Digestive problems are a common part of people’s lives. Approximately 60 to 70 million people suffer from some digestive disease. While some conditions are acute or short-term, others can be chronic or long-term. They may occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract: the esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Being aware of their signs and symptoms can help one identify them faster and seek treatment, thereby avoiding any complications.

6 common digestive disorders and how to identify them

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on one’s bowel movements, IBS can be of three types:

IBS with constipation (IBS-C)
It causes hard and lumpy stools
IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D)
It causes loose and watery stools
IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M)
It results in the patient experiencing both lumpy and watery stools on the same day

Common symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, bowel movements that are different from usual, diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas, and mucus in the stool. For some women, these symptoms may flare during their periods. Living with IBS involves having to make lifestyle changes, reducing stress, and addressing the underlying causes of the condition.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Although acid reflux and heartburn is a common problem, they may be an indicator of something more serious when it happens repeatedly. The most common symptoms of chronic acid reflux or GERD include heartburn, regurgitation, the feeling of having food caught in the throat, coughing, chest pain, trouble swallowing, vomiting, and sore throat or hoarseness. Among infants and children, some common symptoms may also include frequent small vomiting episodes, refusal to eat, respiratory difficulties, hoarse throat, bad breath, and difficulty sleeping after eating.

GERD and its associated symptoms affect over 20 percent of the country’s population. Although it isn’t a life-threatening disease by itself, long-term GERD may lead to complications like esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal cancer, and strictures. Treatment for GERD may involve avoiding potential triggers, using prescription therapies, taking care of proper body positionings, or non-invasive surgeries like laparoscopic antireflux surgery or LINX device implantation.

Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that leads to swelling of the tissues in the gastrointestinal tract. Common symptoms of Crohn’s include diarrhea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, cramping, blood in the stool, mouth sores, reduced appetite, weight loss, and pain or drainage near or around the anus. Other symptoms may also include inflammation of the skin, eyes, joints, and liver and bile ducts, kidney stones, iron deficiency, and delayed growth or sexual development in children.

Crohn’s disease may be caused due to an immune-system response or passed down through generations. People with a family history of Crohn’s disease are at a much higher risk of developing the condition themselves. This condition may lead to complications like bowel obstruction, fistulas, ulcers, anal fissures, malnutrition, colon cancer, skin disorders, and blood clots.

Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is also a form of IBD. It causes inflammation and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract, and most commonly affects the colon and rectum. Symptoms of UC include diarrhea, blood or pus in the stool, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, cramping, rectal pain, an urgency to defecate, weight loss, fatigue, fever, and a failure to grow in children. Depending on the area of inflammation, UC may be of four different types:

Ulcerative proctitis
The inflammation is confined to the rectum. The only symptom may be rectal bleeding.
Proctosigmoiditis
The inflammation exists primarily around the rectum and sigmoid colon. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, pain, and tenesmus.
Left-sided colitis
The inflammation extends from the rectum to the sigmoid and descending portions of the colon. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, cramps, pain on the left side, and an urgent need to defecate.
Pancolitis
It affects the entire colon. Symptoms include severe abdominal cramps, fatigue, and significant weight loss.

Celiac disease
Celiac disease (known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is an autoimmune disorder in reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Here, the immune system actively starts producing antibodies against gluten, which damages the lining of the small intestine or the mucosa. Common digestive signs and symptoms to watch out for include diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

Since damage to the mucosa causes trouble with nutrition absorption, those with Celiac disease may also have other symptoms. These include anemia or iron deficiency, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, dermatitis herpetiformis or itchy skin rashes, mouth ulcers, headache, numbness or tingling in the feet and hands, cognitive impairment, joint pain, and reduced functioning of the spleen. In children with celiac disease, these symptoms may also include chronic diarrhea, swollen belly, constipation, gas, foul-smelling stool, damage to tooth enamel, anemia, irritability, short stature, delayed puberty, and neurological symptoms such as ADHD or learning disabilities.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
SIBO or blind loop syndrome occurs when there is an abnormal increase in the bacterial count in the intestine, especially those that aren’t commonly found in the organ. Common signs and symptoms include loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, unintentional loss of body fat, and malnutrition. It generally occurs when surgery or a disease slows the passage of food and other materials down the digestive tract, as this creates a breeding ground for bacteria. It may also be caused due to the failure of gastric acid, enzymes, bile, and immunoglobulins, that control the bacterial cultures in this area. Those who have recently undergone abdominal surgery and are facing symptoms like persistent diarrhea or abdominal pain, must visit their doctor for a full evaluation. When left untreated, SIBO can lead to other complications such as anemia, problems in the nervous system, osteoporosis, and kidney stones.

Knowing the common signs and symptoms of these common digestive conditions can help one seek professional opinions and undergo treatment in a timely fashion.