Facts About Digestive System Disease

Among the numerous digestive system diseases, some of the most common are diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The National Institutes for Health provides a list of digestive diseases with a link to information on each condition at digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/a-z.asp.

Diverticular Disease

• Diverticular disease is a condition in which small pouches form in the colon. They can become inflamed or infected when food becomes lodged in them.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Inflammatory bowel diseases include ulcerative colitis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus.

Ulcers

• Ulcers are sores in the lining of your stomach or your duodenum, which is a short section of small bowel that connects your intestines and your stomach. They cause symptoms of indigestion, pain and a burning sensation. Left untreated, they can result in bleeding, perforation or obstruction.

Stomach Cancer

• Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, most commonly occurs in people ages 60 to 70.

Colon and Rectal Cancer

• Colon and rectal cancer, also called colorectal cancer, is the second highest cause of cancer death in the United States, according to Digestive System Disorders, digestivesystemdisorders.com.

GERD

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is a condition in which gastric acid flows into your esophagus from your stomach, causing heartburn.