Patient Education

The physicians at Unio Specialty Care - Gastroenterology are specialist-trained to care for a wide range of digestive and liver diseases. Here are just a few of the most common conditions that we treat and procedures that we perform. Read the following articles to learn more about these conditions, which have been written by our physicians.

Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 24-Hour pH Testing: Measuring Acid Reflux Esophageal pH testing measures how often acid reflux happens and whether it matches your symptoms. Used for heartburn that doesn't respond to medicine and before reflux surgery.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Abdominal Pain and Bloating: When to See a GI Doctor Belly pain and bloating have many causes, from IBS to gallstones. Learn common causes by location, red-flag symptoms, and how a gastroenterologist evaluates them.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Abdominal Ultrasound: Preparing for Your Test Abdominal ultrasound uses sound waves to look at the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and more. No needles or radiation. How to prepare, what to wear, and how long it takes.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Abnormal Liver Tests: What High ALT, AST, or Bilirubin Means High liver enzymes on a blood test are common. Learn what ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin mean, common causes like fatty liver and hepatitis, and next steps.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Anal Fissures: Painful Bowel Movements and Bleeding An anal fissure is a small tear that causes sharp pain and bleeding with bowel movements. Learn causes, home care, prescription treatments, and when procedures help.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Autoimmune Hepatitis, PBC, and PSC Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are immune-related liver diseases. Learn symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Barrett's Esophagus: Who Should Be Checked and How It's Treated Barrett's esophagus is a change in the esophagus lining caused by long-term acid reflux. Learn who should be screened, how it's found, and treatment options.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Celiac Disease: Symptoms, Testing, and the Gluten-Free Diet Celiac disease is an immune reaction to gluten that damages the small intestine. Learn the symptoms, how to get tested correctly, and how it's managed.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Chronic Diarrhea: Causes and When to See a Gastroenterologist Diarrhea lasting more than 4 weeks needs a closer look. Learn common causes, warning signs, tests, and treatments for chronic diarrhea.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Colon Polyps and Colon Cancer Screening: Start at 45 Colon cancer screening is recommended starting at age 45. Learn about colon polyps, screening options like colonoscopy and stool tests, and how often to be screened.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Crohn's Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Clinical Trials Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract. Learn the symptoms, how it's diagnosed, current treatments, and our clinical trials now enrolling.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention Diverticulosis is common with age; diverticulitis is when the pouches become inflamed. Learn the symptoms, when to seek care, treatment, and prevention.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Trouble Swallowing (Dysphagia): Causes, Tests, and Treatment Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) is never normal. Learn common causes, when it's an emergency, and how a GI evaluates and treats it with endoscopy and manometry.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE): Trouble Swallowing and Food Getting Stuck Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic inflammation of the esophagus that causes trouble swallowing and food getting stuck. Learn diagnosis and treatment options.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Esophageal Manometry: Testing How Your Esophagus Works Esophageal manometry measures the pressure and coordination of the esophagus muscles. Used for trouble swallowing, achalasia, chest pain, and before reflux surgery.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Esophageal Motility Disorders and Achalasia When the esophagus muscles don't squeeze normally, food can stick or come back up. Learn about achalasia, esophageal spasm, testing with manometry, and treatment.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Fatty Liver Disease (MASLD) and Liver Elastography (FibroScan) What fatty liver disease (MASLD/MASH) is, how liver elastography (FibroScan) checks for fat and scarring, and today's treatments, including Rezdiffra and Wegovy.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: What to Expect Flexible sigmoidoscopy examines the rectum and lower colon with a simpler prep than colonoscopy, usually a Fleet enema. Why it's done, how to prepare, and recovery.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Gallstones, Gallbladder Disease, and Pancreatitis Gallstones can cause pain, bile duct blockage, and pancreatitis. Learn the symptoms, emergency warning signs, and treatments including ERCP and gallbladder surgery.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Gastritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. Learn the common causes, including H. pylori and NSAIDs, symptoms, how it's diagnosed, and treatment.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Gastroparesis: When the Stomach Empties Too Slowly Gastroparesis causes nausea, vomiting, and early fullness because the stomach empties too slowly. Learn causes, testing, diet changes, and treatments.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 GERD and Acid Reflux: Causes, Treatment, and When to See a GI Frequent heartburn may be GERD. Learn the causes, lifestyle changes and medicines that help, warning signs, and when an upper endoscopy is needed.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 GI Bleeding and Iron-Deficiency Anemia Black stools, blood in the stool, or unexplained iron-deficiency anemia can mean bleeding in the digestive tract. Learn the causes, warning signs, and tests.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 B型肝炎：檢測、治療與肝癌篩檢 B型肝炎在華人社區很常見，而且通常沒有症狀。了解哪些人應該檢測、如何治療，以及肝癌篩檢的重要性。Temple City 會說國語的腸胃科醫生。
