| Medical Dictionary |
A Medical Dictionary of Medical Terminology
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Your abdomen extends from below your chest to your groin. Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn't always mean a serious problem. Nor does mild pain mean a problem is not serious.
Call your health care provider if mild pain lasts a week or more or if you have pain with other symptoms. Get medical help immediately if:
Your anus is the opening at the end of your large intestine. It is where stool (poop) leaves your body.
What are anal disorders?Problems with the anus are common. They include:
Your symptoms will depend on which disorder you have. But some of the more common symptoms may include:
To make a diagnosis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. Depending upon your symptoms, your provider may:
You may be embarrassed to talk about your anal troubles. But it's important to let your provider know about your symptoms, especially if you have pain or bleeding. The more details you can give about your problem, the better your provider can help you.
How are anal disorders treated?Treatments vary, depending on the condition you have.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
A bowel movement is the last stop in the movement of food through your digestive tract. Your stool passes out of your body through the rectum and anus. Another name for stool is feces. It is made of what is left after your digestive system (stomach, small intestine, and colon) absorbs nutrients and fluids from what you eat and drink.
Sometimes a bowel movement isn't normal. Diarrhea happens when stool passes through the large intestine too quickly. Constipation occurs when stool passes through the large intestine too slowly. Bowel incontinence is a problem controlling your bowel movements. Other abnormalities with bowel movements may be a sign of a digestive problem.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
When you eat, your body breaks food down to a form it can use to build and nourish cells and provide energy. This process is called digestion.
Your digestive system is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube. It runs from your mouth to your anus and includes your esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines. Your liver, gallbladder and pancreas are also involved. They produce juices to help digestion.
There are many types of digestive disorders. The symptoms vary widely depending on the problem. In general, you should see your doctor if you have:
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Esophagus disorders are problems with how your esophagus works. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. You usually don't notice it unless you swallow something too big, hot, or cold. You might also notice it if something is wrong. When that happens, you might feel pain or have trouble swallowing (dysphagia).
What causes esophagus disorders?The cause depends on the type of disorder. Some run in families. Others are linked to allergic reactions to food or substances in your environment. Sometimes, the cause is unknown.
You may be more likely to develop an esophagus disorder if you:
The most common esophagus problem is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This happens when the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus doesn't close properly. Stomach acid can move back up and irritate the esophagus.
Other esophagus disorders include:
Symptoms can be different for each condition but may include:
Get medical help right away if you have chest pain with shortness of breath, or pain in your jaw or arm. These could be signs of a heart problem.
How are esophagus disorders diagnosed?Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may order one or more tests, such as:
Treatment depends on what's causing the problem and your overall health. Some esophagus disorders get better with over-the-counter medicines, diet changes, or lifestyle changes. Others may need prescription medicine or surgery.
Without treatment, some disorders may lead to other problems, such as pneumonia, from food entering the windpipe. GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and achalasia can also raise your risk for esophageal cancer.
Can esophagus disorders be prevented?You can help prevent or reduce symptoms by:
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Your digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum, and anus. Bleeding can come from any of these areas. The amount of bleeding can be so small that only a lab test can find it.
Signs of bleeding in the digestive tract depend on where it is and how much bleeding there is.
Signs of bleeding in the upper digestive tract include:
Signs of bleeding in the lower digestive tract include:
GI bleeding is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. There are many possible causes of GI bleeding, including hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, tears or inflammation in the esophagus, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, colonic polyps, or cancer in the colon, stomach or esophagus.
The test used most often to look for the cause of GI bleeding is called endoscopy. It uses a flexible instrument inserted through the mouth or rectum to view the inside of the GI tract. A type of endoscopy called colonoscopy looks at the large intestine.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Sometimes, after eating a large meal or lying down too soon after eating, you might feel acid coming up into your throat. This is called gastroesophageal reflux (GER). It happens when the muscle at the end of your esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach) doesn't close properly. Stomach contents can then move back up and irritate the esophagus.
Having reflux occasionally is common. But if you have symptoms two or more times a week or if they cause damage to the lining of your esophagus, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is a chronic (long-lasting) condition that can cause discomfort and, over time, lead to other health problems.
Anyone can have GERD, including infants and children.
What causes GERD?GERD can happen when the muscle at the bottom of your esophagus becomes weak or relaxes at the wrong time. You are more likely to have GERD if you:
Certain foods, drinks, or medicines can also make GERD worse.
What are common symptoms of GERD?The most common symptom of GERD is heartburn. This is a burning feeling in your chest or throat. You can also have GERD without having heartburn. Other symptoms may include:
Get medical help right away if you have chest pain with shortness of breath, or pain in your jaw or arm. These can be signs of a heart problem.
How is GERD diagnosed?Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may recommend tests such as:
Most people can manage GERD with lifestyle changes and medicine. In rare cases, surgery is needed.
Lifestyle changes can include:
Medicines can include:
If not treated, GERD can cause problems like inflammation of the esophagus, scarring, or changes in the tissue lining (Barrett's esophagus). It can also worsen asthma or cause chronic (long-term) cough or hoarseness.
Can GERD be prevented?You may be able to improve symptoms of GERD by:
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Heartburn is a painful burning feeling in your chest or throat. It happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.
If you have heartburn more than twice a week, you may have GERD. But you can have GERD without having heartburn.
Pregnancy, certain foods, alcohol, and some medications can bring on heartburn. Treating heartburn is important because over time reflux can damage the esophagus.
Over-the-counter medicines may help. If the heartburn continues, you may need prescription medicines or surgery.
If you have other symptoms such as crushing chest pain, it could be a heart attack. Get help immediately.
Nearly everyone has had indigestion at one time. It's a feeling of discomfort or a burning feeling in your upper abdomen. You may have heartburn or belch and feel bloated. You may also feel nauseated, or even throw up.
You might get indigestion from eating too much or too fast, eating high-fat foods, or eating when you're stressed. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using some medicines, being tired, and having ongoing stress can also cause indigestion or make it worse. Sometimes the cause is a problem with the digestive tract, like an ulcer or GERD.
Avoiding foods and situations that seem to cause it may help. Because indigestion can be a sign of a more serious problem, see your health care provider if it lasts for more than two weeks or if you have severe pain or other symptoms. Your health care provider may use x-rays, lab tests, and an upper endoscopy to diagnose the cause. You may need medicines to treat the symptoms.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Your small intestine does most of the digesting of the foods you eat. If you have a malabsorption syndrome, your small intestine cannot absorb nutrients from foods.
Causes of malabsorption syndromes include:
Symptoms of different malabsorption syndromes can vary. They often include chronic diarrhea, abnormal stools, weight loss, and gas. Your doctor may use lab, imaging, or other tests to make a diagnosis.
Treatment of malabsorption syndromes depends on the cause.