What is stomach disorder?

If you’ve ever been laid up with a stomach bug or experienced that gut-wrenching feeling, then you know just how truly awful it can be. Unfortunately, stomach disorders are more common than we’d like to admit – but don’t worry, we’ve got all the skinny on what they are and how to deal with them. In this article, we’re going to dive deep into the world of gastrointestinal distress so pop an antacid, grab a glass of water and let’s get started!

What Are Stomach Disorders?

Stomach disorders come in many shapes and sizes (figuratively speaking, of course), but at their core, they all involve some kind of dysfunction within the digestive system. This can mean anything from chronic bloating or indigestion to full-blown diseases like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.

No matter what form they take though, these issues can make life miserable for those who suffer from them (and extremely unpleasant for anyone around them). So if you’re dealing with symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain or gas bubbles large enough to fuel a hot air balloon (we wish that was hyperbole), you might be dealing with a stomach disorder.

Common Types

Ready for some medical mumbo-jumbo? Here are some common types of stomach disorders:

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

This fun little condition is caused by acid refluxing back up into your esophagus when your lower esophageal sphincter isn’t doing its job properly. The result? Heartburn city! And while occasional heartburn after eating spicy food isn’t unusual (or pleasant), frequent GERD can lead to further complications (cue dramatic music)…

Peptic Ulcers

Peptic ulcers occur when there’s too much acid in your upper GI tract and damage occurs in the lining of your stomach or intestinal walls. This can lead to burning sensations, nausea and other fun symptoms.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Feeling bloated, crampy and generally not great? It might be IBS! Doctors still aren’t entirely sure what causes this ailment (thanks a lot, science) but it’s definitely related to problems with how food moves through your intestines. Symptoms include diarrhea, constipation (why choose just one when you can have both) and plenty of gassiness.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two types of inflammatory bowel diseases that cause inflammation in the digestive tract. This can lead to pain, diarrhea (a recurring theme here from the looks of it), feeling unwell all over your body (luckily we’ve got comfy couches nowadays).

What Are The Symptoms?

Stomach disorders often affect more than just our tummies – they can impact every aspect of daily life. But how do you know if your stomach troubles are “normal” or truly problematic? Here are some common symptoms:

  • Bloating
  • Abdominal Pain
  • Heartburn
  • Changes in appetite
  • Gas
  • Diarrhea/constipation
  • Nausea/vomiting

If any combination of these sound familiar (we’re sorry) then you could very well be dealing with a stomach disorder!

Causes

While specific causes vary depending on the type of gastrointestinal condition being dealt with (conveniently vague, eh?), there tend to be some overarching factors at play such as:

Diet

Ah yes, we knew those third slices of pizza would come back to haunt us eventually! Too much fried/greasy/fatty food is never good for anyone. Certain foods like coffee or chocolate may also trigger GERD episodes which leads to much-needed dietary sacrifices.

Stress

There’s a reason they say stress is a silent killer! Anxiety can do damage to the entire body, including throwing digestion out of whack.

Genetic Predisposition

If stomach disorders run in your family (lucky you) then there’s definitely an increased risk that you may develop one too. It’s always good to ask all those questions from grandparents and extended relatives.

How Are They Diagnosed?

Think you have an upset stomach, but not sure why exactly? Here are some common methods doctors might use:

  • Blood tests
  • Stool analysis (fingers crossed it doesn’t come back positive for anything funky)
  • Endoscopy (i.e. using small cameras to check things out inside your gut (sounds like fun times)

Once properly diagnosed, treatments can vary depending on the specifics of each situation (now that’s personalized medicine!)

Treatments

So what kind of relief options are available when it comes to dealing with stomach disorders? While again this varies wildly based on condition and severity, here are some possibilities:

Medication

The pharmaceutical industry is filled with pills specifically designed to help alleviate or manage symptoms related to gastrointestinal problems – hooray for science!

Lifestyle Changes

This takes us right back around full circle where cutting spicy food, fast food/greasy pizza while learning how breathing exercises and yoga can make our tummies content (namaste baby!).

Surgery For Some Severe Cases

Unfortunately surgeries sometimes cannot be avoided especially if medication was attempted or unresponsive treatments were used prior.

Home Remedies That Help!

Not everyone wants or needs medical intervention for their edgy tummy woes (we understand). In fact plenty of people find great success with at-home remedies intended at upping maintainable function within intestines such as:

Remedy Description
Probiotics Introducing good bacteria to your gut which can help promote healthy digestion ✨
Ginger Tea Can help soothe an upset stomach and reduce bloating, smells great too! 🍡
Peppermint Oil A natural antispasmodic that may help relieve cramps πŸ’†β€β™€οΈπŸ˜Œ

Wrapping Things Up

If you’re currently coping with a gastrointestinal issue then we sympathize (this stuff is tough). But luckily there’s plenty of hope out there – whether through medication or simple lifestyle changes. And if all else fails, remember: lots of nearby vending machines now stock ginger ale!

So go forth and conquer those pesky tummy troubles – you’ve got this!

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