Browsing: Digestive Health
The page provides quick access to a list of common gastro-intestinal tract diseases, syndromes, health conditions, and other topics of health importance. The list is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to respective diseases sections that serve as a comprehensive and ultimate guide about the disease or health condition.
Some people experience certain gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms on a regular basis, such as heartburn, indigestion/dyspepsia, bloating and constipation. These symptoms may occur due to various digestive problems. Depending upon the condition, the gastrointestinal disease (GI disease) may be acute or chronic. The best way to prevent occurrence of any such disease is exercising on a regular basis and have a healthy diet.
Healthcare professionals indicate such prevalent occurrence of gastric diseases throughout the world, across all age groups. This is due to improper diet, obesity, gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, various gastric cancers and ulcers. Some doctors believe that digestive disorders occur due to malabsorption disorders and lack of gastric microbiome in an individual.
Gastrointestinal disorders include conditions such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular diseases, colitis, piles, gall stones and colon cancer, which are extremely common. These lead to inefficient digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body, causing severe effects in growth and development of an individual. Constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are two most widespread gastric diseases.
The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be managed by making changes in your diet and lifestyle. In some cases, medicines and psychological treatments are needed. Irritable bowel syndrome disease doesn’t have a cure. Your doctor will try to manage the symptoms through diet changes, medicines, probiotics, and psychological therapies.
An ulcerative colitis flare-up is the recurrence of the symptoms of ulcerative colitis after a period of remission. This may involve return of the symptoms such as diarrhea, pain in abdomen, bloody stools, cramping, rectal pain, loss of appetite, unwanted weight loss, fatigue, and frequent or changed bowel movements.
The treatment for mild to moderate ulcerative colitis starts with anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal medications and corticosteroids. The objective of treatment with drugs for ulcerative colitis is to reduce inflammation in the colon. They control or prevent inflammation in the intestines and help in various ways.
If you suspect you may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it is important that you meet your general physician or a gastroenterologist to seek medical advice and for the diagnosis of the condition. IBS symptoms are similar to other gastrointestinal (GI) disease such as diverticulitis, polyps, Celiac disease etc.
Hemorrhoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove severe and extensive hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoidectomy is the most effective treatment for hemorrhoids, though there are many complications associated with the procedure. You will be given general or spinal anesthesia before the procedure so that you do not feel any pain.
Hemorrhoids can be one of the reasons of blood in your stool. Generally, hemorrhoids result in red-bright blood in the stool after bowel movements or blood may be noted on the toilet paper. In very rare cases, bleeding may be massive due to hemorrhoids. Colon cancer can also cause bleeding in GI.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects significant number of people worldwide. The disease causes changes in your bowel movements. The most common sign of IBS is lower abdominal pain that may improve after bowel movements. Mostly, people have flare-ups of symptoms that may last a few days. The symptoms often improve after that.
Irritable bowel syndrome is a type of gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. What exactly causes IBS is not known. Doctors believe that a combination of certain factors and problems with your GI tract can cause IBS. Certain health problems are known to cause or worsen IBS symptoms. Brain-gut signal problems can lead to IBS.
There is no cure for cirrhosis and for repairing the scarred tissue due to cirrhosis. Treatments can help prevent further damage to the liver. Changes in lifestyle such as avoiding alcohol and adopting a healthy diet can help significantly. A patient may need surgery in order to get through the complications due to cirrhosis.
There are several things that may trigger a flare and worsen the condition. Foods are one of them. Certain foods may not be suitable for some people. Researchers are learning about the role of diet and gut bacteria in causing the disease ulcerative colitis. Fiber should be reduced if you experience acute problems such as flare-ups.