3 Digestive System Diseases

Research in Science BIO

Zoe Precious Espiritu

03/12/21

PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE

Peptic ulcer disease occurs when open sores, or ulcers, form in the stomach or first part of the small
intestine. Many cases of peptic ulcer disease develop because a bacterial infection eats away the
protective lining of the digestive system. People who frequently take pain relievers are more likely to
develop ulcers.

HISTORY
The first description of a perforated peptic ulcer was in 1670, in Princess Henrietta of England. H. pylori
was first identified as causing peptic ulcers by Barry Marshall and Robin Warren in the late 20th century,
a discovery for which they received the Nobel Prize in 2005.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

1. Gnawing or burning pain in your middle or upper stomach between meals or at night.
2. Nausea or vomiting

3. Pain that temporarily disappears if you eat something or take an antacid .

4. Bloating
5. Heartburn

DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
1. Endoscopy
- If you have severe symptoms, your provider may recommend an upper endoscopy to determine if
you have an ulcer. In this procedure, the doctor inserts an endoscope (a small, lighted tube with a
tiny camera) through your throat and into your stomach to look for abnormalities.
2. H. Pylori tests
- Tests for H. pylori are now widely used and your provider will tailor treatment to reduce your
symptoms and kill the bacteria. A breath test is the easiest way to discover H. pylori. Your
provider can also look for it with a blood or stool test, or by taking a sample during an upper
endoscopy.
3. Imaging Tests
- Less frequently, imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans are used to detect ulcers. You have to
drink a specific liquid that coats the digestive tract and makes ulcers more visible to the imaging
machines.

TREATMENT
Treatment for peptic ulcers depends on the cause. Usually treatment will involve killing the H. pylori
bacterium if present, eliminating or reducing use of NSAIDs if possible, and helping your ulcer to heal
with medication.

1. Antibiotic medications to kill H. pylori.

2. Medications that block acid production and promote healing.
3. Medications to reduce acid production.
4. Antacids that neutralize stomach acid.
5. Medications that protect the lining of your stomach and small intestine .

HEMORRHOIDS
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the lowest part of your rectum
and anus. Sometimes, the walls of these blood vessels stretch so
thin that the veins bulge and get irritated, especially when you
poop. Hemorrhoids are also called piles.

HISTORY
The first known mention of this disease is from a 1700 BCE
Egyptian papyrus, which advises: Thou shouldest give a recipe, an ointment of great protection; acacia
leaves, ground, titurated and cooked together. Smear a strip of fine linen there-with and place in the anus,
that he recovers immediately. In 460 BCE, the Hippocratic corpus discusses a treatment similar to modern
rubber band ligation: "And hemorrhoids in like manner you may treat by transfixing them with a needle
and tying them with very thick and woolen thread, for application, and do not foment until they drop off,
and always leave one behind; and when the patient recovers, let him be put on a course of Hellebore."
Hemorrhoids may have been described in the Bible, with earlier English translations using the now-
obsolete spelling "emerods".

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

1. Extreme itching around the anus
2. Irritation and pain around the anus
3. Itchy and painful lump around the anus
4. Fecal leakage
5. Painful bowel movements
6. Blood on the tissue after having a bowel movement

DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
 1. Digital Examination
- Your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum. He or she feels for anything
unusual, such as growths.
2. Visual Inspection
- Because internal hemorrhoids are often too soft to be felt during a rectal exam, your doctor might
examine the lower portion of your colon and rectum with an anoscope, proctoscope or
sigmoidoscope.

TREATMENT
If your hemorrhoids produce only mild discomfort, your doctor might suggest over-the-counter creams,
ointments, suppositories or pads. These products contain ingredients such as witch hazel, or
hydrocortisone and lidocaine, which can temporarily relieve pain and itching. Don't use an over-the-
counter steroid cream for more than a week unless directed by your doctor because it can thin your skin.

GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE (GERD)

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a

digestive disorder that occurs when acidic stomach
juices, or food and fluids back up from the stomach
into the esophagus. GERD affects people of all ages
from infants to older adults.

HISTORY
The classic symptoms of GERD were first described
in 1925, when Friedenwald and Feldman commented on heartburn and its possible relationship to a hiatal
hernia. In 1934 gastroenterologist Asher Winkelstein described reflux and attributed the symptoms to
stomach acid.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

1. A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), usually after eating, which might be worse at
night.
 2. Chest pain
3. Difficulty swallowing
4. Regurgitation of food
5. Sensation of a lump in your throat

DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE
1. Under escopy
- Your doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube equipped with a light and camera (endoscope) down your
throat, to examine the inside of your esophagus and stomach.
2. Ambulatory acid (pH) probe test
- A monitor is placed in your esophagus to identify when, and for how long, stomach acid
regurgitates there. The monitor connects to a small computer that you wear around your waist or
with a strap over your shoulder.
3. Esophageal manometry
- This test measures the rhythmic muscle contractions in your esophagus when you swallow.
Esophageal manometry also measures the coordination and force exerted by the muscles of your
esophagus.
4. X-ray of your upper digestive system
- X-rays are taken after you drink a chalky liquid that coats and fills the inside lining of your
digestive tract. The coating allows your doctor to see a silhouette of your esophagus, stomach and
upper intestine. You may also be asked to swallow a barium pill that can help diagnose a
narrowing of the esophagus that may interfere with swallowing.

TREATMENT
- Over-the-counter Medications
1. Antacids that neutralize stomach acid
2. Medications to reduce acid production
3. Medications that block acid production and heal the esophagus
- Prescription Medications
1. Prescription-strength H-2-receptor blockers
2. Prescription-strength proton pump inhibitors
3. Medication to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter
- Surgeries
1. Fundoplication
2. LINX device
3. Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF)