Do you know what the human digestive system is? It is the system of the body that comprises different organs to digest the food so that different nutrients from it can be easily absorbed. And we all know that nutrients are important for our body to grow and develop. But what happens if it gets diseased? What are the different Disorders of Human Digestive System? What are its causes and symptoms? How to prevent it? What are different tips to keep our digestive system healthy? What should be eaten to keep the digestive tract healthy? Scroll down to know the answers of these questions.

What is the Human Digestive System?

The human digestive system refers to the parts of the body concerned with the uptake and digestion of food and then the elimination of undigested remains from the body. It consists of an alimentary canal and many digestive glands.

Significance of Human Digestive System

The human digestive system plays an important role in the human body. It helps in
1. Digestion of food: It helps in breaking complex food into smaller or simpler ones.
2. Absorption of simpler food: The simpler or smaller food materials are easily absorbed from the alimentary canal to the blood and lymph.
3. Assimilation of absorbed food: After absorption, there occurs assimilation of food that means absorbed food is incorporated into the tissue cells that helps in their growth and repair. It also gives us the energy to work.
4. Elimination of undigested food: Undigested foods are excreted out of the body as faeces.

Common Disorders of Human Digestive System

1. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

GERD is a gastroesophageal reflux disease. In this disease, the lower esophageal sphincter that does not allow the food bolus to come back to the food pipe gets weakened, due to which stomach acid gets leaked and comes up into our esophagus. This causes heartburn, and in the long term, the lining of the esophagus gets affected.

Causes:
1. Obesity
2. Pregnancy
3. Connective tissue disorder
4. Smoking
5. Eating large meals
6. Lying down after eating
7. Eating spicy foods, beverages like soda, coffee, alcohol
8. Using drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen

Symptoms:
1. Heartburn
2. Nausea
3. Difficulty in swallowing in severe cases
4. The sour or bitter taste of food when regurgitated from the stomach
5. Burps

Treatments:
1. Antacids
2. Quitting cigarette smoking
3. Healthy and small diet
4. 2 hours gap should be there between dinner and sleeping time
5. Tight clothes should be avoided
6. Spicy and fatty foods should be avoided

2. Constipation

In this disease, faeces are retained within the rectum. It is the result of irregular bowel movements.

Causes:
1. Intake of low fibre food
2. Less water intake
3. Less exercise
4. Stress
5. Some medical conditions like hypothyroidism, colorectal cancer, pregnancy, etc.

Symptoms:
6. Fewer bowel movement
7. Dry and hard stool
8. Difficulty in passing stool
9. Nausea
10. Stomach ache

Treatments:
1. High fibre food
2. More water intake
3. Medication like laxatives that helps to clear the bowel or as prescribed by a doctor
4. Supplements of magnesium

3. Diarrhoea

In this, there is abnormal bowel movement and liquid-like faecal discharge.

Causes:
1. Infection due to bacteria, viruses and parasitic organisms.
2. Use of antibiotics.
3. Intake of oily, dirty, or stale food.
4. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
5. Microscopic colitis
6. Cancer

Symptoms:
1. Watery stools
2. Abdominal cramps
3. Stomach pain
4. Chills

Treatments:
1. Mild acute diarrhoea gets resolved on its own.
2. Rehydrating liquids like ORS.
3. Zinc Supplements
4. Antibiotics
5. Less fibre diet.
6. Potassium-rich diet like banana
7. Probiotics

4. Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD)

Mucus secreted in the stomach protects the stomach lining from the stomach acids. The lining gets damaged when mucus secretion is decreased. This may cause painful sores or ulcers in the stomach lining or the duodenum.

Causes:
1. Helicobacter pylori infection
2. NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) medication
3. History of ulcer disease
4. Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, a rare case when a tumour of acid-producing cells is formed.

