Digestive Symptoms and Dysphagia Overview

General Digestive Symptoms

• Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting can indicate digestive system problems or other conditions like infections or kidney failure.
• Vomiting characteristics can help diagnose problems.
  • Coffee-ground vomit suggests stomach or intestinal bleeding.
  • Yellow vomit may come from the duodenum.
  • Deep brown vomit can come from the jejunum or ileum.
  • Visible blood in vomit is called "frank blood."
  • Frequent vomiting after meals suggests issues with gastric emptying or a pyloric obstruction.
• Blood in stool can be a sign of bleeding in the anal canal or rectum.
  • Dark stool (melena) suggests bleeding higher in the intestines.
  • Blood in stool can be a symptom of colon cancer, although not always immediately detected.

Dysphagia

• Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing.
• Causes include neurological issues, muscular problems, or mechanical obstructions.
  • Specific types include achalasia (sphincter fails to relax), congenital atresia (disconnection), stenosis (narrowing), diverticulum (trapped food), or tumors.

Hiatal Hernia and GERD

• Hiatal hernias occur when the esophagus passes through the diaphragm.
  • Axial hernias affect the whole circumference.
  • Para-esophageal hernias are one-sided.
• GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is characterized by stomach contents flowing back into the esophagus.
  • Burning, worsening with bending or lying down, and chronic coughing are common symptoms.

Stomach Disorders

• Acute gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining.
  • Common causes include aspirin/NSAIDs, chemotherapy, alcohol, and gastric radiation.
• Chronic gastritis has more persistent causes, including H. pylori infection and autoimmune issues attacking the stomach's parietal cells (associated with B12 deficiency).
• Ulcers are a breakdown of the stomach lining. Peptic ulcers commonly occur in the duodenum, while gastric ulcers are in the stomach.

Inflammatory Conditions

• Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) cover Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
  • Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis typically affects the colon and rectum.
  • Both can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. The symptoms can also come and go (exacerbation and remission).
• Peritonitis is inflammation of the peritoneum (lining of the abdomen).

This quiz covers general digestive symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, and vomiting, along with specific characteristics of vomit that indicate potential problems. It also delves into dysphagia, its causes, and the various types of swallowing difficulties. Test your understanding of these critical digestive disorders.