Diseases of the Digestive System and Treatment Technology

As we have reviewed in several previous articles, humans do need to consume healthy foods in order to survive properly. In the body, food will be broken down into simpler molecules that can be utilized by body cells. The process of breaking down food or what is known as the digestive process occurs in the digestive organs starting from the mouth and ending at the anus.

But unfortunately, humans are often ignorant of a healthy diet so that it is not uncommon for various problems and diseases to arise in the digestive organ system. Diseases or disorders of the digestive system itself can be caused by external factors such as the wrong diet, bacterial toxins, and internal factors such as digestive disorders. The following are some of the diseases or disorders that commonly occur in the human digestive system.

1. Appendicitis (commonly called appendicitis), is inflammation of the appendix (appendix) caused by a bacterial infection.
2. Diarrhea or loose stools, is a disturbance in the absorption of water in the large intestine so that the food waste excreted from the body is in liquid form.
3. Dysphagia, is damage to the stomach due to alcohol and toxins.
4. Enteritis, is inflammation of the small intestine or large intestine caused by bacteria.
5. Colic, is pain repeatedly due to strong muscle contractions of the stomach or intestinal wall.
6. Constipation or constipation, is difficult bowel movements because the absorption of water in the colon is too much.
7. Vomiting, is the discharge of food and gastric juices through the mouth, caused by poisoning, motion sickness, blood circulation disorders, and others.
9. Ulcers (stomach inflammation), is inflammation of the stomach wall due to the production of gastric HCI more than the amount of food that enters.
10. Parotitis (mumps), is inflammation of the parotid gland by a virus.
11. Peritonitis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach (peritoneum).
12. Stomach cancer, usually caused by excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and frequent consumption of preserved foods.
13. Colitis or inflammation of the large intestine, symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, or constipation, and there may even be bleeding and ulcers in the intestines.

Along with the progress of the times, various technologies have been developed for the treatment of various diseases of the digestive system, for example as follows.

1. Chronic gastritis is often caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The results of many studies prove that the use of antibiotics in combination with antisecretory drugs that reduce gastric acidity can kill H. pylori and repair inflamed stomach walls. Examples of such drugs are ranitidine (trademark Zantac) and cimetidine (trademark Tagamet).
2. Stomach cancer can be treated surgically by removing the cancerous tissue. This method is the best method in treating gastric cancer.
3. Mild colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) can still be treated with medication. However, if colitis cannot be corrected with medication, surgery is necessary to remove the inflamed part of the colon.
4. Patients suspected of having appendicitis were examined through X-rays. Treatment is surgery to remove the inflamed appendix.
5. X-rays can be used to detect abnormalities in the lower esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. This study is called an Upper Gastrointestinal (UGI) X-ray study. The examination was performed using barium sulfate as a contrast medium. Diseases that can be detected are gastric ulcers, tumors, inflammation, or anatomical errors such as hiatal hermia (diaphragm bulging which causes the stomach to protrude). Disturbances in the passage of food can also be detected.

In this examination, the patient is asked to drink a starchy drink containing barium sulfate before being photographed by X-ray. The photo will show parts such as the lower esophagus, stomach wall, pylorus opening, and duodenum. Tumors, cysts, and enlargement of other organs near the stomach can also be detected through this method.