Many digestive diseases have similar symptoms. Here’s how to recognize them and when to visit your doctor.
By Beth W. Orenstein Medically Reviewed by Ira Daniel Breite, MD
Reviewed: December 19, 2022
Experiencing abdominal pain and discomfort on a regular basis? You may have one of these conditions.
Though most individuals avoid discussing it, stomach issues are more typical than you might realize. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 60 to 70 million individuals worldwide suffer from some form of digestive ailment (NIDDK).
Here's a comprehensive look at nine of the most prevalent digestive disorders, their signs and symptoms, and the best current treatments. Do not wait to consult your doctor if you believe you may be suffering from one of these conditions.
1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
You could have a searing ache in the center of your chest if you have acid reflux, a condition where stomach acid backs up into your esophagus. According to Neville Bamji, MD, a gastroenterologist with New York Gastroenterology Associates in New York City and a clinical instructor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, it frequently happens after meals or at night.
Even though occasional cases of acid reflux and heartburn are typical, experiencing these symptoms on a regular basis or at least twice a week could indicate GERD, a chronic digestive disorder that affects 20% of Americans, according to the NIDDK. Consult your doctor if you have frequent heartburn, foul breath, unexplained tooth erosion, nausea, pain in your chest or upper abdomen, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.
The majority of people find relief by staying away from specific foods and drinks that make their symptoms worse, or by taking over-the-counter antacids or other medications that lessen stomach acid production and esophageal inflammation. Lifestyle adjustments including raising the head of the bed, standing up straight after eating, and giving up smoking might also be beneficial. However, some GERD situations necessitate more drastic measures, such acid-blocking drugs or even surgery.
2. Gallstones
In your gallbladder, a little, pear-shaped organ that collects and secretes bile for digestion, hard deposits known as gallstones can develop. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, about one million Americans experience gallstones each year. Gallstones can develop when bile-making components (often cholesterol or the waste product bilirubin) become overly concentrated and solidify into a stone.
Sharp abdominal discomfort in the upper right side of your body can result from gallstones blocking the ducts from your gallbladder to your intestines. The removal of the gallbladder by surgery is typically the following step.
3. Celiac Disease And Gluten Intolerance
According to Beyond Celiac, there are approximately 1 in 133 Americans, or 1% of the population, who have celiac disease (formerly the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness). The frequency in pediatric populations may be as low as 2%, according to the group. According to a study that appeared in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2022, there are both environmental and genetic factors that may contribute to the development of celiac disease in children. According to Beyond Celiac, 83 percent of those who have celiac disease are unaware of their condition or have received an incorrect diagnosis.
Gluten, a protein included in wheat, rye, and barley, triggers an immunological response in people with celiac disease. When you consume gluten, your immune system launches an attack and damages your villi, which are finger-like projections in your small intestine that aid in nutrient absorption. Children may experience symptoms such as weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain and bloating. Adults may also experience anemia, tiredness, loss of bone density, depression, and seizures.
Celiac illness can only be managed by abstaining entirely from gluten. Brown rice, quinoa, lentils, soy flour, maize flour, and amaranth are common gluten substitutes.
Despite having a negative celiac disease test, some persons may still be sensitive to or intolerant to gluten. Although gluten intolerance shares some of the same symptoms as celiac disease, it is not an immunological disorder like celiac disease and does not harm the gut or result in issues like anemia or bone loss. diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, bloating, discomfort, and weight loss. Adults may also experience anemia, tiredness, loss of bone density, depression, and seizures.
Additionally, those who are gluten intolerant can consume gluten provided they are prepared to put up with certain digestive side effects. According to the Cleveland Clinic, 6% of Americans are gluten intolerant.
4. Crohn’s Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, a class of digestive disorders, including Crohn's disease (IBD). The terminal ileum and large intestine, which joins the end of the small bowel to the beginning of the large intestine, or colon, are the parts of the GI tract that are most frequently affected by Crohn's disease. According to the NIDDK, more than 500,000 Americans have Crohn's disease.
Though the exact causation of the disease is unknown, genetics and family history are likely to have some influence. Abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever are the most typical Crohn's symptoms. According to Dr. Bamji, the type of treatment depends on the symptoms and may entail surgery, topical painkillers, and immunosuppressants.
