Gastrointestinal Diseases
Gastrointestinal disease is a broad term that covers a variety of diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect the digestive system. It can affect any part of the G.I. tract, including the mouth and esophagus (where food enters), the stomach and small intestine (where food is digested), or the large intestine (where waste products are absorbed and stored).
Gastrointestinal disease is a common term used for a variety of conditions that affect the digestive system. In the most general sense, gastrointestinal diseases can be broken down into two groups: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), which include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and chronic constipation.
What causes Gastrointestinal diseases?
G.I. disorders are pretty common—in fact, about one in five people will have one in their lifetime. The good news is that they are usually easy to treat; the bad news is that they’re still incredibly uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating.
The most common causes of G.I. disorders include:
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): This includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These diseases are characterized by inflammation of the bowels and can cause symptoms like bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain.
- A food allergy or intolerance: Food allergies cause immune responses when you eat certain foods; food intolerances don’t involve the immune system but instead result from an inability to digest certain foods properly. Both types of G.I. disorders can cause bloating and gas; other symptoms depend on what specific foods are involved.
- Ulcers: Some ulcers form due to stomach acid-burning holes through your stomach lining; others form when bacteria invade your body’s mucous membranes.
Common symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders include:
- A variation in regular bowel movements.
- Bright or dark blood on the stool or in it.
- Weird gastric or abdominal pain.
- A tiny stool.
- A sensation after passing stool that the bowel has not fully emptied.
- Unexpected weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Anemia (low blood count).
Statistics
- In 2015, an estimated 1.3% of U.S. adults (3 million) reported being diagnosed with IBD (either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis). (CDC)
- Approximately 1.6 million Americans currently have IBD, a growth of about 200,000 since the last time CCFA reported this figure (in 2011).
- As many as 70,000 new cases of IBD are diagnosed in the United States each year.
- There may be as many as 80,000 children in the United States with IBD.
Why is treating the root cause of Gastrointestinal diseases important?
Treating the root cause of Gastrointestinal Diseases is important because it helps you to understand the problem and take steps to get rid of it. In order for your body to function properly, it needs to have an efficient digestive system. If there is an imbalance in the digestive tract, then this can lead to a number of different conditions, including stomach pain, bloating, and nausea.
The reason why treating the root cause of Gastrointestinal Diseases is so important is that it allows you to address these issues before they become more serious. For example, if you experience bloating, then this could be due to an underlying medical condition such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). If left untreated, then this could lead to serious complications, such as cancerous tumors forming within your gastrointestinal tract.
With individualized plans that target the underlying causes of your uncomfortable symptoms, Benehealth specializes in gut dysbiosis and treats Heartburn, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Leaky Gut, Crohn’s illness, Ulcerative colitis, Acid Reflux, Diarrhea, Constipation, as well as Food Intolerances (Like Gluten and Dairy).
