Nearly everyone has a digestive problem at one time or another. Some conditions, such as indigestion or mild diarrhea, are common; they result in mild discomfort and get better on their own or are easy to treat. Others, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), can be long lasting or troublesome. A doctor who specializes in the digestive system and who can be helpful when dealing with these conditions is called a GI specialist or gastroenterologist.
Conditions Affecting the Esophagus
Conditions affecting the esophagus may be congenital (meaning people are born with them) or noncongenital (meaning people can develop them after birth).
Some examples include:
Tracheoesophageal fistula (pronounced: tray-kee-oh-ih-saf-uh-jee-ul fish-chuh-luh) and esophageal atresia (pronounced: ih-saf-uh-jee-ul uh-tree-zhuh) are both examples of congenital conditions.
Tracheoesophageal fistula is where there is a connection between the esophagus and the trachea (windpipe) where there shouldn't be one. In babies with esophageal atresia, the esophagus comes to a dead end instead of connecting to the stomach. Both conditions are usually detected soon after a baby is born — sometimes even beforehand. They require surgery to repair.
Esophagitis (pronounced: ih-saf-uh-jeye-tus) or inflammation of the esophagus, is an example of a noncongenital condition. Esophagitis is usually caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which the esophageal sphincter (the tube of muscle that connects the esophagus with the stomach) allows the acidic contents of the stomach to move backward up into the esophagus. GERD can sometimes be corrected through lifestyle changes, such as adjusting the types of things a person eats. Sometimes, though, it requires treatment with medication. Occasionally, esophagitis can be caused by infection or certain medications.
Conditions Affecting the Stomach and Intestines
Almost everyone has experienced diarrhea or constipation at some point in their lives. With diarrhea, muscle contractions move the contents of the intestines along too quickly and there isn't enough time for water to be absorbed before the feces are pushed out of the body. Constipation is the opposite: The contents of the large intestines do not move along fast enough and waste materials stay in the large intestine so long that too much water is removed and the feces become hard.
