Diseases Of The Digestive System
There are diseases of the digestive system that appear and disappear on their own, as if they were temporary symptoms. For example, some food poisoning tends to manifest for 24 hours and then disappear. But not all diseases of the digestive system are so harmless.
There are others that are chronic, such as colon cancer, whose symptoms are not obvious until they cause serious health complications. Although researchers have made progress in detecting it, colon cancer continues to be one of the most common neoplasms.
Part of the reason there are so many digestive diseases is that the digestive tract is complicated and involves various organs; from the mouth with its own micro-environment, to the large intestine and attached glands, such as the pancreas, which also performs hormonal functions by secreting insulin. What are the most common diseases of the digestive system? Keep reading to find out!
Diseases of the digestive system
In children, gastroenteritis is a common disease. It is almost always caused by infections that they contract from contact with other children, especially in school.
The biggest danger of diarrhea in childhood is dehydration. If the gastroenteritis is prolonged and aggressive, favoring abundant vomiting together with soft stools, the water is eliminated from the body with electrolytes.
Therefore, the basic treatment for gastroenteritis is hydration. Parents should provide fluids to their children correctly, without forcing them. You should also provide them with rehydration salts, especially sodium and potassium.
In some countries, diarrhea is a huge cause of mortality and a public health problem associated with poor sanitation. Simple hygiene, which includes hand washing, is a strong barrier against microorganisms that cause gastroenteritis.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an unpleasant condition in which gastric acid returns to the esophagus. Patients often complain of chest pain, heartburn and even cough.
Hydrochloric acid in the stomach should remain inside the stomach so as not to cause damage to other parts of the body. When it advances to other organs, it causes damage. This happens with the esophagus, which is not ready to cope with acidity.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is often associated with gastritis or hiatal hernia. Gastritis is the inflammation of the lining of the stomach, and the hiatal hernia is the improper position of the bottom of the stomach, which is placed above the diaphragm.
To treat the condition, doctors often prescribe antacids and recommend changing eating habits. The patient should decrease the volume of food he eats at each meal and eat at about 4 hours.
Colon cancer is a serious disease and, unfortunately, very common. After lung and breast cancer, it is the third most common cancer in the world. In some countries, it ranks second if we take into account the number of men and women with confirmed diagnoses.
Although the highest number of cases occurs at the age of 70, from the age of 50 the sensitivity and risk increase. Therefore, doctors recommend a regular colonoscopy after this age, to detect polyps that can be removed before they become malignant.
There are a variety of treatment options for colon cancer. But it is a serious problem. The basis of treatment lies, in fact, in early detection. For this reason, campaigns that encourage endoscopies are essential.
