Digestive disorders can be classified by symptom, treatment, or cause. The three main types of causes are diet, stress, and disease/infection. Diagnosis can be difficult and treatment often involves lifestyle, dietary, or medical changes. The digestive system includes the digestive tract and all organs that aid in digestion. Common disorders include heartburn, IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcers. Stomach or colorectal cancers are serious and require prompt medical attention.
There are several ways to classify digestive disorders and a lot depends on the general reason for the sorting in the first place. Sometimes the disorders are grouped by symptom or by treatment regimen. Perhaps most commonly they are organized by cause, and in these cases there are three main types: disorders caused or aggravated by diet; from stress; and by disease or infection. Diagnosis is not always straightforward, and people often experience symptoms stemming from several causes at the same time. The digestive system is quite sensitive and is often prone to irritation from problems elsewhere in the body. Treatment usually begins with a diagnosis and from there seeks to incorporate various lifestyle, dietary, or medical changes to cure or at least mitigate the problems.
Understand the digestive system in general
Digestive disorders are disorders that disrupt the digestive process. The process of digestion causes nutrients that come from food and liquids to be broken down into smaller molecules so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to cells throughout the body.
The digestive system includes the digestive tract and all organs that aid in digestion, including the mouth, esophagus or throat, stomach, intestines, anus, and rectum. Digestion begins in the mouth and is completed in the small intestine. Digestive disorders typically present with a variety of symptoms. These warning signs, or indicators, indicate that something is wrong with the digestive system. They can include things like heartburn, gas, bloating, stomach pain or cramping, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
Disorders caused by diet
Some of the most common digestive system disorders are caused, directly or indirectly, by the foods the patient is consuming. Heartburn, also known as acid reflux, is one example. It happens when acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus, or food pipe, and causes a burning sensation. It is often triggered by fatty or spicy foods, especially those eaten before bed or at bedtime for extended periods of time.
Heartburn can usually be treated with over-the-counter antacids. The related GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a chronic condition in which acid reflux occurs, and this may require stronger medications. GERD is often made worse by diet, but is usually caused by some abnormality or defect in the esophagus.
Dietary aggravations
GERD is also sometimes included in a separate but related branch of disorders that are typically caused by something else – often a genetic predisposition or a structural problem with the system at large – but are noted and exacerbated by diet. Other examples include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also sometimes called spastic colon; Crohn’s disease; and celiac disease, to name a few. Dietary changes are usually how these conditions are diagnosed and treated. The things people eat often cause the worst symptoms, and sticking to a certain diet plan is usually the best way to keep flare-ups under control.
Stress-related complications
Stress also plays an important role in digestive health. Most people think of stress as something purely mental, but in reality it can have a profound impact on hormones and other chemical levels in the body which, when out of balance, can cause many problems in places like the digestive tract. . In times of high stress people often experience mild stomach upset and diarrhea due to irritations in the intestinal lining. Over extended periods of time, acids caused or exacerbated by stress can lead to ulcers.
Ulcers are open sores in the lining of the stomach or duodenum. Besides being painful, they can also cause a lot of damage if left untreated. Sometimes medications can promote healing, usually in combination with stress-reducing activities. In severe cases, surgery may be required.
Illness and infection
Many of the most serious digestive disorders are caused by disease or infection, and there’s not much people can do to avoid them. Diverticular disease, in which small pockets protrude from the colon, can cause a variety of digestive problems that usually don’t respond to changes in lifestyle or diet; the same is often true of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which, unlike IBS, almost always requires medication and potentially even surgery to correct. Ulcerative colitis is another example. This chronic condition causes spontaneous ulcers that often produce faster than standard treatments can keep up. Unlike stressful situations where patients develop one or perhaps two openings, patients with the disease usually have multiple ulcers that open on an almost constant basis.
Stomach or colorectal cancers are some of the more serious digestive problems. These can be quite aggressive and are often life-threatening, although many people respond well to treatments provided the problem is caught early enough. Warning signs may include blood in the stool, severe abdominal pain, unintentional weight loss, and heartburn not relieved by antacids. While these symptoms aren’t specific to cancer — they can indicate a range of digestive issues — getting help as soon as possible is usually the best way to find a solution and get a diagnosis for whatever’s going on.
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