Gastrointestinal disorders include many types of conditions that can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract, from the stomach, small intestine, to the colon and rectum, as well in nearby digestive-associated organs such as the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
Gastrointestinal disorders include peptic ulcer disease, gastritis or enteritis (inflammation of the stomach lining and intestines), gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying), diverticulosis (outpouchings of the colon), irritable bowel syndrome (a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder associated with abdominal cramping or pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits), and inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, among others.
Some of these disorders affect the normal function of the digestive tract, causing painful and life-disrupting symptoms, even though there is no sign of organ disease or abnormality. Other conditions cause abnormal function of the digestive process because the anatomical structure of the organ has been affected or the nerves of the area have been damaged by other existing disease like diabetes.
Inflammatory bowel disease is the term for a group of chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The intestines become inflamed leading to ulcers or infection. Two of the most common disorders are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease can involve any portion of the intestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. Ulcerative colitis only involves the colon and rectum.
Gastrointestinal disorders include many types of conditions that can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract, from the stomach, small intestine, to the colon and rectum, as well in nearby digestive-associated organs such as the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
