There is a wide range of gastrointestinal conditions, and their symptoms, severity, and types are often misunderstood. From bloating to chronic diarrhea, how do we know when to seek medical advice for something more serious? What are the various diagnoses? What are red flags to look out for? We spoke with Lin Chang, MD, gastroenterologist and vice-chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at UCLA, about the steps to looking at symptoms – and when to seek help, the 8 possible domains of GI conditions, how the gut and brain interact, and advice about how to improve gut health for patients to live their best lives.

<p>There is a wide range of <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/default.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gastrointestinal conditions</a>, and their symptoms, severity, and types are often misunderstood. From bloating to chronic diarrhea, how do we know when to seek medical advice for something more serious? What are the various diagnoses? What are red flags to look out for? We spoke with <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="twitter.com/@LinChangMD" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lin Chang, MD</a>, <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/ibs/what-gastroenterologists-do" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gastroenterologist</a> and vice-chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at UCLA, about the steps to looking at symptoms – and when to seek help, the 8 possible domains of GI conditions, how the <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href="https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/how-to-improve-your-gut-health-and-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gut and brain interact</a>, and advice about how to improve gut health for patients to live their best lives.</p>

WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

Health Discovered

There is a wide range of , and their symptoms, severity, and types are often misunderstood. From bloating to chronic diarrhea, how do we know when to seek medical advice for something more serious? What are the various diagnoses? What are red flags to...

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