Homeostatic Imbalances of the Digestive System Sign or Disease Description, Causes, Etc. 1 Abdominal Adhesions Fibrous bands that form between tissues and organs, often as a result of injury during surgery; hampers movement 2 Appendicitis Inflammation of the appendix, usually caused by blockage from feces, a foreign object, or tumor 3 Barrett s Esophagus The lining of the esophagus is damaged and changed by stomach acid, due to weakend esophageal sphincter; increased risk of esophageal cancer 4 Belching (eructation) Release of gas from the esophagus and stomach through the mouth; caused by swallowing air or carbonated beverages 5 Bowel infarction Results from restricted blood supply to bowel due to bowel obstruction or occlusion of one or more of the mesenteric arteries; causes tissue death 6 Celiac disease Condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food; the immune system is responding to gluten (protein in grains) by damaging the villi in the SI
7 Cirrhosis of liver Fibrous scarring of the liver caused by chronic liver disease due to alcoholism, Hep B, C, and fatty liver disease 8 Cleft palate Birth defect that affects the upper lip and roof of mouth; can lead to problems with feeding and speech 9 Colon/rectal cancer Uncontrolled cell growth of the cells in the colon; Sx are constipation, blood in stool, weight loss, fever, and vomiting; due to lifestyle and increasing age 10 Constipation Bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass; caused by obstruction, diet, hormones, side effects of some medications and heavy metal toxicity 11 Cramping (intestinal) Movement of smooth muscle is hampered and causes discomfort; caused by parasites, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, Crohns, or green stool 12 Crohn s disease Chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines that cause ulcers in the digestive tract (anywhere from mouth to anus); cause is unknown, possibly bacterial infection 13 Diarrhea Loose, watery, frequent stools, can quickly lead to dehydration; caused by food poisoning, antibiotics, lactose intolerance, Crohns, celiacs
14 Distention enlargement or swelling of the abdomen from internal pressure; caused by overeating, air swallowing, buildup of fluid in the abdomen 15 Diverticula Weak spots in muscular wall of colon that form pouches or sacs; caused by lack of fiber in diet and age 16 Diverticulitis Painful inflammation of the diverticula; caused by bacterial infection or food particles; can lead to rupture of the intestinal wall 17 Diverticulosis The condition of having diverticula in the colon 18 Esophageal cancer Abnormal growth of the esophageal cells; linked to smoking and alcohol consumption 19 Flatulence Expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases (flatus) that are the byproducts of the digestion process and bacteria; gases include nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen 20 Gall stones Hard, pebble-like deposits made of cholesterol or bilirubin; caused by fatty diet or rapid weight loss; more common in women, Native Americans, Hispanics, and people over 40
21 Gastroenteritis Also called gastric flu or stomach bug inflammation of the stomach and small intestine resulting in diarrhea, cramps, and vomiting; caused by the rotavirus or norovirus, bacterial toxins, and parasites 22 GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) Condition in which stomach contents leak back into the esophagus and irritate the lining of the esophagus causing heartburn; caused by a weakened sphincter 23 Heartburn Acid indigestion, burning sensation in chest due to acid reflux 24 Hemorrohids Painful, swollen veins in the rectum or anus, can cause bleeding due to straining during a BM, during pregnancy or after childbirth 25 Hepatitis Swelling and inflammation of the liver due to viral infection; caused by the Hep A, B, C or D virus; can be transmitted by fecal-oral contact, IV drug use, blood or sexual contact 26 Hiatal hernia Stomach sticks upward through opening in diaphragm (hiatus); occurs mostly in people over 50, smokers, and obese 27 IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) leads to pain, cramping, changes in bowel movements (structure of bowel is not abnormal, as in Crohn s and colitis); possibly caused by stress triggers and following an infection
28 Impacted tooth Tooth that fails to pass through the gums; common in wisdom teeth; caused by overcrowding, small jaw 29 Inguinal hernia Protrusion of the abdominal cavity contents through inguinal canal; occurs in 27% of men and 3% of women; caused by increased pressure in the abdomen, heavy lifting, straining, forceful coughing 30 Intestinal polyps Mushroom-like abnormalities in the intestinal wall; risk factor for cancer; linked to family history, diet, smoking 31 Jaundice Yellow coloration of skin, eyes, and mucus membranes from bilirubin deposits; can indicate liver dysfunction or breakdown of too many red blood cells 32 Lactose intolerance Inability to digest lactose; triggered by infections of the SI, surgery, or lack of digestive enzyme 33 Nausea Discomfort in stomach, associated with motion sickness, dizziness, migraine, fainting, food poisoning, anxiety, depression, disgust; vagal nerve sends message to area postrema in brain stem (vomiting center) 34 Pancreatitis Inflammation of the pancreas; enzymes in the pancreas become active and damage tissue; triggered by alcohol abuse, genetics, or viral infection
35 Peptic Ulcers Open sores in the lining of esophagus, stomach, or SI; caused by bacterial infection (H. pylori) or some medications 36 Peritonitis Inflammation of the peritoneum (serous membrane that covers abdominal organs) from infection or trauma 37 Tooth decay Holes in teeth due to bacterial damage 38 Ulcerative colitis Inflammatory disease of the colon and rectum that involve the inner lining 39 Vomiting Forceful expulsion of the stomach contents through the mouth (and, sometimes, nose); triggered by gastritis, obstruction, overeating 40 Food allergies Components in food (like peanuts, shellfish, wheat) trigger a hypersensitive immune response (differs from food intolerance);histamine is released into the bloodstream causing the symptoms such as runny nose, itchy eyes, rashes and hives or even an anaphylactic response 41