Intestinal problems, such as polyps and cancer, infections, celiac disease, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, malabsorption, short bowel syndrome, and intestinal ischemia. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, and hiatal hernia.
IBS is the most common disease diagnosed by gastroenterologists and one of the most common disorders seen by primary care physicians.
Enteritis is inflammation of your small intestine. It may also include your stomach (gastroenteritis) or colon (enterocolitis). It's usually caused by a viral, bacterial or parasitic infection (food poisoning, stomach bug or the stomach flu). Sometimes it's caused by radiation, drugs or disease.
Intestinal problems, such as polyps and cancer, infections, celiac disease, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, malabsorption, short bowel syndrome, and intestinal ischemia. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, and hiatal hernia.
Some digestive diseases can be life-threatening, especially if left untreated. These include inflammatory bowel disease, cirrhosis, gastrointestinal cancers, hepatitis, blocked flow of blood to the intestines, and perforated intestines or stomach.
Intestinal parasites cause a significant morbidity and mortality in endemic countries. Helminths are worms with many cells. Nematodes (roundworms), cestodes (tapeworms), and trematodes (flatworms) are among the most common helminths that inhabit the human gut.
Your gastroenterologist will likely order a colonoscopy, bloodwork, and stool testing to check for inflammation in the GI tract and determine what's causing the blood. “Biopsies during a colonoscopy can also help clinch the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease,” Dr. Holmer says.
Color: The stool may be bright red, maroon, or black and tarry, which indicates the presence of blood. Stools may contain more mucus than normal. Odor: The stool odor may be increasingly foul compared to the typical smell.
Symptoms of an intestinal blockage include severe belly pain or cramping, vomiting, not being able to pass stool or gas, and other signs of belly distress.
Bacteria spilling from the colon into your abdominal cavity can lead to a life-threatening infection (peritonitis). Death. Rarely, mild to moderate C. difficile infection — but more commonly, serious infection — can quickly progress to fatal disease if not treated promptly.
No, IBD cannot be cured. There will be periods of remission when the disease is not active. Medicines can reduce inflammation and increase the number and length of periods of remission, but there is no cure. How long will IBD last?
Intestinal ischemia is a serious condition that can cause pain and make it difficult for your intestines to work properly. In severe cases, loss of blood flow to the intestines can damage intestinal tissue and possibly lead to death.
The common conditions that can affect the small intestine include Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bowel obstructions, small bacterial overgrowth, and irritable bowel syndrome. Other, more rare conditions can also affect the small bowel, such as cancer.
Some people with chronic stomach discomfort are more sensitive to certain foods like dairy, spicy foods, soda, fried foods or alcohol. These foods can relax the muscle that keeps food from traveling backward, increase stomach acid production or keep the stomach full for too long.
A colonoscopy examines your entire colon, sometimes including the very end of the small intestine.
Abdominal X-rays: Basic X-rays can sometimes show whether the small bowel is obstructed. Computed tomography (CT scan): A CT scan may be done to confirm a diagnosis and give more accurate information about the cause and the site of obstruction.