Understanding Gastrointestinal Diseases: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
1. What Are Gastrointestinal Diseases? Gastrointestinal diseases refer to a broad range of conditions that affect the digestive tract , which includes the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. These diseases can vary from mild digestive issues like indigestion and bloating to severe conditions like Crohn’s disease and colorectal cancer. Types of Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal diseases are categorized into two main groups: functional and structural disorders. Functional GI Disorders: These are conditions where the GI tract looks normal but doesn’t function properly. Examples include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia . Structural GI Disorders: These conditions involve abnormalities in the structure of the GI tract, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) , peptic ulcers , and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Understanding these different categories can help in re...