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Hepatitis B: Testing, Treatment, and Liver Cancer Screening Hepatitis B is common in Asian American communities and often has no symptoms. Learn who should be tested, how it's treated, and why liver cancer screening matters.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Hepatitis C: A Curable Liver Infection Hepatitis C can now be cured in 8 to 12 weeks with pills. Learn who should be tested, what treatment involves, and what to expect after cure.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Liver Cancer Screening: Who Needs It and How Often People with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B have a higher risk of liver cancer. Learn who should be screened, the ultrasound and AFP schedule, and why early detection matters.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Liver Elastography (FibroScan): A Painless Test for Liver Fat and Scarring Liver elastography (FibroScan) measures liver stiffness and fat in about 10 to 30 minutes, with no needles. Who needs it, how to prepare, and what results mean.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Microscopic Colitis: A Hidden Cause of Watery Diarrhea Microscopic colitis causes chronic watery diarrhea, often in older adults, and can only be diagnosed with biopsies. Learn causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Motility Capsule Test: Measuring How Your Gut Moves The motility capsule test measures how fast food moves through the stomach, small intestine, and colon. Used for gastroparesis and severe constipation. Prep and what to expect.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Pancreatic Cysts: What to Do When One Is Found Pancreatic cysts are often found by chance on a CT or MRI. Most are harmless, but some need monitoring. Learn the types, follow-up tests, and when EUS is used.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Rectal Bleeding: Common Causes and When to See a Doctor Blood in the stool or on toilet paper has many causes, from hemorrhoids to polyps. Learn common causes, emergency warning signs, and when you need a colonoscopy.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) SIBO happens when too many bacteria grow in the small intestine, causing bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Learn risk factors, breath testing, and treatment.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 22, 2026 Small Bowel Enteroscopy: Looking Deeper Into the Small Intestine Enteroscopy uses a longer endoscope to examine and treat the small intestine, often for bleeding or anemia found on capsule endoscopy. How to prepare and what to expect.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 23, 2026 Stomach Cancer Risk and Screening in Asian Americans Asian Americans have a higher risk of stomach cancer. Learn the risk factors, the role of H. pylori, warning signs, and when to talk with a GI about screening endoscopy.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 亞裔美國人的胃癌風險與篩檢華人等亞裔族群罹患胃癌的風險較高。了解風險因素、幽門螺旋桿菌的影響、警訊症狀，以及何時應考慮胃鏡篩檢。
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Nguy Cơ và Tầm Soát Ung Thư Dạ Dày ở Người Mỹ Gốc Á Người gốc Á, trong đó có người Việt, có nguy cơ ung thư dạ dày cao hơn. Tìm hiểu các yếu tố nguy cơ, vai trò của vi khuẩn H. pylori, dấu hiệu cảnh báo và khi nào nên nội soi.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Ulcerative Colitis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Clinical Trials Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the colon. Learn the symptoms, how it's diagnosed, today's treatments, and our clinical trials now enrolling.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Oct 24, 2026 Viêm Gan B: Xét Nghiệm, Điều Trị và Tầm Soát Ung Thư Gan Viêm gan B rất phổ biến trong cộng đồng người Việt và thường không có triệu chứng. Tìm hiểu ai nên xét nghiệm, cách điều trị và tầm soát ung thư gan. Bác sĩ nói tiếng Việt tại Temple City.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Nov 18, 2023 Capsule Endoscopy (NaviCam® Small Bowel) Capsule Endoscopy, also called a video capsule endoscopy, is a procedure that uses a small camera inside a capsule to examine the esophagus, stomach, and, most…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Nov 4, 2018 H. Pylori Infection H. pylori infection is a form of infection that happens when a bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach. This usually occurs during childhood and is…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Nov 4, 2018 Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also referred to as spastic colon, a disorder that affects the large intestine. This gastrointestinal disorder comes with both common…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 21, 2018 Hemorrhoid Banding Hemorrhoid banding, or hemorrhoid band ligation, is a non-surgical treatment for internal hemorrhoids. It is the preferred treatment option for hemorrhoids that have…
Tim Chen, MD · Jun 21, 2018 ERCP: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography ERCP stands for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography, a highly specialized endoscopic procedure. ERCP helps to diagnose and treat issues in the bile and…
Tim Chen, MD · Jun 21, 2018 Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) An Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) uses an endoscopic procedure (a long, finger-width flexible tube with a camera on the end) to view the throat, stomach and small…
Tim Chen, MD · Jun 21, 2018 Peptic Ulcer Disease Peptic ulcer disease is a condition where ulcerations, or sores, form on the lining of the stomach or intestines, although ulcers can form anywhere along the…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 20, 2018 Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer, which is also referred to as large bowel cancer, rectal cancer or colon cancer, affects the colon and the rectum. A cancer is an abnormal growth…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 20, 2018 Colonoscopy A colonoscopy is the examination of the large intestine and the distal part of the small intestine using a camera on a flexible tube inserted from the anus performed…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 17, 2018 Hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids is a medical condition whereby the veins located in the anus and the lower rectum become swollen, causing discomfort, pain, and even bleeding.
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 17, 2018 Constipation By definition, constipation if the difficult passage of stools that tends to be persistent for several weeks or even longer. Generally, someone with constipation may…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 17, 2018 Cirrhosis Cirrhosis is a condition whereby the liver is permanently scarred or injured by chronic conditions or diseases. The scar tissue that forms of the liver prevents…
Ken D. Nguyen, MD · Jun 17, 2018 Upper GI Endoscopy An Upper GI Endoscopy, also called an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), is a procedure that diagnoses and treats issues in the small intestine, esophagus, and…