Most Common Gastrointestinal Problems and Treatments

What is Gastrointestinal Problem?

Gastrointestinal disorders are those ailments in which the belly (bowel) looks normal but does not work correctly. These are the common problems which affect the rectum and colon. These problems include constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The main causes for Gastrointestinal Problems include:

• Eating a low fiber diet
• Less exercise
• Changes in routine
• Intake of dairy products in large quantity
• Stress
• Overusing laxatives
• Taking antacid medicines which contain aluminum or calcium
• Being pregnant

4 most Common Gastrointestinal Problems and Treatments

Some most common Gastrointestinal Problems and treatments are as follows:

Constipation

Constipation refers to the difficult bowel movement or passage of stools. It is generally caused due to the less fiber in diet or a disturbance in your regular routine. Constipation causes strain during the bowel movement. It might sometimes cause anal disorders such as hemorrhoids and fissures.

Treatment
• Increase the amount of fiber in your diet you eat
• Exercising regularly,
• Moving your belly when you have the craving
• If the normal way of treatment did not work then you can take some, laxatives. But the overuse of laxatives can worsen the constipation symptoms.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome is also known as spastic colon or nervous stomach. It is a condition in which the muscles of colon contracts more readily in comparison to the people without IBS.

Treatment
• Avoid caffeine
• Increase fiber in your diet,
• Avoid those foods which triggers IBS
• Reducing stress
• Also consult your physician and take some prescribed drugs

Hemorrhoids

These are the blood vessel that swells and blocks the anal opening. This is caused by chronic surplus pressure from strain throughout a bowel movement, pregnancy, and persistent diarrhea. Hemorrhoids are of two types:

1. Internal hemorrhoids
These are the normal structures softening the lower rectum and protect it from the damage by feces. When these structures fall down into the anus because of the strain, they become annoyed and start bleeding. Eventually, internal hemorrhoids can drop down sufficiently to prolapse outside the anus.

Treatment
• Improve bowel habits
• Using elastic bands to pull the internal hemorrhoids back into the rectum, or removing them surgically. Surgery is required only for a small number of patients with very painful, large and persistent hemorrhoids.

2. External hemorrhoids
These are veins that remain just below the skin on the outer side of the anus. After straining, sometimes the external hemorrhoidal veins burst and forms blood under the skin. This condition is very painful and known as pile.

Treatment
Removing the vein and blood clot under the supervision of a doctor using local anesthesia.

Anal fissures

Anal fissures are cracks in the coating of the anal opening. The path of very hard or watery stools is the most common cause of an anal fissure. The fissures in the lining of anus uncover the underlying muscles which control the path of feces through the anus and out of the body.

This is among the most hurting problems because the bare muscles become annoyed by the exposure to air and stool, and leads to intense bleeding, burning pain, or spasm after bowel movements.

Treatment
• Pain medicine,
• Dietary fiber to reduce the occurrence of large, bulky stools,
• Sitz baths (sitting in a few inches of warm water).
• If these treatments do not relieve your pain, a surgery might be required to reduce spasm in the sphincter muscle.