DIGESTIVE DISORDERS GLOSSARY

“SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH MOST DIGESTIVE DISEASES USUALLY OVERLAP, MAKING THEM A MISSION TO SELF-DIAGNOSE ACCURATELY,” SAYS DR NTHABISENG KUMALO, A MEDICAL DOCTOR.

If you have any the following symptoms, it’s time you seek medical help: Constipation. A chronic (sometimes not) condition in which one’s bowel movements are infrequent (less than thrice weekly) and the stools are literally metal-rod tough. The stools take long in transit which could lead to conditions such as leaky gut or haemorrhoids.

Leaky Gut. A condition where the stomach’s lining gets damaged and starts tearing up into cracks, therefore allowing undigested food particles, toxins and bacteria to permeate your bloodstream. The natural health industry calls it auto intoxication, which is basically your body toxifying itself.

Haemorrhoids or Piles. Swollen and inflamed veins in the rectum and anus, usually caused by straining during bowel movements, obesity or pregnancy, that cause discomfort and bleeding. Common symptoms include itching and bleeding.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or Acid reflux. A persistent condition where stomach acids or bile flows into the food pipe, therefore irritating the lining. Symptoms include a burning sensation on the chest, which usually follows after a meal.

Peptic Ulcers. A condition where stomach acids eat away at the digestive tract’s mucus layer, therefore causing open sores in the lining of the stomach or the upper end of the small intestine. This condition is often, always, characterised by discomfort, a burning sensation or no symptoms at all. Peptic ulcers can also lead to internal bleeding.

Stomach Flu. An intestinal infection marked by diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. Stomach flu is typically spread by contact with an infected person or through contaminated food or water.

Celiac Disease. An immune reaction usually triggered by eating gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — which is mostly typified by diarrhoea, bloating, wind, fatigue and anaemia.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). An umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Types of IBD include: Ulcerative colitis and Chron’s disease, conditions that cause long-lasting inflammation and sores in the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). A common disorder that usually plagues the large intestine, with symptoms ranging from cramping, abdominal pain, bloating to gas and diarrhoea or constipation (sometimes both).

Gallstones. Hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can cause a blockage in the pancreatic duct, which can lead to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) if left untreated. Those with a medical history of gallstones have an increased risk of gallbladder cancer.

Colon cancer. Also known as bowel cancer, rectal cancer or Colorectal cancer, is a malignant tumour located in the inner wall of the large intestine or rectum. Common symptoms include blood-stained or dark-coloured stool, change in bowel habits, change in stool consistency, constipation and diarrhoea.