Dr. Satish Rao has been included in America’s Top Doctors,® a national patient reference guide published by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. for his expertise - both clinical and investigative - in gastroenterology for more than 15 years.

America's Top Doctors

American Gastroenterology Association award for excellence and dedication to the clinical profession of gastroenterology

Distinguished Clinician Award

American Gastroenterology Association award for excellence in clinical research efforts.

Masters Award for Outstanding Clinical Research

The highest research award from ACG, and in 2007 the ACG Novartis Motility research award for the best research paper. In 2009, he was awarded the International Foundation for Functional GI disorders Senior Clinical Investigator Award.

American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) Auxiliary Research Award

In 2010, he received the most distinguished honor from University of Iowa, University of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.

Regents Award for Faculty Excellence

American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS)

Anorectal disorders

Treatment of fecal incontinence: state of the science summary for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases workshop

An update on anorectal disorders for gastroenterologists

Augusta University is Georgia's health sciences university and a national center for cyber security education. Home to the state’s only public academic medical center, Augusta’s world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today. The university is comprised of nine colleges, including one of the nation's oldest medical schools, the Medical College of Georgia; the Hull College of Business; and the state's only dental school, the Dental College of Georgia.

Augusta University

Rao helped launch the Augusta University Digestive Health Center. He is one of a rare breed of academicians who has excelled as an outstanding researcher, distinguished educator and as a Master Clinician. 

Rao’s research interests focus on the pathophysiology and treatment of IBS, food intolerance particularly fructose intolerance, constipation and fecal incontinence and visceral pain, particularly esophageal chest pain. He has pioneered several new techniques of evaluating esophageal, gastric, colonic, and anorectal function, in particular the brain-gut axis, has received several patents and pioneered the technique of biofeedback therapy for dyssynergic defecation. 

He is currently investigating the neurobiologic mechanisms of biofeedback therapy and pioneering new treatments for fructose intolerance.

Bowel movements

Constipation

Motility

Fructose intolerance

Brain-gut connection

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Ibd)

Digestive Health Disorders

Biofeedback Therapy

Gastroenterology

Anorectal Disorders

English

Hindi

Telugu

News and press release archive for Satish Rao

Faculty Directory Profile

Research Profile

Colon Cancer Versus Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): What Are the Symptoms?

Backed Up? Here's Exactly How To Make Yourself Poop

Colin's Constipation Contemplation And Cogitation

Doctors Reveal the 9 Best Health Hacks For 2018

How to Recover from a Food Coma

‘How Often Should I Really Be Pooping?’  Your number-one question about going number two.

Sloths Die from Bowel Movement : Can Humans Die From It Too?

Why Coffee Makes You Poop

MCG doctor honored with educator, mentor award from American College of Gastroenterology

Everyone poops weirdly on vacation

What Really Happens to Your Body When You’re Constipated

Vibrating pill could help sufferers of chronic constipation

Expert Panel Proposes Definition for Occasional Constipation

New treatment approved for chronic constipation

Shaking it up: MCG advances research for vibrating capsule to treat chronic constipation

There are plenty of food and drinks that help keep you hydrated. Guzzling bubbly drinks may not be the best. They may help you stay hydrated, but they may make you feel gassy and bloated if you become constipated. 

whats-the-best-way-to-stay-regular-and-not-get-constipated-when-on-vacation-or-a-trip

What's the best way to stay regular and not get constipated when on vacation or a trip? 


In my experience it's pretty common - affecting one in three people. Having a bowel movement anywhere from two to three times a week or three times a day is normal. If you are going less often, or your stools are lumpy and painful to pass, then you're probably constipated.  

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Why does constipation hit when leave for a trip or go on vacation? 


one-in-seven-americans-suffers-from-fecal-incontinence-but-is-anyone-talking-about-it-augusta-university-expert-offers-treatments-research-to-help

