Digestive Disorder- Causes, Symptoms and Home remedies

2022-03-17 13:01:33

Nutrition in humans occurs through the digestive system. It consists of the alimentary canal and its associated glands. The main organs found in the human digestive system are the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestine. Apart from this, it also contains the liver, gallbladder, pancreas. It is through these that digestion takes place in the body. All these organs produce juice to carry out the digestion process. Apart from this, the digestive system absorbs all the nutrients and also removes the bad substances out of the body.

When the organs of the digestive system start to weaken, the body does not develop properly. As a result, digestive problems start arising due to which a person suffers from Digestive Disorder. Due to a weak digestive system, food is not digested on time leading to a lot of trouble while defecating. Problems like heartburn, gas, acidity, bloating, abdominal distension, constipation and fatigue start arising due to not being able to digest food properly.

Symptoms of Digestive disorder

There are many symptoms of digestive system deterioration but not all symptoms are seen in only one person. It differs from person to person and is as follows-

• Burning in chest.
• Acidity or gas formation in the stomach.
• Loss of appetite.
• To be constipated.
• Blood in stool.
• Feeling tired.
• Pushing harder while passing stool.
• Sitting in the toilet for a long time.
• The stomach is not clear even after defecation.
• Feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
• Abdominal cramps or pain.
• Blisters in the mouth
• To be upset.
• Acne and pimples on the skin.
• Flatulence or diarrhoea.

Causes of Impaired digestion system

There can be many reasons behind the poor digestion system. The problem of poor digestion is mainly related to our lifestyle and diet. Let us discuss these shortcomings -

• Consuming more alcohol.
• Not consuming fibre rich food.
• Consuming fewer fluids.
• Being allergic to foods.
• Eating more sweet and fatty food.
• Not eating food at the right time.
• Consuming more oily and spicy foods.
• Overuse of aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Lack of physical labour
• Taking more health supplements medicines.
• Stress, depression, or anxiety.
• Stop defecation.
• Not getting enough sleep.

Types of digestive disorders

It is mainly divided into two categories which are as follows-

Organic GI Disorders-

A person suffers from this when there are structural abnormalities in the digestive system which prevent it from working properly.

Functional GI Disorders-

In these disorders, the GI tract appears to be structurally normal but still is not able to work properly.

Serious illnesses due to the impaired digestive system

Constipation-

Constipation is a problem related to the digestive system in which there is more difficulty while passing stool. Constipation is the condition that the stool does not come out easily from the anus while passing the stool.

Intestinal Infection-

Many a time the problem of constipation starts due to infection in the intestines. This problem occurring in the intestines is called gastroenteritis. This disease occurs due to reasons like viruses, bacteria, food poisoning.

Inflammatory bowel disease-

Inflammatory bowel disease occurs when there is chronic inflammation in the digestive tract due to which there can be a problem of diarrhoea along with constipation.

Hypothyroidism-

Hypothyroidism would also have been a major cause of digestive system deterioration. It is responsible for hormone imbalance in the body which can be due to the deterioration of the digestive system.

Stomach Ulcer-

Due to stomach ulcers, people have to face difficulty in passing stool. In some people, it is also the cause of diarrhoea. A stomach ulcer is also called a peptic ulcer which occurs due to a wound or blister in the intestines. It mainly occurs in the lining of the digestive tract. Along with the stomach, it sometimes also happens in the small intestine. Thus, having ulcers in the stomach is also a reason for the deterioration of the digestive system. Apart from this, a bacterial infection in the stomach or taking more medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen can also cause stomach ulcers.

Piles-

Haemorrhoids are a type of inflammation which is in the anus and lower part (rectum). Inside the kidney and lower rectum, there is a network of small blood vessels (veins). Sometimes these veins become more dilated and fill with more blood than normal, then these nerves and the tissues above cause inflammation called piles. Haemorrhoids are very common in some people and develop heavy bleeding in some people. The main causes of piles are obesity, pregnancy, sitting in the toilet for a long time, having diarrhoea or constipation, straining while passing bowel movements, taking a low fibre diet, etc.

