When things go wrong in the digestive system

Digestive disorders encompass a wide array of conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. These digestive disorders vary in severity from the minor annoyance of mild heartburn to potentially life-threatening illnesses, such as a perforated ulcer.

Approximately 70 million Americans are affected by digestive disorders, which prompt nearly 60 million visits to doctors, outpatient care facilities, and emergency departments. Although digestive disorders can affect people of any age, many digestive disorders occur more frequently in older individuals. In fact, nearly 40% of all older adults have one or more symptom of digestive disorders each year, largely due to changes that occur in the digestive tract with age.

Digestion begins in the mouth, where food is chewed and mixed with saliva before it passes into the throat (pharynx) and then the esophagus. Rhythmic muscle contractions (peristalsis) in the esophagus push the food past the lower esophageal sphincter and into the stomach. The stomach does much of the work in breaking down the food before it moves into the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine. Here, digestive juices secreted by the pancreas help break down the food further. (The liver produces bile that is needed for absorption of fat and is stored in the gallbladder before entering the duodenum.)

As food moves through the duodenum and the remaining two sections of the small intestine (the jejunum and the ileum), cells in the wall of the small intestine release digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients. Undigested food components pass into the large intestine (colon), where they slowly move toward the rectum. When enough waste accumulates in the rectum, the person feels the urge for a bowel movement and eventually passes the stool through the anus. Digestive disorders can occur at almost any point in this process.

Here is a brief explanation of some of the most common digestive disorders:

• Digestive Disorder 1 – Dysphagis: Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) can result from problems in the mouth, throat, or esophagus. Esophageal causes of dysphagia include esophageal spasm, achalasia, stricture, and cancer. Esophageal spasm occurs when muscles in the esophagus contract for long periods.
• Digestive Disorder 2 – Achalasia: In people with achalasia, an absence of esophageal peristalsis prevents food from moving through the esophagus, and the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax enough to allow all the chewed food into the stomach.
• Digestive Disorder 3 – Esophageal stricture: An esophageal stricture is a narrowing of the esophagus resulting from long-standing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Digestive Disorder 4 - GERD: GERD occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes at the wrong times, allowing acid from the stomach to enter the esophagus. One possible cause of GERD is a hiatal hernia, a protrusion of the lower esophageal sphincter and upper portion of the stomach into the chest cavity.
• Digestive Disorder 5 - Barrett’s esophagus: Chronic GERD can cause permanent changes in cells, a condition called Barrett’s esophagus, which increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
• Digestive Disorder 6 - Gastritis and gastric ulcers: Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and gastric ulcers are most commonly caused by an infection or the use of certain medications.
• Digestive Disorder 7 - Ulcers :Ulcers can also occur in the duodenum. Stones that form in the gallbladder can prevent bile from entering the duodenum.
• Digestive Disorder 8 - Chronic pancreatitis:Chronic inflammation of the pancreas (chronic pancreatitis),which prevents the formation of pancreatic digestive enzymes, can impair the breakdown and absorption of food.
• Digestive Disorder 9 - Crohn’s disease: Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disorder that primarily affects the small intestine; it may also damage the large intestine and potentially any other part of the digestive system.
• Digestive Disorder 10 - Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis is a related inflammatory disease that affects only the large intestine. Diarrhea occurs when waste products move through the large intestine too quickly, while constipation results when this movement is too slow.
• Digestive Disorder 11- Diverticulitis:Diverticula (small pouches) can bulge outward through weak spots in the wall of the large intestine—a condition called diverticulosis. Infection or inflammation of diverticula is called diverticulitis.
• Digestive Disorder 12 - Hemorrhoids : Lastly, clusters of swollen veins, called hemorrhoids, are thought to result from increased pressure in the veins of the rectum and/or anus.

For more Digestive Health articles, please visit the Digestive Health Topic Page

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Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer

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Posted in Digestive Health on December 3, 2007