Symptoms:
1. Heartburn
2. Burning pain in the stomach
3. Bloating
4. Nausea
5. Weight loss

Treatments:
1. Proton pump inhibitors or PPIs help in the reduction in the secretion of acid in the stomach.
2. H2 Blocker helps in reduction in the production of acid in the stomach.
3. Antibiotics to kill H-pylori (Helicobacter pylori) bacteria

5. Gastroenteritis

In this disease, the lining of the stomach and small intestines are irritated and inflamed. It is a contagious disease, mostly caused by viruses.

Causes:
1. Infection due to bacteria, viruses, toxins, etc.
2. Viruses like rotavirus and norovirus cause the disease.

Symptoms:
1. Diarrhoea
2. Vomiting
3. Stomach pain
4. Fever
5. Nausea
6. Headache
7. Dehydration

Treatments:
1. Treatment
2. Hydration is needed
3. Antibiotics

6. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

IBD includes a group of disorders that is characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis involves inflammation of the lining of the large intestine.

Crohn’s disease involves inflammation of the lining of any part of the digestive tract.

Causes:
1. The exact cause is unknown.
2. It may be due to weak immune system
3. Maybe heredity
4. Smoking
5. Environmental factors like people living in urban or industrial areas are more likely to eat processed foods.
6. Sedentary lifestyle

Symptoms:
1. Bleeding ulcers
2. Diarrhoea
3. Weight loss
4. Blood with stools
5. Stomach pain
6. Bloating, etc.

Treatments:
1. Medications like anti-inflammatory drugs
2. Changes in lifestyle choices
3. Supplements
4. Surgery like widening of narrowed bowel, removing the part of the intestine that is affected.

7. Hemorrhoids or Piles

It is a common problem characterized by swollen blood vessels in the lower rectum or anus.

Causes:
1. Chronic constipation or diarrhoea
2. Low fibre diet
3. Continuous sitting job
4. Pregnancy
5. Overweight, etc.

Symptoms:
1. Blood in stool
2. Itchy anus
3. Pain in the anus
4. Lumps near the anus, etc.

Treatments:
1. Warm-water intake
2. Over-the-counter medication
3. Increase of fibre intake
4. Increase of water intake

How to Prevent Different Disorders of the Digestive Tract?

Different disorders of the digestive tract can be prevented by the following:

1. Healthy and timely diet
2. Regular exercise
3. Quitting smoking
4. Washing hands before and after eating
5. Brushing teeth twice a day
6. Avoiding highly processed foods and caffeinated drinks
7. Taking dinner 2 hours before sleeping

Some Healthy Foods for Healthy Digestive Tract

Summary

From the above discussion, we came to know about different disorders of the digestive system. Some of the disorders discussed here are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hemorrhoids, Constipation, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) & Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, etc. GERD is characterized by a weakened lower esophageal sphincter which causes heartburn when stomach acids come to the food pipe. In Hemorrhoids, there are swollen blood vessels in the lower rectum or anus. IBD is characterized by inflammation of the different parts of the digestive tract. Different disorders have different causes, symptoms, and treatments. We should consult a doctor if any of the disorders are diagnosed. We can prevent different digestive system disorders by having healthy food daily, enough exercise, quitting smoking, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Human Digestive System

Q.1. What are the common disorders of the digestive system?
Ans: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hemorrhoids, Constipation, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) & Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, etc.

Q.2. What is constipation?
Ans: It is one of the disorders of the human digestive system in which feces are retained within the rectum. It is the result of irregular bowel movement. There occurs bloody stool. It is caused due to less intake of fibrous foods.

Q.3. What are the most common signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders?
Ans: Most common signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders are
1. Heartburn
2. Bloating
3. Stomach pain
4. Cramping
5. Nausea and vomiting,
6. Diarrhoea,
7. Constipation, etc.

Q.4. How can bowel disorders be prevented?
Ans: It can be prevented by:
1. Intake of healthy food.
2. Doing regular exercise.
3. By quitting smoking, etc.

Q.5. How can I stop Diarrhoea?
Ans: Diarrhoea can be stopped by:-
1. Taking potassium-rich food like bananas
2. Taking ORS to keep the body hydrated
3. Taking rest
4. Avoiding dairy products, coffee, etc.