The digestive system has a digestive tract that is a series of joined tubes that extend from the mouth to the anus. Many digestive diseases range from the upset stomach to life-threatening and critical colon cancer. Stomach disorders are comprised of the gastrointestinal tract, the gallbladder, the liver, and the pancreas.
Reasons for Stomach Diseases
The digestive diseases may develop from numerous factors such as stress, diet and fatigue. The high consumption puts the greatest risk for digestive diseases, especially raising the risk of esophageal, colorectal, and various liver cancers. The treatment options depend on the diagnosis, which includes prescription and non-prescription medications, surgery, dietary changes, regular exercise, chemotherapy, and home remedies as well.
Diagnosis
Many digestive diseases are very complicated, with slight symptoms. The patients have to undergo extensive diagnostic tests. The diagnosis requires accurate medical history and physical examination. A doctor may suggest laboratory tests, including a blood test, an ultrasound, and endoscopic examinations of the colon, stomach, and digestive system. In extreme cases, a doctor may order refined tests such as a CAT or MRI for more complex cases.
Digestive Diseases
There are many complex digestive diseases that may kill a human in the long run. Some of these stomach diseases are mentioned below.
Gallstones
It has been researched that gallstones impact more on women as compared to men. Mostly, the gallstones are solid in form and largely consist of cholesterol. These stones are formed in the gallbladder and often in the bile ducts, which lead from the liver to the small intestine. Many times, people with gallstones never develop symptoms. In some cases, few patients may develop symptoms of abdominal pain that may lead to difficulties such as acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis. However, gallstones are not associated with gallbladder cancer. When a patient has been diagnosed with symptomatic gallstones, treatment options include surgery by laparoscopic laser as it is the most effective method. This procedure is comprised of a video camera and many technical instruments, which are inserted through tiny incisions into the abdomen of the patient. On the other hand, the gallbladder is viewed on an external television monitor, and then the surgeon utilizes these instruments to remove the gallbladder without opening the whole abdomen.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
It refers to two chronic intestinal diseases, namely Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The causes of these diseases are not known, but research theories suggest that a virus or bacteria changes the immune response of the body and triggers an inflammatory reaction in the intestines. The start of both diseases initiates during young adulthood. The patient with either disease will experience constant abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, bleeding in the intestines, and excessive weight loss. There are various tests available, for instance, endoscopy, to confirm the presence of the disease. At the time it gets diagnosed, the treatment options may include medicine courses, changes in diet, and surgery to remove the diseased bowel.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
It is also known as a common functional disorder of the intestines. The cause of this syndrome is not discovered yet. However, the doctors refer to this disease as a functional disorder as there is no symptom of the disease. There have been found abnormal patterns of colonic movement in people experiencing this disease. The individuals going from this disease are highly sensitive to stimuli such as gas and eating food enriched in fat and fiber. Moreover, the patients with this disease experience constipation and diarrhea. Additionally, they experience abdominal pain and extreme cramps in the stomach area. However, there is no defined way of treating this disease. Naturally, the treatment is dependent on the severity of the patient’s symptoms.
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Peptic ulcers occur from the breakdown of the stomach lining. One type of ulcer appears in the stomach, and the other is present in the duodenum, which is the very first part of the small intestine. Duodenal ulcers are more common as compared to stomach ulcers. However, there are no clear symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcers. The pain in the upper abdominal and nausea can be the common symptoms of peptic ulcer disease. It generally starts an hour or so after having meals or typically in the early morning hours. A formal diagnosis of this disease needs to conduct by an endoscopy, allowing a doctor to obtain biopsy samples.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
It is the backward flow of the contents present in the stomach into the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle in the esophagus, and the stomach are weak in the patients having this disease. Therefore, they cannot keep the food in their stomach and moves it backward. The most common symptom of this disease involves heartburn, which is indicated by burning pain that releases through the chest, throat, and neck. Heartburn may happen when a person eats and lies down. Antacids may provide quick comfort from heartburn.
It is always better to consult a professional for better guidance. Book an appointment with the best Gastroenterologist.