Skip to main content

Gastrointestinal

Chronic constipation affects almost 15% of all adults and 30% of those over age 60. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for long-term constipation.

See Constipation treatments

Acid reflux disease, also known as GERD, causes a burning pain or heartburn in the chest area. Acid reflux occurs because stomach acid flows up the esophagus. Changing what you eat is the easiest way to stop symptoms. Some people with GERD also take medication to lower the amount of stomach acid.

See GERD treatments

Gastritis, in general, refers to inflammation of the stomach lining due to a failure of normal protective mechanisms. Acute gastritis is a condition that resolves within days to weeks. Symptoms include nausea or vomiting, a loss of appetite, belly pain, bloating, or passing blood in severe cases.

See Acute Gastritis treatments

An anal fissure is a small tear or crack in the tissue of the anus. It makes bowel movements hurt and bleed. Fissures are easy to treat and take just a few weeks to heal. But they will happen again if you don’t fix the cause. Here’s how.

See Anal Fissure treatments

Appendicitis is an inflammation or infection in your appendix, a small pouch in the lower, right side of your belly. Surgery is usually required, but sometimes, when caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics.

See Appendicitis treatments

Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes inflammation in your gut. Eating gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley, triggers your immune system to attack your own intestines, causing diarrhea, pain, and weight loss.

See Celiac Disease treatments

If you have severe pain in the upper right part of your abdomen, particularly after eating, and you’re nauseous, you may have gallstones. These are common but sometimes they get stuck and block the gallbladder exit, causing it to become inflamed and sometimes infected.

See Cholecystitis treatments

Colitis is an inflammation of the lining of the colon. There are a number of causes, including infection and an overactive immune system. Often, you have stomach pain and diarrhea. Getting the right diagnosis is critical to managing your symptoms.

See Colitis treatments

It’s common to have constipation after surgery. Especially after having anesthesia and taking pain meds. To prevent and treat it, be active, drink lots of water, and follow these other tips.

See Constipation After Surgery treatments

Abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and exhaustion are some of the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s is an inflammation of the intestines. It’s a chronic disease but diagnosing it early and reducing the inflammation can reduce symptoms and even prevent complications and slow progression of the disease.

See Crohn's Disease treatments

Diverticulitis occurs when small, bulging pouches called diverticula develop in your intestines, and become inflamed and infected. It can cause pain and nausea. It's treated with antibiotics.

See Diverticulitis treatments

The walls of your large intestine can become weak in certain spots. A poor diet and not enough exercise can cause weak spots in your intestine. Eventually, small pouches, called diverticula, form. When this happens, you have diverticulosis. It is very common in older adults.

See Diverticulosis treatments

E. coli strains can be harmless while some can cause bloody diarrhea. Strains of E. coli bacteria may cause urinary tract infection (UTI), severe anemia or kidney failure.

See E. Coli Infection treatments

Food poisoning is an illness of the digestive tract caused by eating contaminated food. It causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea and may cause dehydration. Food poisoning could be caused by germs like bacteria, viruses, or parasites or by toxins created by germs.

See Food Poisoning treatments

Gallstones are incredibly painful stones that form in the gallbladder, the organ responsible for storing bile, which helps the liver with digestion. When stones block the gallbladder’s drainage system, it can cause inflammation and be extremely painful. It may need immediate surgery.

See Gallstones treatments

Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach. It causes nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and bloating, and heartburn. It is usually caused by bacteria, but can be caused by medications and other issues. Finding the best treatment for the inflammation is the key to getting relief.

See Gastritis treatments

A hangover from alcohol use is an extremely common condition that involves dehydration, headache, fatigue, low mood, anxiety, nausea, and vomiting.

See Hangover treatments

Hemorrhoids cause itching and pain around your anus. They happen when the small blood vessels become swollen, from straining and other reasons. The discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter medications, and you can learn how to prevent them.

See Hemorrhoids treatments

Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection and is spread from contaminated food or water, or an infected person. Hepatitis A is preventable by vaccine.

See Hepatitis A treatments

An indirect hernia is a protrusion of an organ through the "wall" located near the groin or abdomen. The bulge is painless but when strangulated, can cause symptoms.

See Indirect Hernia treatments

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an inflammation of the digestive tract and includes both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It is usually a chronic condition that has flare-ups.

See Inflammatory Bowel Disease treatments

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common, chronic disorder of the gut (primarily the intestines) that causes abdominal pain and constipation, diarrhea, or both. There is no cure for IBS, but there are many treatments to reduce symptoms.

See IBS treatments

Lactose intolerance means you can’t digest the sugar (lactase) in dairy products. It can cause painful stomach pain, gas, and diarrhea. Avoiding dairy can stop symptoms but be sure to replace the nutrients you’re missing by making changes to your diet.

