Digestive System Diseases

Digestive System Diseases
The digestive system can be affected by numerous diseases, both acute and chronic. There are certain diseases which are specific in certain ages and in people with certain specific lifestyles. Whatever the age, sex or life style, digestive diseases need prompt attention, because of the fact that the energy and nutrient requirement of the entire body is dependent on the digestive process.

Acute diseases:

Acute Gastritis

Acute gastritis is more of a common occurrence. The usual symptoms are pain in the abdomen, usually the epigastric or the hypochondriac area. The pain is usually of a burning character and may radiate toward the back or even towards the chest. Invariably the pain is related to food and is associated with vomiting. Fever may or may not accompany the other symptoms. The commonest causes are dietary indiscretions and ingesting too much of spices, excess intake of alcohol, intake of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs NSAIDs, etc can all cause gastritis.

Acute Appendicitis:

Acute inflammation of the appendix is a fairly common feature, with the young population between 10 and 30 years of age. The symptoms are usually very typical, with acute and excruciating pain. The pain starts from the navel and then radiates to the right side of the abdomen. The pain aggravates in a matter of few hours and incapacitates the patient, with severe worsening of the pain on the slightest movement, sneezing or even deep inspiration. Vomiting, loose stools, fever, swelling of the abdomen, nausea are all the other accompanying symptoms. Causes are many but usual ones are again dietary indiscretions, trauma to the abdomen, associated with infections of other parts of the digestive tract like Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis etc. Surgery is needed in cases of extreme inflammation and accumulation of pus. Antibiotics are helpful if the infection is more localized and the immunity levels are good.

Food Poisoning:

Food poisoning is an acute condition with varying severity. It may range from a mild to a severely grave condition. The ingestion of poisonous bacteria through contaminated food or food contaminated with chemical poisons can cause food poisoning. Severe nausea, vomiting, loose stools with blood and extreme dehydration and fever are the usual symptoms. The mortality rate is quite high in case of chemical poisons and certain bacterial food poisoning like Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes.

The list of digestive diseases is quite long. Amoebic dysentery, Pancreatitis, biliary diseases, Crohn' disease, Ulcerative colitis, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, acid reflux disease, Peptic Ulcer, Tuberculosis of the abdomen, Polyps, Diverticulitis, Cirrhosis, Lactose intolerance, Whipple's disease etc are just a few among the long list of digestive disorders.

Diseases Of The Stomach

Diseases Of The Stomach
Diseases of the stomach affect hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, more particularly during the active years of a person's life. The causes greatly vary and can be generally divided into two categories - internal and external factors. Internal factors e.g. extremely high or extremely low levels of gastric acid and also a very slow paced process of emptying the stomach. External factors include stress, excessive consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol, smoking, and some medications particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. With that said, some of the diseases of the stomach include: -

- Dyspepsia - this is the commonest disease of the stomach that affects 60% of the population atleast once in a person's lifetime. It is characterized by a persistent or irregular pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen. It may lead to regurgitation i.e. reflux of contents of the stomach back to the esophagus and mouth, vomiting, bloating, and nausea.

- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - another common stomach disease that is chronic. It leads to abnormal gastric reflux to the esophagus from the stomach and may end up damaging the esophagus. It is mostly characterized by heartburn, difficulties when swallowing, as well as regurgitation mostly when a meal is taken minutes before sleeping.

- Heartburn or pyrosis - generally affects around 10% of the total world's population at least once a year. It is characterized by a burning sensation in the esophagus just beneath the breastbone and may lead to bad breath, bitter or sour taste in the mouth, mouth ulcer, vomiting, and regurgitation.

- Gastritis - this is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach which mainly causes pain in the upper abdomen.

- Peptic ulcer - a sore that develops in the duodenum as well as the stomach's mucous membrane. It is more prevalent in men and is characterized by burning ache, continuous abdominal pain, abdominal fullness, bloating, weight loss, and loss of appetite.

- Helicobacter pylori infection - another common stomach disease that causes chronic low-level inflammation of the lining of the stomach. This infection is suspected to be the leading cause of stomach cancer, gastritis, and peptic ulcer.

- Stomach cancer - it is a kind of cancer that has abnormal cells growing in any part of the stomach and which might spread to other body organs through the lymphatic or circulatory systems. It is equally more prevalent in men and is characterized by poor digestion, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, black stools, unplanned weight loss, and difficulties when swallowing.