Digestive Health Expert

Bowel or fecal incontinence, according to the Mayo Clinic, “is the inability to control bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. Also called bowel incontinence, fecal incontinence ranges from an occasional leakage of stool while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control. Common causes of fecal incontinence include diarrhea, constipation, and muscle or nerve damage. The muscle or nerve damage may be associated with aging or with giving birth.” Dr. Satish Rao is a seasoned gastroenterologist and an expert in digestive health, particularly the brain-gut connection. Rao, a professor of medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, recently offered a Q&amp;A on the topic of fecal incontinence with the journal Gastroenterology &amp; Hepatology. What is the prevalence of fecal incontinence in the adult population?Surveys have indicated a prevalence of approximately 9% to 10% in the United States. A recent study reported a 14% prevalence, although this study was Internet-based and, thus, may not have included many elderly patients, as they may not be as computer-savvy as younger patients.It is safe to say that one in seven Americans currently suffers from fecal incontinence. Prevalence appears to be equal in men and women, although women outnumber men almost three to one when it comes to gastroenterology clinic visits and health care-seeking. Men may be too embarrassed to bring the issue of fecal incontinence to the attention of a physician, but when asked about it, they will admit and discuss it. Also, extracting information from a patient about fecal incontinence depends on how the question is asked. Asking patients whether they have daily leakage vs whether they ever have had leakage or have had leakage in the past month will elicit different responses that a clinician may interpret differently. It is important to remember that leakage is not a physiologic event that a healthy adult should have at any time, even once a month or once a year. Not having the capacity to control bowel evacuation or having leakage unaware of its occurrence signals an abnormality.   What are notable risk factors for fecal incontinence?  In women, pregnancy can be a risk factor, particularly if giving birth involves pelvic tissue damage, such as injury inflicted by forceps use or the unfortunate occurrence of a significant tear. Neurologic or back injuries are other common risk factors. Also, chronic diarrhea can progress to fecal incontinence owing to severe irritation of the rectum or irritants in stool. Further, any condition that changes the ability of rectal capacity can result in fecal incontinence. These circumstances can include surgery or radiation to the rectal area.Hear from a patient and learn more about Rao's research using magnetic stimulation to treat fecal incontinence. What treatment modalities are currently available?Simple, conservative treatment consists of educating patients about fecal incontinence and instructing them to avoid precipitating events. For example, although many people love to have a meal followed by a cup of coffee and a walk, such a sequence of activities is ill-advised for an incontinent patient: the meal provokes a gastric-colonic response, coffee is a powerful colonic stimulant, and exercise also stimulates motility. This triad creates the perfect storm for a stool leakage or accident while the patient is out on the after-dinner walk. Antidiarrheal therapies can be very effective but only in approximately 15% to 20% of patients. Another treatment is biofeedback, which can correct muscle weakness using behavioral techniques. Biofeedback provides resolution in approximately 50% to 70% of patients. The traditional model of office-based biofeedback requires that the patient make 6 or even up to 10 visits to a specialty clinic. This may mean that some patients must drive very long distances to an appropriate care facility that is staffed with trained personnel or physical therapists. This scenario presents a significant challenge for many patients, which is increasingly being recognized by health care professionals and researchers. Good devices for home-based biofeedback have been scarce; however, such a device was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The research center at Augusta University has tested it in a clinical trial setting and found it to be quite effective as a home biofeedback treatment. Dextranomer is another treatment modality. It involves injection of small beads of dextran polymers into the anorectal region. The beads form a protective cuff or a buffer to stop stool leakage. Another treatment modality is sacral nerve stimulation using the Medtronic InterStim system. The patient is outfitted with a pacemaker-like device with wires that continuously stimulate the sacral nerves that control stool events. In the case of a torn muscle, suturing the torn ends to reduce the size of the anorectal opening is usually useful for women postpartum, although the effect may not be sustained in the long term. What emerging treatments and research should clinicians be aware of?One emerging treatment developed at Augusta University’s Clinical Research Center is called translumbosacral neuromodulation therapy (TNT). TNT is similar to TAMS and involves the fecal delivery of magnetic energy through an insulated coil to the lumbosacral nerves that regulate anorectal function. The pulses generated are of the same strength as those of magnetic resonance imaging. The team at Augusta University’s research center has shown that TNT mechanistically improves nerve function and substantively improves stool leakage. A sham-controlled study and long-term study are currently underway at Augusta University and Harvard University’s Massachusetts General Hospital. These studies are being sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.  A multicenter study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that the team at Augusta University also is involved with is the FIT (Fecal Incontinence Treatment) trial. This randomized study compares biofeedback with dextranomer injection. Also, as mentioned, tools are becoming available for home biofeedback that should allow many more affected patients to receive treatment because they can do so in the comfort of their own home. The research center at Augusta University is working on a novel home biofeedback protocol for the treatment of constipation and fecal incontinence.  Thus, novel noninvasive tools are emerging for fecal incontinence. The repertoire of current and emerging tools holds the promise of improved outcomes for patients with fecal incontinence.Rao is also the founder of the Augusta University Digestive Health Center. He is available to speak to media regarding any aspect of digestive health -- simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

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