The intestines consist of the small and large intestine and can be affected by various disorders and diseases. Celiac disease is a genetic disease that damages the small intestine when gluten is ingested. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer and can be detected through screening. Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation in the digestive system, while diverticulosis and diverticulitis are related diseases where small sacs develop in the large intestine. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses and can be prevented through hand washing.
The intestines, also called the bowels, are part of the alimentary canal. They extend from the stomach to the anus and include two sections: the small intestine and the large intestine, or colon. Intestinal disorders are a category of things that can go wrong with the intestines. This group includes bowel torsion, endometriosis, polyps, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Bowel disease is a distinct category that includes celiac disease, colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, gastroenteritis, and ulcerative colitis.
Celiac disease, also known as celiac or non-tropical sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a genetic intestinal disease that creates a problem with the body’s handling of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Ingesting gluten causes the body’s immune system to respond in a way that damages the small intestine. Symptoms range from none to abdominal pain and diarrhea, but treatment, maintaining a gluten-free diet, requires only ingenuity, care and willpower.
Bowel disease, colorectal cancer, ranks fourth on the list of most common cancers for both men and women. It’s more likely to occur in people who have both polyps, which can become cancerous; a high-fat diet; family or personal history of colorectal cancer; or Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Screening, often involving a colonoscopy, is recommended for people once they turn 50. Symptoms don’t necessarily appear immediately, but blood in the stool, changes in bowel habits, and discomfort may occur.
Crohn’s disease, also known as regional enteritis or regional ileitis, can occur as an inflammatory bowel disease, but it’s not necessarily bowel disease: It can also cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive system. It is often found, however, in the ileum. It is most often found in young adults and can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss and other symptoms. Sometimes it goes into remission, during which time the person will be symptom-free.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are related intestinal diseases. In some people, diverticula, or small sacs, called diverticulosis develop in the large intestine. People who have it mostly have no symptoms and are often treated only with mild pain relievers and a high-fiber diet. Diverticulitis occurs when the diverticula become infected. This is a much more serious condition where the infection needs to be treated.
The intestinal disease gastroenteritis, sometimes called the stomach flu, is actually a name that describes several occurrences, in which some agent, be it bacteria, parasites, or viruses, cause an inflammation of the intestines. Viral gastroenteritis is the second highest scoring disease in the United States. Hand washing is the best way to prevent its spread.
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