Digestive Problems

All of us have experienced mild to moderate digestive system disorder at some stage of our life. With today's diet and less active lifestyle, the incidences of digestive health related conditions are increasing at a faster rate. The root cause is consuming ready-to-eat processed foods that are loaded with preservatives, colorings and additives. Such food items contain already refined food ingredients and lack in nutrients that are essential for optimal functioning of the digestive system. Ultimately, we end up with digestive problem symptoms and finding ways to alleviate them.

Common Digestive Problems: Explained

The problems related to the digestive system affect all people, irrespective of their age group and gender. Digestive problems in infants are more likely, as their digestive system is in the developing phase. They are very sensitive to change in the mother's diet, baby formula, feeding amount and incorporation of new foods. In both infants and adults, disorders associated with the digestive health should not be neglected, as they indirectly disturb the nutrient absorption. Listed below are some common diseases of the digestive system, which we come across frequently.

Indigestion
For some people, food indigestion occurs less frequently, whereas it is a common problem for others. The probable causes are heavy meal serving, certain food items, stress, drug side effect and obesity. Serving the right amount of food and including raw foods (fresh fruits and vegetables) will help in reducing constant indigestion, as well as improve the overall digestive health.

Constipation
Difficulty in passing stool or infrequent defecation are notable symptoms of constipation. It may be caused due to lack of fluid intake, insufficient dietary fiber, less physical activity, medicinal side effect and intestinal blockage amongst others. For mild cases, eating fiber rich foods and change in eating habits help in combating this digestive problem.

Diarrhea
The identifiable sign of diarrhea is frequent passing of watery stool. It is due to any of the cases, ingesting contaminated food, viral infection, antibiotic effect, lactose sensitivity and other digestive disorders. During the diarrhea episode, one should consume easy to digest foods, and also, care should be taken to avoid dehydration complication.

Peptic Ulcer
Peptic ulcer is one of the digestive problems that all of us are familiar with. Characterized by inflammatory sores in the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, it causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and appetite changes. Change in the diet plan and eating habit, along with medications are directed for treatment of symptomatic stomach ulcer cases.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
It is an umbrella term that includes many digestive problems, such as abdominal cramps, bloating, gassiness and irregular bowel movement. The actual cause for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not known, and it is observed that symptoms worsen after exposure to stressful situations. Making some changes in the diet, stress management and drugs specific to the manifested symptoms are directed for treating IBS.

Heartburn
Despite the name, heartburn is not related to heart symptoms. But, it is a problem of the upper digestive system. The discomfort symptoms of heartburn are resulted due to backflow of stomach acids to the esophagus, thereby, causing burning sensation and pain over the area. Administration of antacid tablets helps in relieving the symptoms. An untreated heartburn condition may worsen to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) afterward.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract due to abnormal immune responses. Based on the location, it is of two types, ulcerative colitis (inflammation in the bowel) and Crohn's disease (inflammation in small and large intestine). Treatment involves managing stress, changing diet and advocating anti-inflammatory drugs.

Diverticulitis
Diverticula are protrusions present in the lower digestive tract, particularly in the large intestine. Inflammation and infection to these pouches cause diverticulitis. Any form of diverticular disease is associated with discomfort symptoms, ranging from mild abdominal pain and spasms. The treatment approaches for diverticulitis encompass dietary changes, medicine and surgery.

Since the susceptibility of an individual to digestive problems is directly or indirectly related to regular diet and eating habits, one should consume healthy diet to reduce discomfort signs. Some of the digestive disorders resolve on their own without therapeutic intervention, while others are progressive and require doctor's attention. Thus, frequent episodes of digestive problems should be addressed by a trusted physician for getting prompt treatment.