See Lactose Intolerance treatments

Liver cancer can be caused by a virus or toxins or due to metastatic cancer that has spread from elsewhere in the body. Symptoms usually do not present until the cancer has progressed, but include pain near the liver, a palpable mass, jaundice, early satiety, and unexplained weight loss.

See Liver Cancer treatments

Microscopic colitis is caused by inflammation of the large intestine. It is believed to be caused by an overly aggressive immune response to certain triggers.

See Microscopic Colitis treatments

Norovirus is a contagious virus that affects your digestive tract, causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is not a stomach flu. Staying hydrated is important to avoid dehydration.

See Norovirus treatments

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that causes severe pain in the upper abdomen and nausea. Call your doctor or seek care immediately as it can be a medical emergency.

See Pancreatitis treatments

Rotavirus causes severe, watery diarrhea and vomiting, most commonly in infants and young children. It’s a gastrointestinal virus, and is highly contagious, though milder in older children and adults.

See Rotavirus treatments

Stomach ulcers are sores or breaks in the stomach lining and are caused by inflammation. The h. pylori bacteria and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are two of the main causes. They are treatable.

See Stomach Ulcer treatments

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, long-term inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, involving ulcers and sores of the large intestine and rectum.

See Ulcerative Colitis treatments

Abdominal migraines cause abdominal pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting—mostly in children. Lifestyle changes reduce symptoms.

See Abdominal Migraine treatments

Colon cancer is a cancer of the large intestine. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Most colon cancer starts from polyps that naturally form on the colon lining. Getting colonoscopies is key to catching and curing it.

See Colon Cancer treatments

Find out how to treat a colonic neoplasm

See Colonic Neoplasm treatments

Dyspepsia (indigestion) is discomfort or pain in the stomach, usually just after you eat. There’s no apparent physical cause for it (it’s not caused by an ulcer, there aren’t high levels of stomach acid).

See Dyspepsia treatments

Fecal impaction is when stool gets stuck in the large intestine. It needs to be treated immediately. It’s often seen in people with prolonged and untreated constipation. It is more common in children, the elderly, people who don’t move very much, and people in long-term care facilities.

See Fecal Impaction treatments

There are several types of foods that can trigger IBS symptoms, so limiting or eliminating them can reduce the number of attacks you have. Dairy, high-fat foods, wheat, and caffeine are some of the foods that people with IBS say triggers their symptoms.

Hepatitis is a disease that causes liver inflammation. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and flu-like symptoms. It is very important that hepatitis be diagnosed and treated to prevent permanent liver damage and liver cancer.

See Hepatitis treatments

Try these tactics to get rid of diarrhea and keep from getting dehydrated. Drink water, take over-the-counter and natural remedies, and eat bland foods until you feel better.

See Diarrhea treatments

Irritable bowel syndrome can be caused by stress, dietary changes, and even traveling. Preventing and treating the attacks involves exercise, eating a bland diet, and medication.

Irritable bowel syndrome may cause other issues for you like hemorrhoids, mood changes, and pelvic pain. Medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes can reduce symptoms.

See IBS Complications treatments

Living with the symptoms of IBS, like repeated bouts of diarrhea and pain, can affect your quality of life, activities, and relationship. But certain strategies and therapies can help.

Meckel’s diverticulum is a sac or pouch in the lower part of the small intestine. It comes from the left over tissue of the umbilical cord of a fetus. It's usually diagnosed in children. It may not ever cause any problems, but it can also cause rectal bleeding or intestinal blockage in children.

See Meckel's Diverticulum treatments

Find out how to treat your pediatric fecal incontinence

See Pediatric Fecal Incontinence treatments

Rumination syndrome is a disorder where recently swallowed food is spat back up or regurgitated. It usually happens after each meal. The symptoms of rumination syndrome can mimic other conditions, so a careful diagnosis is important.

See Rumination Syndrome treatments

Salmonella poisoning, also known as salmonellosis, is a type of food poisoning you can get from drinking water or eating food that is contaminated with the Salmonella bacteria.

See Salmonella Poisoning treatments

Stomach spasms aren’t usually an emergency. They’re often caused by heartburn, but other triggers are more serious and require urgent care, such as a gallbladder infection. Here’s how to tell when you need a doctor and when to go to the ER.

See Stomach Spasms treatments

Gas can often be treated with over-the-counter medications and changes to your diet. Occasionally, gas is a sign of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and celiac disease.

See Gas treatments

If you have frequent diarrhea or constipation, you may have IBS. Learn about the symptoms of each type and next steps for treating your IBS.

Viral gastroenteritis—usually called a stomach flu or bug—is a common infection. It’s also highly contagious. It can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but usually goes away in a day or two.

See Viral Gastroenteritis treatments