Digestive System

The digestive tract, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the system of organs that takes in food, digests it to extract the necessary nutrients and ingredients, and expels the remaining waste. The entire process is known as digestion. In a normal adult male, the GI tract is approximately 25 feet long. Food enters our body through our mouth where it is chewed up and digestive enzymes in our saliva begin to break it down. Once we swallow, the food moves through the esophagus into the stomach where it is further digested by acids and enzymes. The food then goes into the small and large intestines where nutrients are extracted and exported into the bloodstream for transfer to cells throughout the body. Eventually, after most nutritive quality has been taken out, the resulting waste is expelled through the rectum.

Acidity

Acidity is the condition of containing more than the normal amount of acid in the digestive system.

Constipation

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three times a day; others, only one or two times a week. Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Almost everyone experiences constipation at some point in their life, and a poor diet typically is the cause. Most constipation is temporary and not serious. Understanding its causes, prevention, and treatment will help most people find relief. More than 4 million Americans have frequent constipation, accounting for 2.5 million physician visits a year.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is loose, watery stools. It is very common and usually not serious. Many people will have diarrhea once or twice each year. Diarrhea can cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid to function properly. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and older people, and it must be treated promptly to avoid serious health problems.

Dry Mouth

Saliva moistens and cleanses the mouths and aids in digesting food. Saliva also prevents infection by controlling bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Dry mouth can cause speech and eating difficulties, halitosis (bad breath), an increase in the number of cavities and increased vulnerability to infection. Drug side effects, medication, alcohol trauma, dehydration, radiation therapy and marijuana also may contribute to the problem.

Flatulence

Flatulence is the presence of a mixture of gases in the digestive tract of mammals. Intestinal gas is composed of varying quantities of exogenous sources (air that is ingested through the nose and mouth) and endogenous sources (gas produced within the digestive tract). The exogenous gases are swallowed when eating or drinking or increased swallowing during times of excessive salivation. The endogenous gases are produced either as a by-product of digesting certain types of food or of incomplete digestion. Anything that causes food to be incompletely digested by the stomach and/or small intestine may cause flatulence when the material arrives in the large intestine due to fermentation by yeast or bacteria normally or abnormally present in the gastrointestinal tract.

Gallstones

Gallstones are small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped sac located below your liver in the right upper abdomen. Gallstones form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. The liquid—called bile—helps the body digest fats. Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder until the body needs it. The gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into a tube—called the common bile duct—that carries it to the small intestine, where it helps with digestion. The two types of gallstones are cholesterol stones and pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are usually yellow-green and are made primarily of hardened cholesterol. They account for about 80 percent of gallstones. Pigment stones are small, dark stones made of bilirubin. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. The gallbladder can develop just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or a combination of the two.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD, is defined as chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by the abnormal reflux of gastric (stomach) contents into the esophagus. It is characterized by heartburn, esophageal inflammation, difficulty swallowing and chronic chest pain. Certain foods are known to exacerbate GERD: coffee, alcohol, Vitamin C, high fat foods, soft drinks, chocolate, peppermint and spicy foods, among many others. Patients should first change the foods they eat and ensure that they are exercising regularly. In more serious cases, drug therapies and surgery might be necessary.

Hemorrhoids

The term hemorrhoids refers to a condition in which the veins around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoids may result from straining to move stool. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, aging, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and anal intercourse. Hemorrhoids are either inside the anus—internal—or under the skin around the anus—external. Hemorrhoids are common in both men and women. About half of the population has hemorrhoids by age 50.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits which are not associated with any abnormalities seen on routine clinical testing. Lower abdominal pain, bloating associated with alteration of bowel habits and abdominal discomfort relieved with defecation are the most frequent symptoms. As many as 20 percent of the adult population, or one in five Americans, have symptoms of IBS, making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors. It occurs more often in women than in men, and it begins before the age of 35 in about 50 percent of people.

Nausea

Nausea is an unpleasant sensation, vaguely referred to the epigastrium and abdomen and often culminating in vomiting.

Pancreatic Diseases

The pancreas is an organ which aids in digestion by producing digestive enzymes that will be used in the stomach and by digestive organelles. The pancreas is also responsible for the production of insulin, the body’s main regulator of sugar in the blood. Because of the large range of functions, there are many diseases and disorders which can be linked to the pancreas. Treatments are being developed to treat pancreatic abnormalities and diseases.

Peptic Ulcer

A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.* The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. If peptic ulcers are found in the stomach, they're called gastric ulcers. If they're found in the duodenum, they're called duodenal ulcers. A person can have more than one ulcer.

Postoperative Ileus

Postoperative Ileus is a temporary paralysis of a portion of the intestines typically after an abdominal surgery. Since the intestinal content of this portion is unable to move forward, food or drink should be avoided until peristaltic sound is heard from auscultation of the area where this portion lies.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the rectum and colon. Ulcers form where inflammation has killed the cells that usually line the colon, then bleed and produce pus. Inflammation in the colon also causes the colon to empty frequently, causing diarrhea. When the inflammation occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon it is called ulcerative proctitis. If the entire colon is affected it is called pancolitis. If only the left side of the colon is affected it is called limited or distal colitis. Ulcerative colitis can occur in people of any age, but it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. It affects men and women equally and appears to run in families.