Almost everyone knows the experience of having a stomach ache, but millions of people are affected each year by diagnosable digestive problems. And while some digestive diseases have no symptoms or only mild discomfort, others can cause extreme pain or even require hospitalization or surgery.
If you have gastrointestinal symptoms, you will want to know what you have and, more importantly, how you can ease the discomfort. Here's what you need to know about five of the most common digestive problems, along with recommended treatment options.
Acid reflux
Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, is one of the most common stomach problems.
When it occurs frequently, it is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, which is a more serious condition. About 20 percent of the population experiences reflux symptoms on a weekly basis.
Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid flows from the stomach into the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. This stomach acid can irritate the lining of the esophagus and cause pain and pressure. Over time, it can cause more serious damage to the lining of the esophagus.
Symptoms of acid reflux
The characteristic sensation is a burning pain in the chest, that is the reason for the nickname of heartburn. Other symptoms include the following:
- Difficulty to swallow
- A burning sensation in the chest that may be worse at night
- Feeling of a lump in the throat
- Regurgitation of acidic liquids or foods
There are all kinds of reasons why a person can experience acid reflux. What you eat can be a factor – having large meals, fried foods, or late night meals can trigger acid reflux, as can drinking alcohol or coffee.
Reflux treatment options
Treatment for acid reflux usually begins with lifestyle modifications.
To make it harder for stomach acids to travel up, use bed risers so that the head of the bed is a few inches higher than the foot of the bed. Or place a wedge between the box spring and the mattress.
Other lifestyle changes include not eating for two hours before bed and changes in diet. Over-the-counter medications, such as antacids, can also be effective.
If over-the-counter medications and lifestyle changes do not reduce reflux, prescription medications or surgery may be required.
Peptic ulcers
If you have a sore on the lining of your stomach or at the beginning of your small intestine (called the duodenum), you likely have a peptic ulcer. This is a common condition: One in 10 people develop peptic ulcers. Ulcers can be quite painful.
In the past, people believed that ulcers were the result of lifestyle factors, such as excessive stress or eating spicy foods, according to university hospitals. Now, we know more about the causes of its formation.
Here's what happens: certain bacteria (Helicobacter pylori) or, over time, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cause damage to the protective lining of the stomach.
Risk factors for developing ulcers include a family history, frequent alcohol use, smoking, and liver or kidney disease . And while stress and spicy foods cannot cause a peptic ulcer, they can sometimes irritate a present ulcer.
Symptoms of peptic ulcers
One indication that you have a peptic ulcer is a dull, burning pain that occurs somewhere between your breastbone and your belly button. Aside from pain, other ulcer symptoms include belching, nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite .
But it's also possible that you don't have any symptoms at all. However, if you have severe symptoms, seek help immediately. These include:
- Sharp and sudden pain in your abdomen
- Symptoms similar to those of shock, such as fainting, confusion, feeling dizzy, or excessive sweating
- You vomit blood, which can be bright red or look like coffee grounds
- Dark, tarry, or bloody stools
Peptic ulcers can be diagnosed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy , which uses a small, flexible camera that is inserted through the mouth to examine the stomach. Some diagnostic tests may require drinking fluid for an X-ray.
Peptic ulcer treatment options
If you are diagnosed with a peptic ulcer, your treatment will likely be a combination of lifestyle adjustments and medications.
Lifestyle changes include quitting smoking, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding foods that can trigger flare-ups. Medications such as antibiotics, histamine receptor blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and antacids can help treat peptic ulcers. If the peptic ulcer is due to Helicobacter pylori, antibiotics will be prescribed to treat the bacterial infection.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis
Diverticulosis is a condition that occurs when you have small pouches (called diverticula) that protrude outward through the large intestine. Diverticulosis becomes more common with age: For people over the age of 60, there is about a 50 percent chance that you will have these little pouches.
If the bags in the large intestine become inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis.
Symptoms of diverticulosis and diverticulitis
Very often, people with diverticulosis do not experience any symptoms. With diverticulitis, that is, inflamed diverticula, some of the more common symptoms include the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Fever
- Nausea
- Constipation
Along with aging, dietary choices can influence the development of diverticulitis. A diet low in fiber and high in animal fat increases the risk of this disease. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, and taking certain medications , including NSAIDs.
Diverticulitis treatment options
Treatment of diverticulitis depends on the severity of your symptoms.
If symptoms are mild, antibiotics and a liquid diet may be sufficient. Once the symptoms go away, you can slowly reintroduce solid foods into your diet. More serious cases may require hospitalization, and if complications such as a perforation or fistula occur, surgery may be required.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Up to 10 to 15 percent of people in the United States may have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); in fact, the organization notes that IBS is the most frequently diagnosed disease among gastroenterologists. So you are not alone in this.
Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
The symptoms of IBS vary greatly, but some of the most common:
- Abdominal pain
- Cramps or bloating
- Gas
- Diarrhea or constipation, or one followed by the other
- Difficulty going to the bathroom or, on the contrary, you need to use it as soon as possible
Although these symptoms are uncomfortable and inconvenient, they occur without causing any visible damage or signs of disease in the digestive tract.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a bit of a mystery – no one knows what precisely causes it. It could likely involve the gut microbiota, abnormalities in bowel movement, or changes in the way the brain and gut communicate and work together.
Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with IBS, and it is also more common in people under the age of 50. And while stress doesn't cause irritable bowel syndrome, it can exacerbate the unpleasant symptoms that accompany this syndrome.
Since symptoms can change frequently, diagnosis can be tricky. Also, there are no tests for IBS.
IBS treatment options
Treatment for IBS generally involves medications and changes in lifestyle and diet.
Cutting back on foods high in FODMAP, a type of carbohydrate that is often linked to gastrointestinal symptoms, can sometimes be helpful. Eating more fiber and avoiding gluten are other potentially helpful tactics. Lifestyle changes, such as increasing exercise, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep , can also relieve symptoms.
Constipation
The urge to defecate without being able to do so can accompany other digestive disorders or occur on its own. Although occasional constipation is normal, chronic constipation can be a sign of more concerning conditions.
Symptoms of constipation
Symptoms of chronic constipation include:
- Less than 3 bowel movements per week
- Hard or lumpy stools
- Straining to defecate
- Feeling that there is an obstruction in the rectum that prevents bowel movements.
- Feeling that you cannot completely empty stool from your rectum
- Need help emptying the rectum, such as using your hands to press on the abdomen and using a finger to remove stool from the rectum.
Constipation is considered chronic if you experience two or more of these symptoms for three months.
Treatment options for constipation
Chronic constipation should be treated by a medical professional. Occasional constipation can be treated with over-the-counter laxatives and dietary measures such as increasing fiber and water intake.
