Table of Contents
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might be experiencing some stomach digestive disorders.
The human stomachβs core function is to aid food to digest when an individual eats. The four critical components of the gastric digestive function are:
These four components help the stomach function properly in the digestive system and help the body absorb essential nutrients and are responsible for getting rid of waste out of the body. Any disorders like GERD, gallstones, and Crohnβs disease are a few of the many illnesses that can affect not only the stomach but the entire digestive system. It can cause a person to feel discomfort and can be long term if the individual has not treated it.
GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease when the contents from the stomach move up into the esophagus, causing acid reflux. Researchers at the NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) stated that about 20% of individuals are affected by GERD, if it is left untreated, it can sometimes cause serious complications.
One of the main symptoms that GERD causes is heartburn. Heartburn is a discomfort feeling that is felt from behind the breastbone as a burning sensation. It tends to get worse on a person if they lay down, bend over, after eating food. Not all individuals with GERD experiences heartburn, there are other possible symptoms such as:
Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluids that can form in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ thatβs located on the right side of the abdomen, just beneath the liver. It also holds bile fluid that releases into the small intestines. Gallstones can range in sizes from as small as sand to as large as a golf ball. According to Harvard Health Publications, about 80% of gallstones are made of cholesterol, while the other 20% is made up of calcium salts and bilirubin.
Gallstones can lead to pain in the upper right abdomen. An individual may start to feel gallbladder pains when they eat foods that are high in fat, especially fried foods. Furthermore, if the pain continues, it may lead to an inflamed gallbladder or cholecystitis. They may also experience symptoms like:
Researchers stated that some people develop the chemical imbalance in their gallbladders causes gallstones while others do not. Gallstones are more common among people with obesity, and studies revealed that women can develop gallstones and may require surgery to remove them.
Crohnβs disease is an inflammatory disease. It causes inflammation in the bodyβs digestive tract and can cause several chronic illnesses. Inflammation caused by Crohnβs disease can be in different areas of the digestive tract in different people. The inflammation often spreads deep into the layers of the affected bowel tissue, causing pain, and sometimes lead to life-threating complications.
Crohnβs disease symptoms can vary depending on which part of the gut is affected in the body. Specific symptoms can often develop gradually and become worse over time, and it is rare for the symptoms of Crohnβs disease to develop suddenly and dramatically. The symptoms of Crohnβs disease include:
The exact causes of Crohnβs disease are still unclear, but researchers theorized that it stems from an abnormal reaction in the immune system. The theory stated that the immune system attacks food, good bacteria, and beneficial substances as if they are unwanted substances. During the attack, the bodyβs white cells start building up in the lining of the gut and triggers inflammation. It is still unclear whether the abnormal immune system causes Crohnβs disease, but there are environmental factors that can increase the risk of inflammation.
The stomachβs primary function is to digest the food that a person consumes. Four components help aid the stomach to function correctly. When the stomach is dealing with chronic illnesses like Crohnβs disease, gallstones, and GERD, it can lead to inflammation on the intestinal barriers. When it is left untreated, it can lead to life long complicated problems in the body. Some products can help aid the stomach digestion as they help support the gastrointestinal system as well.
October is Chiropractic Health Month. To learn more about it, check out Governor Abbottβs bill on our website to get full details on this historic moment.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
AAAS, EurekAlert. βA Bulging Midriff Roughly Doubles Womenβs Chances of Gallstone Surgery.β EurekAlert!, 13 Feb. 2006, www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/bsj-abm021006.php.
Brazier, Yvette. βCholecystitis: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment.β Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 22 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/172067.php.
Brazier, Yvette. βCrohnβs Disease: Symptoms, Diet, Treatment, and Causes.β Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 11 Jan. 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151620.php.
Editorial Team, Healthline, and Heather Cruickshank. βEverything You Need to Know About Acid Reflux and GERD.β Healthline, 7 Dec. 2018, www.healthline.com/health/gerd.
Holland, Kimberly. βUnderstanding Crohnβs Disease.β Healthline, 2 May, 2019, www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease.
MacGill, Markus. βGERD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment.β Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 18 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/14085.php.
Macon, Brindles Lee, et al. βUnderstanding Gallstones: Types, Pain, and More.β Healthline, 1 June, 2017, www.healthline.com/health/gallstones.
OβConnor, Anthony, and Colm OβMorΓ‘in. βDigestive Function of the Stomach.β Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24732181.
Publishing, Harvard Health. βWhat to Do about Gallstones.β Harvard Health, 2011, www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/what-to-do-about-gallstones.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. βCrohnβs Disease.β Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 Sept. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353304.
Staff, Mayo Clinic. βGallstones.β Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 Aug. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gallstones/symptoms-causes/syc-20354214.
Unknown, Unknown. βDefinition & Facts for GER & GERD.β National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 Nov. 2014, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/acid-reflux-ger-gerd-adults/definition-facts.
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Functional Endocrinology: Stomach Digestive Disorders" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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