5. Ulcerative Colitis
According to the NIDDK, ulcerative colitis, another inflammatory bowel disease, may afflict up to 900,000 Americans. While ulcerative colitis only affects the colon, it shares many of the same symptoms as Crohn's disease.
Sores or ulcers may form in the lining of the colon if your immune system misidentifies your colon lining or other substances as foreign invaders. Make an appointment with your doctor if you have frequent or urgent bowel motions, diarrheal pain, blood in your stool, or stomach cramps.
Eliminating foods that make you feel uncomfortable as well as taking medication to reduce inflammation may be helpful. Surgery to remove the colon may be necessary as part of ulcerative colitis treatment in extreme situations.
6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Is your digestive system agitated? Do you have gastrointestinal discomfort or pain at least three times every month for a few months? Irritable bowel syndrome may be the cause (IBS).
According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 5 to 10 percent of the population has IBS, and up to 45 million of those individuals reside in the United States. IBS symptoms can range greatly from having loose, liquid stools to having firm, dry stools, or both. Gas and bloating are additional signs of IBS.
Although it is unknown what causes IBS, nutrition plays a major role in managing the symptoms, including eating low-fat, high-fiber meals and avoiding typical trigger foods (dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and foods that produce gas). It has been discovered that following the low-FODMAP diet, which entails avoiding foods high in certain carbohydrates (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), reduces the symptoms of IBS. Researchers examined 12 studies for a review that appeared in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2021, and they discovered that the low-FODMAP diet, when compared to control diets, lessens symptoms and enhances quality of life in IBS sufferers. But bear in mind that a diet low in FODMAPs need not be low in fiber.
According to some study, probiotics—friendly bacteria found in some foods like yogurt and available as supplements—might aid in the treatment of IBS. Seven of the 11 research included in a study that was published in 2019 in the journal Nutrients stated that probiotic supplementation effectively reduced the symptoms of IBS when compared to a placebo. The American Gastroenterological Association does not advise using probiotics to treat IBS, citing that additional research is required.
According to the Mayo Clinic, while stress can cause IBS symptoms, some people also benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy or low-dose antidepressants as treatments.
7. Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids may be present if there is bright red blood in the toilet bowl when you urinate. In actuality, the NIDDK estimates that hemorrhoids affect 75% of Americans over the age of 45.
Hemorrhoids are painful, itchy, bulging veins that can develop in your anus or lower rectum. Chronic constipation, diarrhea, straining during bowel motions, and a deficiency in fiber in your diet are some of the causes.
Increase your fiber intake, up your water intake, and exercise to treat hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoid symptoms are typically relieved by at-home remedies including over-the-counter lotions and suppositories. However, if symptoms continue, a doctor may prescribe prescription drugs or perform a surgical treatment called a hemorrhoidectomy to remove the hemorrhoids.
8. Diverticulitis
Diverticula, which are tiny pouches that can form whenever there are weak places in your digestive tract's lining, are most frequently found in the colon. Diverticulosis, which is relatively prevalent among older folks and rarely creates complications if you have diverticula but no symptoms. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, by the age of 50, nearly half of the population has diverticulosis. Diverticulitis is a disorder in which the pouches become inflamed or infected in roughly 5% of patients. Fever, chills, nausea, and stomach pain are some of the symptoms. A significant risk factor for diverticulitis is obesity.
A clear liquid diet is used to treat mild diverticulitis so your colon can heal. A course of antibiotics used to be the first line of treatment for uncomplicated diverticulitis, but according to recent American College of Physicians guidelines, the majority of patients can now be managed without this drug. Your doctor may advise you to consume a diet high in fiber as part of your treatment strategy because a low-fiber diet may be the root of diverticulitis. According to the Mayo Clinic, severe diverticulitis is often treated with intravenous antibiotics and may call for surgery.
You could require surgery to remove the unhealthy portion of your colon if you get severe attacks that happen regularly.
9. Anal Fissure
Anal fissures are microscopic, oval-shaped tears in the anus lining. Hemorrhoids-like symptoms include bleeding and pain following bowel movements. Fissures can be brought on by hard stools and squeezing, but also by soft stools and diarrhea. Anal fissures are detected in about 250,000 cases a year in the US, according to Stat Pearls.
The most effective treatment is frequently a high-fiber diet that results in well-formed, thick stools. Pain can be relieved by anal sphincter muscle relaxants, topical anesthetics, and sitz baths; however, persistent fissures may necessitate anal sphincter muscle surgery.
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