Intestinal Disease
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Gastrointestinal conditions are disorders of the digestive system, an extensive and complex system that breaks down food in order to absorb water and extract nutrients, minerals and vitamins for the body’s use, while then removing unabsorbed waste (yes, we’re talking about poop).
Also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the digestive system comprises a range of vital digestive organs, including:
- The mouth
- Esophagus (the “feeding pipe”)
- Stomach
- Small and large bowels
- Rectum, and anus
Symptoms of gastrointestinal Diseases
Symptoms of digestive disorders obviously vary from condition to condition and from person to person. However, some symptoms are common to most gastrointestinal problems. Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal discomfort (bloating, pain or cramps)
- Unintentional weight loss
- Vomiting and nausea
- Acid reflux (heartburn)
- Diarrhea, constipation (or sometimes both)
- Fecal incontinence
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty swallowing.
What causes Gastrointestinal Diseases?
Many factors may upset your GI tract and its motility (ability to keep moving), including:
- Eating a diet low in fiber.
- Not getting enough exercise.
- Traveling or other changes in routine.
- Eating large amounts of dairy products.
- Stress.
- Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, possibly because of hemorrhoids.
- Overusing anti-diarrheal medications that, over time, weaken the bowel muscle movements called motility.
- Taking antacid medicines containing calcium or aluminum.
- Taking certain medicines
- Pregnancy.
Common Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Celiac disease: Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder where the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten. Ingestion of gluten causes the immune system of the body to attack the small intestine, leading to damage to the villi of the small intestine, which are small fingerlike projections that promote nutrient absorption.
- Constipation: Constipation is the term used to describe difficulty or infrequency in passing stools (feces). Not everybody has a daily bowel movement, so the passage of time between bowel motions before constipation occurs varies from person to person.
- Crohn’s Disease: Crohn’s disease is a chronic bowel disease that causes patches of inflammation in the GI tract anywhere between the mouth and the anus, although the area where the small intestine joins the large intestine is most commonly affected.
- Diarrhea: Symptoms of diarrhea include frequent, loose, watery stools (feces) which are usually accompanied by an urgent need to go to the toilet. Abdominal pain or cramping may also occur, and sometimes nausea or vomiting. Viruses are a common cause of diarrhea, particularly noroviruses which are a common cause of diarrhea and vomiting outbreaks on cruise ships.
- Diverticular disease: Diverticular disease is a chronic condition in which small pockets or out-pouchings, called diverticula, occur in the bowel. Diverticula can become inflamed when undigested food gets trapped within them, causing pain and constipation, and sometimes fever, nausea, or cramping.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): GERD is also known as heartburn or acid reflux. It occurs when the ring of muscle fibers that surrounds the entrance to our stomach (known as the lower esophageal sphincter) becomes weak, and instead of remaining tightly closed to prevent the backflow of food back up our esophagus, it remains partially open, allowing partly digested food and stomach acid to leak back up the esophagus, causing irritation.