Gastroenterology is a special discipline that studies the structure, physiology and pathology of the digestive system, as well as issues of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system. Within gastroenterology there are narrower sections: for example, liver and gallbladder diseases are studied by hepatology, pathology of the large intestine and pararectal space – proctology. The state of the endocrine system, the oral cavity, and the presence of infectious agents in the body have a great influence on the normal activity of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
The digestive system includes a set of many organs and glands that provide the nutrients necessary for the body to develop and function. It permeates almost the entire body, starting with the oral cavity and ending with the rectum. Therefore, the pathology of even one of the digestive organs entails a disorder of the functioning of the digestive system as a whole. Modern ecology, stress, new foods and supplements, as well as medications cause the occurrence or exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Diseases of the digestive system are so common that every person meets with their manifestations at least once in their life. Among the diseases of the digestive tract, the undisputed leaders are inflammatory processes of its various departments that have an acute or chronic course: inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis), stomach (gastritis), duodenum (duodenitis), liver (hepatitis), pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder and ducts (cholecystitis and cholangitis), small and large intestines (enteritis and colitis), rectum (proctitis). They, in turn, cause changes in the mucous membrane of organs, their motor function and lead to ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, cholelithiasis, ulcerative colitis. A serious problem of modern society is intestinal dysbiosis, which occurs in the vast majority of people, including newborn children.
Diseases of the stomach, pancreas, intestines often serve as the root cause of many diseases of the skin and metabolism. The symptoms of diseases of the digestive system are very diverse and depend on the affected organ. Common manifestations are impaired appetite, abdominal pain, belching, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, stool disorder, weakness, weight loss.
Modern gastroenterology has great diagnostic capabilities that allow us to recognize diseases of the digestive system already at the early stages of occurrence. Laboratory tests include blood tests, gastric and duodenal juice, feces, intestinal microflora, tissue samples taken during biopsy. X-ray and endoscopic methods (esophagoscopy, colonoscopy, gastroduodenoscopy, etc.) are used to examine the hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract, ultrasound diagnostics are used for parenchymal. Many chronic diseases of the digestive system, which subsequently require surgical intervention, are caused by neglect or undertreatment of an acute condition. Therefore, the occurrence of any pathological manifestation in the digestive system should serve as a signal to immediately contact a specialist gastroenterologist. In the treatment of diseases of the digestive system, the patient will be required to strictly follow the treatment regimen and diet.
Dysphagia is a pathological condition in which the act of swallowing is disrupted. It is manifested by difficulty swallowing solid food, liquids, saliva, their ingestion into the respiratory organs, increased saliva formation, pain behind the sternum, hoarseness of voice, sore throat. It is diagnosed by pharyngoscopy, esophageal radiography, esophagogastroscopy, pH-metry, esophageal manometry. Treatment involves the…
Dyspepsia is a digestive disorder caused by organic and functional causes. Symptoms are pain in the upper abdomen of unclear localization, nausea, heartburn, a feeling of fullness of the stomach, rapid saturation after eating, etc. The diagnosis is established only if another pathology of the gastrointestinal tract is excluded, the endoscopic examination of the upper…
Biliary dyskinesia is a functional disease of the biliary system, which is based on a violation of the motility of the gallbladder and bile ducts, as well as the process of bile excretion. Pathology can develop according to hyperkinetic or hypokinetic type; manifested by pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea, dyspepsia, neurosis-like symptoms. Diagnostics includes…
Gastric dyskinesia is a functional disorder of the contractile activity of the organ, which can occur in hyperkinetic and hypokinetic types (up to complete atony). The main signs of pathology are abdominal pain of varying intensity without a clear localization, unrelated to food intake, as well as dyspeptic phenomena. Diagnosis is based on a characteristic…
Dysbiosis is a condition caused by a violation of the intestinal microflora associated with a change in the species composition of bacteria. With dysbiosis, the number of beneficial bifid and lactobacilli decreases, and the number of pathogenic (pathogenic) microorganisms increases. Pathology accompanies many diseases of the digestive system, prolonged or uncontrolled use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants,…
Zenker’s diverticulum is a sac-like protrusion of the esophagus in the pharyngeal-esophageal junction. The disease is manifested by bad breath, belching, dysphagia, dry cough. As the pathology progresses, a rounded soft formation appears on the neck, increasing during meals. To establish the diagnosis, a physical examination, radiopaque examination of the esophagus, esophagoscopy are performed. All…
Gastric diverticulum is a congenital or acquired protrusion of the stomach wall, which is usually localized on the posterior surface of its cardiac department. Most often it is asymptomatic, the clinic usually develops with the appearance of complications (inflammation, ulceration, bleeding, etc.). Radiography with contrast and esophagogastroduodenoscopy are informative in diagnostics. In the absence of…
Zinc deficiency is an insufficient content of micronutrient in the physiological environments of the body, leading to disruption of the functioning of the immune, nervous, visual, reproductive systems. With a critical decrease in the level of the trace element, growth retardation and sexual development in children, immunodeficiency, eczematous skin lesions, insomnia, cognitive decline, libido disorder,…
Selenium deficiency is hypomicroelementosis, which results in metabolic, hormonal, immune, and cognitive disorders. Selenium deficiency underlies the development of many pathological conditions: Keshan’s disease, maternal disease, hypothyroidism and cretinism, reproductive failures, immunodeficiency, oncopathology. The selenium status is investigated by determining the concentration of trace elements in biological media (urine, blood), skin appendages (hair, nails). Correction…
Omega-3 deficiency is a complex of symptoms and disorders of the body that occur with an absolute or relative lack of PUFA. Pathology is observed with insufficient consumption of fish and seafood, gastrointestinal diseases, low levels of transport lipoproteins in the blood. The deficiency condition is manifested by psychoemotional disorders, asthenic syndrome, deterioration of the…