Immune system failure-

When the body's immune system fights off viruses and bacteria, a variety of disorders occur in the immune system which kills the healthy cells of the digestive system. As a result, the immune system starts weakening.

Acid reflux disease (GERD)-

When a person swallows food or anything, the sphincter weakens or fails to function properly due to which the acidic substances inside the stomach come back into the alimentary canal. These acidic substances irritate the lining of the food pipe. This phenomenon is called acid reflux disease. Apart from this, sometimes there is swelling and redness in the food pipe. The main reason for this is obesity, smoking, alcohol, pregnancy and consumption of an excessive amount of tea etc.

In case of digestive disorder, pay attention to the following things-

• Include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
• Eat more fibre-rich foods such as legumes and whole grains.
• Drink a sufficient amount of water daily.
• Reduce intake of tea, coffee, smoking etc.
• Do not exert too much force while passing bowel movements.
• Avoid alcohol consumption.
• Avoid consumption of fried and junk food.
• Chew the food and do it slowly.
• Do not drink water while eating.
• Do not lie down immediately after a meal.
• Walk and exercise regularly in the morning.

Tests for Digestive disorder

• Stool test.
• X-ray.
• CT scan and MRI scan.

Home remedies for Digestive disorder

Fibre and protein-rich food-

Use fibre and protein-rich things in the diet, such as include green vegetables, pulses, soybeans, fenugreek, linseed seeds, etc. By doing this your digestion remains healthy.

Drink lukewarm water-

To keep the digestive system healthy, drink lukewarm water daily in the morning. It provides relief in stomach pain due to indigestion along with boosting digestion.

Lemonade-

The citric acid found in lemon reduces bacterial infection that causes constipation and gas problems. For this drink a glass of lukewarm water mixed with lemon juice.

Drink coconut water-

Drinking coconut water is a good option in the problem related to the digestive system. It has an antioxidant and gastroprotective activity which provides relief in gas and stomach related disorders. It also helps in increasing immunity.

Aloe vera juice-

Aloe vera has anti-bacterial properties which help to remove the infection of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. It is helpful in getting rid of problems like gastritis. Therefore, it is very beneficial to drink aloe vera juice in your daily routine.

Fennel powder-

Fennel is used for removing acidity, reduce heartburn and digest food properly. For this, making powder of fennel and consuming it with lukewarm water cures stomach related disorders.

Ajwain powder-

Mix equal amounts of carom seeds, cumin seeds and black salt and fry them on a Tava (griddle). Now make a powder of this mixture and take half a teaspoon daily with lukewarm water. By doing this, constipation and gas related problems are relieved.

Consumption of curd and buttermilk-

In Ayurveda, buttermilk acts as a medicine in the treatment of digestive diseases because it has probiotic properties which work to keep the digestive system healthy.

Consumption of bael-

Consumption of bael fruit is very beneficial for constipation and stomach problems. Apart from this, drinking Bael's syrup is also beneficial in constipation and gas.

Consumption of Triphala Powder-

Vitamin C is found in abundance in Triphala which protects the digestive system from getting spoiled. For this, take one spoon of Triphala powder with lukewarm water every night at bedtime. Its use provides relief in problems like constipation etc.

Honey-

Taking honey mixed with lukewarm water provides relief in stomach related problems. Apart from this, oats, corn flakes, herbal tea etc. can be consumed with honey.

Peppermint oil-

Peppermint oil has long been used to improve the digestive system and treat stomach problems like diarrhoea, gas, constipation. Apart from this, peppermint oil is also used for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. For this, drinking 2 or 3 drops of mint extract mixed with half a glass of lukewarm water provides relief.

Ginger-

Drinking ginger juice mixed with hot water and sugar cures all diseases like gas and acidity. In Ayurveda, this mixture is considered effective in curing stomach related diseases. Apart from this, black tea with ginger can also be drunk for acidity.