during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic made the [...]
Western Herbal Medicines and IBS For decades, we’ve written about complementary and alternative therapies, such as herbal products and Traditional Chinese Medicine, for management of digestive ailments. There are still questions surrounding their safety and efficacy, but a recent meta-analysis [...]
Paying for Healthcare in Canada Canada’s healthcare system is popularly known as ‘free’ among global audiences. It is universal coverage for medically necessary healthcare services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay. However, we have [...]
Pancreatitis: What’s fibre got to do with it? Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. There are two main types of pancreatitis: acute (abrupt onset) and chronic (long-standing disease). The inflammation can damage pancreatic tissue and cause symptoms such as abdominal [...]
Advances in Diverticular Disease and Diet New evidence is shedding light on the ways diet influences diverticular disease and is reinforcing some of the Gastrointestinal Society’s long-held positions, such as how nuts and seeds are safe to eat. This article [...]
Fecal Microbiota Transplant For Severe C. diff Infections Our digestive tract can contain as many as 1,000 different species of microorganisms living in harmonious balance, most of which are harmless or even helpful. However, disrupting this balance can lead to [...]
Fibromyalgia and the Microbiome In 2019, researchers in Montreal were the first to demonstrate a link between alteration of the gut microbiome and fibromyalgia.1 Background Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder that causes pain all over the body, fatigue, sleep disturbance, [...]
IBS Updates 2020 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is so common that it’s likely you know at least one person affected by it. In 2003, the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research advocated to mayors in major cities across Canada and succeeded [...]
