5 Common Digestive System Diseases and Their Symptoms

Digestive system diseases can interfere with how your body absorbs and uses food, processes and eliminates waste, and many activities of daily life. If you notice symptoms of these five common disorders, don’t hesitate to discuss them with your physician because treatment is available.

1. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
According to Everyday Health, GERD happens when stomach acids are allowed to back up and flow into the esophagus. While many people have occasional heartburn, patients with this digestive system disease usually have a burning sensation and chest pain after meals or at night at least twice per week. Some patients with GERD also notice bad breath, trouble swallowing and breathing difficulties.

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2. Diverticulitis
This disorder happens when the small pouches lining the large intestine become infected and inflamed. According to Livestrong, diverticulitis causes severe lower left side abdominal pain, constipation, fever, and nausea.

3. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
This is a disease of chronic swelling and inflammation in various parts of the digestive tract. There are two types of IBD, including Crohn’s Disease, which affects the digestive tract, and ulcerative colitis, which affects the large intestine. Abdominal pain and diarrhea are often symptoms of IBD, says Healthline, but some patients also experience fatigue, rectal bleeding, night sweats, decreased appetite, and problems with bowel movements.

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4. Celiac Disease
As many as 83 percent of people with celiac disease are unaware, says the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Celiac disease is a severe intolerance to gluten in foods, and consuming gluten will cause an autoimmune response with symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, weight loss, and constipation.

5. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
The cause of this digestive system disease isn’t well understood, and the symptoms can be confusing and vary widely from patient to patients. For instance, some experience diarrhea while others are constipated. Frequent stomach discomfort and abdominal bloating are also symptoms of IBS, says Everyday Health.

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