Structural gastrointestinal diseases

Structural gastrointestinal diseases cause more persistent symptoms that do not resolve through lifestyle changes alone.

What are the most common structural gastrointestinal diseases?

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition in which stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus and throat. This causes a burning sensation, heartburn, and throat pain. Treatment options include medication, changes in eating habits, and sometimes surgery.
• Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. It can be acute or chronic, with chronic gastritis involving inflammation that persists over a long period. Common causes of gastritis include irregular eating habits, excessive consumption of spicy and fatty foods, alcohol, stress, the use of certain medications, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and Helicobacter pylori infection. The main symptoms of gastritis include pain or a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, nausea, heartburn, belching, a feeling of fullness in the stomach, and loss of appetite.
• Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD): primarily ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. These are chronic conditions characterised by inflammation of the intestinal lining. The disease follows a relapsing course: periods of remission are followed by flare-ups that can significantly affect daily life.

Typical symptoms include pain and cramps in the lower abdomen, frequent diarrhoea, sometimes with blood or mucus, bloating, loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss, fatigue, and general weakness.