Digestive system disorders are even familiar to young children. Adults face this problem quite often. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract may be associated with overeating or eating stale foods. Unfortunately, no one is safe from digestive upsets. In some cases, they are associated with the development of gastrointestinal diseases. Symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, and stool change indicate digestive problems. Such manifestations are associated with both acute inflammatory processes and chronic diseases. If symptoms of a gastrointestinal upset occur, consult a doctor.
How is the digestive process normal?
As you know, the digestive system consists of many organs interconnected. It begins in the oral cavity and passes through the entire body, ending in the anus. Normally, all stages of the digestion process are carried out sequentially. First, food enters the oral cavity. There she is ground with the help of teeth. In addition, an enzyme is present in the mouth - salivary amylase, which is involved in the breakdown of food. As a result, a lump of crushed products is formed - chyme. It passes through the esophagus and enters the cavity of the stomach. Here, the chyme is treated with hydrochloric acid. The result is the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In the pancreas, enzymes are produced that enter the lumen of the duodenum. They provide a further breakdown of organic substances.
The digestive system is not only the grinding of eaten foods. Thanks to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, beneficial substances penetrate the bloodstream. The absorption of amino acids, fats and glucose occurs in the small intestine. From there, beneficial substances penetrate the vascular system and are carried throughout the body. In the colon, fluid and vitamins are absorbed. There is the formation of feces. Intestinal motility promotes their promotion and elimination.
Digestion Problems: Causes of Disorders
Violation of any stage of the digestive process leads to the development of disorders. It can develop for various reasons. In most cases, the penetration of bacterial or viral agents leads to disruption of the digestive tract. Pathogens begin to multiply rapidly and damage the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. This, in turn, leads to an inflammatory reaction. As a result, the digestion process slows down or is disturbed. The causes of gastrointestinal disorders include:
- Inflammatory diseases: gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, enteritis and colitis.
- Chronic destructive lesions of the digestive tract. These include ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
- Neoplasms that can develop from any organ of the digestive system.
- Gastrointestinal obstruction
- Violation of the innervation of the digestive system.
- Parasitic infestations.
- Malnutrition.
- Bad habits. Alcohol causes damage to the pancreas and liver. Smoking is one of the factors that provoke the development of ulcers on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract.
- Injuries.
To find out why the disorder occurred, you need to be examined. Laboratory and instrumental diagnostic procedures will help determine the source of the pathology.
Causes of Digestive Disorders in Children
In childhood, digestive problems occur frequently. They can be associated with various factors. Among them are hereditary abnormalities, improper feeding, helminthic infestations, infectious pathologies, etc. In some cases, urgent surgical care is required to resolve the problem. The causes of digestive disorders in children include:
- Hereditary disorders of the exocrine glands - cystic fibrosis.
- Anomalies in the development of the digestive tract.
- Spasm or stenosis of the pyloric stomach.
- Feeding a young child overly thick foods.
- Poisoning by stale or spoiled products.
- Infection with various pathogenic bacteria that enter the digestive tract along with food.
- Helminthic infestations.
Only a doctor can find out: why there was a digestive problem in children. Some pathologies can be fatal, therefore they require urgent help from a doctor.
Types of diseases of the digestive system
Diseases of the digestive system are classified by reason of occurrence, source of development of the pathological condition, methods of necessary treatment. Surgical and therapeutic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are distinguished. In the first case, recovery can only be achieved with surgery. Therapeutic diseases are treated with medications.
Surgical pathologies of the digestive system include:
- Acute appendicitis. It is characterized by inflammation of the appendix of the cecum.
- Calculous cholecystitis. It is characterized by the formation of stones in the cavity of the gallbladder.
- Acute intestinal obstruction caused by various causes. Most often, stool stool occurs during obstruction of the digestive tract with a tumor, parasites or calculi. In children, such pathologies as intestinal invagination, megacolon, cystic fibrosis, and Hirschsprung’s disease lead to intestinal obstruction.
- Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum.
- Acute pancreatitis.
Therapeutic diseases of the digestive system are acute and chronic inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines and poisoning. Injuries can belong to both groups, depending on the severity and nature of the lesion.
Digestion Problems: Symptoms
Pathologies of the digestive system can be manifested by a syndrome of gastric or intestinal dyspepsia, pain in the abdomen and changes in the nature of the stool. In some cases, there are phenomena of intoxication of the body. Symptoms of stomach pathologies include: pain in the epigastric region, nausea and vomiting after eating. Similar clinical manifestations are observed with cholecystitis. The difference is that patients with gallbladder inflammation complain of pain in the right upper abdomen and a bitter taste in the mouth. Intestinal dyspepsia is characterized by a change in the consistency of the stool (diarrhea, less commonly constipation) and flatulence. Unpleasant sensations can be in the navel, in the right or left half of the abdomen.
In acute surgical pathologies, the intensity of the pain is stronger, there is a delay in gas discharge, an increase in body temperature. Often patients are forced to lie down or take a forced position to alleviate the condition.
Diagnosis of the gastrointestinal tract
Diagnosis of pathologies of the digestive system is based on kinetic data and additional studies. First of all, patients should pass a general blood and urine test. If inflammatory diseases of the abdominal organs are suspected, it is necessary to determine the level of such indicators as bilirubin, ALT and AST, amylase. You should also pass feces for analysis.
Instrumental studies include radiography, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity and FGDS. In some cases, additional diagnostics are required.
Which doctor should I go to?
What to do if there are digestive problems, which doctor will help? Gastrointestinal diseases treat a gastroenterologist. However, before you make an appointment with him, you should undergo an examination that is prescribed by a therapist or pediatrician. In case of acute abdominal pain, emergency care should be called to exclude surgical pathologies requiring immediate surgery.
Treatment of pathologies of the digestive system
The method of treatment is determined after diagnosis. In infectious and inflammatory pathologies, antibiotic therapy is required. Use the medicines “Ciprofloxacin”, “Cefazolin”, “Metranidazole”. For the treatment of enzyme deficiency , Mezim and Pancreatin preparations are used. Anti-inflammatory and antisecretory drugs are also used .
Surgical treatment consists in eliminating bowel obstruction, removing calculi, tumor formations, suturing a peptic ulcer, etc.
Digestive Disorders Prevention
To prevent digestion problems from reoccurring, preventive measures must be followed. These include:
- Compliance with the diet.
- Thorough food processing.
- Hand washing.
- Quitting smoking and alcohol.
If you experience discomfort in the abdomen, stool or nausea, you should undergo an examination and find out the cause of the problem.