Common Intestinal Disorders

Common Intestinal Disorders Intestinal disorders are more common that you might think. It's estimated 5 out of 10 adults suffer from some form of gastrointestinal issue. It can be anything from a mild form of indigestion, to severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. While you are helping your patients, keep in mind that it is very likely they are suffering from one of the following intestinal disorders.

Related: Staying Well While Working In a Hospital The Most Common Intestinal Issues Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) When stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, it is called acid reflux. It may feel a burning pain in your chest, and often happens after a meal or at night. While it’s common for people to experience acid reflux and heartburn once in a while, having symptoms that affect your daily life or occur at least twice each week could be a sign of GERD. If you experience persistent heartburn, bad breath, nausea, pain in your chest or upper part of your abdomen, or have trouble swallowing or breathing, it's time to see the doctor. Most people find relief by avoiding the foods and beverages that trigger their symptoms, or by taking over-the-counter antacids or other medications that reduce stomach acid production. It is always important to not mistake chest pain for acid reflux. Heart attacks can often mimic indigestion.

Gallstones Gallstones are hard deposits that form in your gallbladder. Twenty million Americans are affected by gallstones, which can form when there’s too much cholesterol or waste in your bile or if your gallbladder doesn’t empty properly. When gallstones block the ducts leading from your gallbladder to your intestines, they can cause sharp pain in your upper-right abdomen.

Medications sometimes dissolve gallstones, but if that doesn’t work, the next step is surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Celiac Disease An estimated 1 in 130 Americans has celiac disease, however it is also estimated that 83 percent of people who have celiac disease don’t know they have it or have been misdiagnosed with a different condition. Celiac disease is a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

Eat gluten, and your immune system go on the attack: It causes damage within the small intestines, and can prevent nutrients from food from being absorbed properly. Symptoms of celiac disease in kids include abdominal pain and bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, and weight loss.

Symptoms in adults also can include anemia, fatigue, bone loss, and depression. The only treatment for celiac disease is to completely avoid eating gluten. There are many gluten free products available, as well as recipes, this condition seems to be more common than ever before.

Crohn’s Disease Crohn’s disease is part of a group of digestive conditions called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Crohn’s most commonly affects the end of the small intestine, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract. As many as 700,000 Americans may be affected by Crohn’s. With this condition your body mistakenly attacks its own cells, seeing them as invaders. The most common Crohn's symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever. Treatment depends on the symptoms and can include topical pain relievers, immunosuppressants, and surgery.

Related: Understanding and Preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis is another inflammatory bowel disease that affects many.

The symptoms of ulcerative colitis are very similar to those of Crohn's, but the part of the digestive tract affected is the large intestine, also known as the colon. Sores and ulcers can develop in the lining of the colon and cause pain. Frequent and urgent bowel movements, pain with diarrhea, blood in your stool, or abdominal cramps, are common in this condition.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Regular stomach pain several times a month, or more, could be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), another common digestive condition. Ten to 15 percent of the U.S. population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome. Signs of IBS can vary, You can be constipated or have diarrhea, or have hard, dry stools on one day and loose watery stools on another.

The cause of IBS isn’t known, but treatment of symptoms centers largely on diet, such as avoiding common trigger foods, or following a low-fat diet that's also high in fiber. Good bacteria, such as the probiotics found in live yogurt, may also help. Stress can trigger IBS symptoms, so some people find cognitive-behavioral therapy or low-dose antidepressants to be useful treatments, as well.

Hemorrhoids Bright red blood in the toilet bowl when you move your bowels could be a sign of hemorrhoids, which is a common condition. 75 percent of Americans over the age of 45 have hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids are an inflammation of the blood vessels at the end of your digestive tract. They can be painful and itchy. Causes include chronic constipation, diarrhea, straining during bowel movements, and a lack of fiber in your diet Diverticulitis Small pouches called diverticula can form anywhere there are weak spots in the lining of your digestive system, but they are most commonly found in the colon. If you have diverticula but no symptoms, the condition is called diverticulosis, which is quite common among older adults and rarely causes problems; however, if the pouches bleed or become inflamed, it’s called diverticulitis. Symptoms include rectal bleeding, fever, and abdominal pain. surgery to remove the diseased part of your colon.

There are numerous intestinal conditions, and for the people who suffer, it can make life very difficult. There is research done continuously, but most conditions can only be treated and not cured.

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