The digestive system is one of the most essential systems in our body. It works by helping us consume food, break down nutrients and distribute them throughout the body to manage important bodily needs that require energy, growth, and cell repair. It also works to collect and eliminate waste efficiently, maintaining a natural balance of all other functions.
Sometimes, our digestive system may experience an imbalance or condition that causes it to function differently and improperly, leading to life-altering symptoms and needed lifestyle changes.
20 million people suffer from chronic digestive issues, conditions, and diseases in the United States, and that number continues to rise year after year. Understanding how the digestive system operates and knowing how to identify digestive problems is key to rebalancing your digestive system and mitigating symptoms that could affect your everyday life.
What encompasses the digestive system?
The eight main components of the digestive system include the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.
It also includes the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, which work to produce digestive juices and enzymes that help in the digestion process.
When imbalances in how your digestive system works occur, it can lead to various digestive conditions.
Let’s explore the top five most common digestive disorders.
5 Common Conditions That Affect Digestive Function
1. Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when stomach acid frequently flows back into your esophagus. The acid reflux can irritate the lining of your digestive system.
Common symptoms include:
Heartburn
Chest pain
Difficulty swallowing
A feeling of a lump in your throat
Regurgitation of food and liquids that taste sour
Disrupted sleep
Laryngitis
Chronic coughing, especially at night
Treatment often involves lifestyle and diet changes, along with acid reflux medication.
2. Celiac Disease
This digestive disease is also categorized as an immune system disorder. Celiac disease is triggered by the consumption of foods that contain gluten.
Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, and rye.Over time it can wreak havoc on the small intestine causing digestive problems and nutrient deficiencies from a lack of proper nutrient absorption.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease include:
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Weight loss
Bloating and gas
Abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
There is no cure for Celiac Disease, but most people can promote intestinal healing and mitigate symptom frequency and severity by sticking to a strict gluten-free diet.
3. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
IBS is a common digestive disorder that affects the large intestine. The main cause of the disorder is still not well understood by medical professionals.
Symptoms include:
Abdominal pain and cramping
Bloating and gas
Diarrhea
Constipation
Changes in the appearance of your bowels
Inconsistent bowel movement frequency
Most can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. Those living with more severe symptoms can be treated with prescription medication.
4. Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. With this disease, abnormal reactions of the immune system cause chronic inflammation and painful ulcers on the inner lining of the large intestine.
Ulcerative colitis is most likely to develop in people between the ages of 15 and 30 but can be diagnosed at any age.
Symptom severity varies greatly depending on the amount of inflammation in the large intestine but often include:
Diarrhea, with blood or pus
Abdominal pain and cramping
Rectal pain
Rectal bleeding
Urgency to defecate
Inability to defecate
Weight loss
Fatigue
Fever
Failure to grow (in children)
There is no cure for ulcerative colitis but many people experience long periods of remission with no active symptoms.
5. Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s Disease is another form of inflammatory bowel disease which causes inflammation of the digestive tract.
Inflammation caused by this disease can involve various sections of the digestive tract which often spread into deeper layers of the bowel.
Crohn's disease can be extremely painful and debilitating and sometimes lead to life-threatening complications.
Symptoms include:
Diarrhea
Fever
Fatigue
Abdominal pain and cramping
Blood in your stool
Mouth sores
Reduced appetite
Weight loss
Pain or drainage near or around the anus
Inflammation of skin, eyes and joints
Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts
Kidney stones
Anemia
There is no cure for Crohn’s Disease, professional medical treatment can help mitigate symptoms that lead to long-term remission.
When to See a GI Specialist
If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with a common digestive system condition or disease, or simply need answers to irregularities you may be experiencing with your digestive tract, we can help.
You should always consider seeing a gastrointestinal specialist to help answer any questions you may have about the health of your digestive system. To learn more or schedule a consultation, contact us today.