Gastrointestinal problems affect the digestive system and include constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, gastroenteritis, colitis, and irritable bowel disorder. These can be caused by stress, inadequate exercise, routine changes, medications, or dietary changes. Serious disorders like IBS and colon cancer can also cause these symptoms. Hemorrhoids can result from chronic diarrhea or constipation, while colitis can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and irregular bowel habits. Colon polyps are common and can become cancerous if left untreated.
Most people will experience gastrointestinal problems of some kind at least once. These types of disorders affect one or more structures of the digestive system, which includes the esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon and rectum. Common problems include constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, gastroenteritis, colitis, and irritable bowel disorder.
The most common gastrointestinal problems — diarrhea and constipation — are common symptoms of many digestive disorders, but they can also occur without an underlying disease. In these cases, these are often caused by stress, inadequate exercise, routine changes, or medications. Both diarrhea and constipation can also be caused by dietary changes or inadequacies. Diarrhea, for example, can occur in people who eat too much fiber or are allergic to certain foods, while constipation can result from too little fiber or too much dairy.
Diarrhea and constipation can also indicate the presence of a more serious digestive disorder. For example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause one or both of these symptoms, as well as abdominal pain, bloating and gas. Many people with IBS benefit from increasing the amount of fiber they eat, avoiding foods that trigger symptoms, and reducing stress.
Hemorrhoids are a common problem that can result from chronic diarrhea or constipation. These swollen blood vessels form due to the chronic pressure exerted during strained bowel movements. They can form inside or outside the rectum. When they are out they are just under the skin and can burst and form a blood clot. If they are inside the rectum, they can bleed and become inflamed and irritated. People with hemorrhoids can help alleviate these problems by stabilizing their bowel habits to reduce the amount of straining they do. A better diet, with the right amount of fiber, is another helpful way to manage this problem.
Gastroenteritis and colitis are inflammatory gastrointestinal problems in which sections of the digestive system become chronically inflamed. In colitis, for example, the intestines become irritated and inflamed, causing abdominal cramps, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and irregular bowel habits. These digestive disorders can have a variety of causes. For example, the disorder may be caused by an infectious agent, stomach ulcers, a side effect of radiation treatment for cancer, or a symptom of reduced blood supply to the affected area.
Colon polyps are a benign gastrointestinal disorder, but they can become cancerous if left untreated. Most cases of colon cancer begin as a benign polyp, a small skin growth that forms in the colon or rectum. Only a relatively small percentage can become cancerous, but polyps themselves are common. Colon cancer can spread rapidly if a precancerous growth is not removed. In most cases, removal can prevent cancer at that spot.
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