General Digestive Symptoms PDF
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This document discusses general digestive symptoms, vomiting characteristics, blood in stool, dysphagia, hiatal hernia. and GERD. It also covers stomach disorders, chronic gastritis, ulcerative disorders, and inflammatory conditions. The information is presented in a list format with various topics, focusing on medical details, conditions, and symptoms.
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# General Digestive Symptoms # - Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting indicate digestive system disorders or other conditions like: - Systemic infections - Kidney failure - Emotional responses # Vomiting Characteristics # - Pattern and contents aid diagnosis - Types: -...
# General Digestive Symptoms # - Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting indicate digestive system disorders or other conditions like: - Systemic infections - Kidney failure - Emotional responses # Vomiting Characteristics # - Pattern and contents aid diagnosis - Types: - Coffee grounds: Indicates bleeding in stomach/intestine - Yellow: Contains bile from duodenum - Deep brown: From jejunum/ileum - Frank blood: Visible blood in vomit - Frequent vomiting after meals: Suggests gastric emptying issues/pyloric obstruction # Blood in Stool # - Frank blood: Visible blood on stool surface - Indicates bleeding in anal canal or rectum - Melena: Dark stool from bleeding higher in intestinal tract - Blood appears darker due to digestion - Often indicates large intestine issues - Can be late indicator of colon cancer - Occult blood: Hidden blood detected only through testing # Dysphagia # - Difficulty/inability to swallow - Causes: - Neurological defects - Muscular disorders - Mechanical obstruction - Types: 1. Achalasia: Lower esophageal sphincter fails to relax 2. Congenital atresia: Disconnected upper/lower esophagus 3. Stenosis: Narrowed esophagus 4. Diverticulum: Food trapped in blind pouch 5. Tumor: Internal/external esophageal compression # Hiatal Hernia and GERD # ### Hiatal Hernia - Occurs where esophagus passes through diaphragm - Types: - Axial: Affects whole circumference - Para esophageal: One-sided bulging - Symptoms: Breathing difficulties, swallowing problems ## GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder) # - Characterized by stomach contents flowing backward into esophagus - Symptoms: - Burning 30-60 minutes after eating - Worsens when bending/lying down - Chronic coughing - Treatment: - Antacids - H2-receptor antagonists - Proton pump inhibitors - Can progress to Barrett's esophagus and potentially esophageal cancer # Stomach Disorders # ### Acute Gastritis - Inflamed gastric mucosa - Causes: - Aspirin/NSAIDs - Chemotherapy - Alcohol - Gastric radiation - Usually self-limiting ## Chronic Gastritis # Main causes: 1. H. pylori infection - Most common cause - Treated with antibiotics 2. Autoimmune gastritis - Attacks parietal cells - Leads to B12 deficiency ## Ulcerative Disorders # - Peptic ulcer disease: Mucosal breakdown - Common in duodenum - Gastric ulcer: Stomach ulcers - Main causes: - H. pylori - NSAID abuse - Complications: - Bleeding - Perforation - Obstruction - Peritonitis - Treatment: - H. pylori eradication - NSAID avoidance - Proton pump inhibitors # Inflammatory Conditions # ### Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) #### Crohn's Disease - Can affect entire GI tract - Affects all intestinal wall layers - Symptoms: - Lower right abdominal pain - Diarrhea - Rectal bleeding - Weight loss - Fever - Pattern: Alternating exacerbations and remissions ### Ulcerative Colitis # - Limited to large intestine - Affects mucosa only - Common in descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum - Increases colon cancer risk - Characterized by easily bleeding tissue
