Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

In the following you will find a list and short description of the most important diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For further information, you will find a reference to the main article on the respective disease at the end of each section. In the following you will find the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract divided into:

  • Diseases of the stomach
  • Diseases of the intestine

An inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, medically called gastritis, is a widespread disease.

One of the most common causes of gastritis is a colonization of the stomach with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. However, substances that irritate the stomach lining can also trigger inflammation, for example painkillers (“NSAIDs”), alcohol or cigarette smoke. To treat gastritis, the acid production of the stomach is usually inhibited so that the mucous membrane can recover more easily.

Acid blockers, so-called proton pump inhibitors, are used for this purpose. You will find detailed information on our page Gastritis. If a gastritis occurs over a longer period of time, it is called chronic gastritis.

A peptic ulcer, medically known as gastric ulcer, is a tumor of the stomach lining, which usually develops as a result of an inflammation of the stomach lining. Accordingly, the risk factors of a gastric ulcer are similar to those of gastritis: Helicobacter colonization, massive consumption of painkillers/alcohol and cigarette smoke can promote the development of a gastric ulcer. A serious complication of a peptic ulcer is gastric bleeding, which occurs when the ulcer reaches a stomach vessel and causes it to tear.

You can find detailed information under Peptic Ulcer. Stomach cancer is one of the five most common types of cancer in men and women. It usually develops after years on the basis of a chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach or a chronic stomach ulcer.

Since the symptoms, such as bloody vomiting, difficulty swallowing or weight loss, usually appear very late, the prognosis of the tumor is poor. Stomach cancer is usually treated first with chemotherapy followed by (partial) removal of the stomach. Detailed information can be found under Stomach cancer.

Gastric bleeding is a sometimes serious complication of various stomach diseases. It is an emergency and should be clarified immediately by a doctor, as in extreme cases it can lead to death by bleeding to death. The majority of gastric bleeding (approx.

50%) is caused by a stomach ulcer. However, injuries to the stomach lining (“erosions”) and inflammation of the stomach lining can also lead to gastric bleeding. Stomach cancer should also always be excluded as a cause of gastric bleeding.

More severe gastric bleeding is usually diagnosed and treated by means of gastroscopy, during which the source of bleeding can be stopped. You can find detailed information under Stomach bleeding. Relux disease is widespread and affects about 20% of the population.

Reflux is the Latin word for reflux. It is the passage of stomach contents into the esophagus when the lower esophageal muscle does not close properly. Since the stomach contents are acidic due to gastric acid, reflux typically results in acidic belching, heartburn and pain behind the breastbrein.

If the esophagus is exposed to the acidic stomach contents over a longer period of time, changes in the mucous membrane and complications, such as esophagitis, a so-called “Barrett’s syndrome” and in the worst case, esophageal cancer. Detailed information can be found under reflux. The disease “irritable stomach” is a collective term for various disorders and complaints of the stomach for which no other organic cause can be found.

Accordingly, the diagnosis is an exclusion diagnosis. Patients suffer from pain in the upper abdomen, a feeling of fullness, nausea or vomiting, for example. There is no drug therapy or surgical option, but a change in lifestyle or diet can improve the symptoms.

You can find detailed information under Stimulated Stomach. Information on other rare diseases of the stomach can be found here:

  • Gastronomy
  • Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
  • Perforation of the stomach

Colloquially, an infection of the gastrointestinal tract with viruses or bacteria is known as gastroenteritis, medically as gastroenteritis. It is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.

Typically, patients suffer from acute diarrhea and vomiting.Viral pathogens are much more common and fortunately less dangerous than bacterial ones. Usually the infection heals by itself, but under certain circumstances serious complications can arise. Older people and newborns are particularly at risk, as dehydration can occur due to the loss of water associated with diarrhoea.

Polyps occur in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the large intestine. These are basically benign growths of the intestinal mucosa, which are caused by increased growth of the latter. They are particularly widespread in western countries, as their development is favored by the absorption of animal fats and proteins (i.e. meat).

Polyps usually cause no symptoms at all, but over the years they can degenerate and lead to intestinal cancer. It is therefore advisable to have regular colorectal cancer screening at an age (over 55 years). This involves a colonoscopy, during which the existing polyps can be assessed and removed if necessary.

Detailed information can be found under colon polyps. Colorectal cancer is the second most common form of cancer in both women and men and occurs mainly in old age. The most frequently affected part of the intestine is the large intestine, but tumors are also possible in the small intestine.

Intestinal tumors most frequently arise from degenerated colon polyps. The disease proceeds without symptoms for a relatively long time, only in later stages do symptoms such as bloody stools or tarry stools appear. Sudden constipation and diarrhea can also be a sign of intestinal cancer.

For treatment, the part of the colon surrounding the tumor is usually removed surgically. Chemotherapy and radiation also play an important role in the treatment. Detailed information can be found under colorectal cancer.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that mainly affects the small and large intestine. In theory, Crohn’s disease can affect all sections of the digestive tract, including the esophagus. In this case, inflammation foci of the mucous membrane occur, which can occur “discontinuously” at various locations.

The cause of the inflammatory reaction is still unclear, genetic and immunological factors are assumed. Patients suffer from chronic abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea, among other things. In the treatment, drugs are used which inhibit the immune system and thus the inflammatory reaction (immunosuppressive drugs).

You can find detailed information under Crohn’s disease. Another chronic inflammatory bowel disease is ulcerative colitis (“colitis” = inflammation of the colon). Unlike Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis is confined to the colon and occurs continuously, i.e. at a single contiguous site of inflammation.

Symptoms include pain, flatulence, diarrhoea and blood in the stool. The therapy is also similar to that of Crohn’s disease. Immunosuppressive drugs are used to inhibit the immune system and the inflammatory reaction.

You can find detailed information under ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis consists of bulges in the intestinal mucosa. If such diverticula occur at several locations in the colon, this is called diverticulosis.

These bulges are completely free of symptoms in the majority of patients (about 80%). Rare complications include bleeding and a perforation of the intestinal wall. Diverticulosis is usually discovered by chance during a colon cancer screening.

Intestinal contents may accumulate in the sacs and become inflamed. If such inflamed diverticula occur, one speaks of diverticulitis. This is characterized by moderate to severe pain, signs of inflammation such as fever, diarrhea and much more.

An uncomplicated diverticulitis can be treated with antibiotics, while complications such as intestinal rupture or peritonitis require surgery. You will find detailed information under Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis. Meckel’s diverticulitis is also a bagging of the bowel, but in the area of the small intestine.

The special feature is that the diverticulum forms on the basis of a remnant of embryonic development. A connecting duct on the body of the embryo, the so-called yolk duct, does not close until birth but remains and the Meckel’s diverticulum can form. This is usually noticed within the first 2 years of life and occurs about twice as often in boys as in girls.

Since it usually runs without symptoms for a long time, it is diagnosed in some patients only at an advanced age. As a complication, an inflammation of the Meckel’s diverticulum can occur, which is symptomatically similar to appendicitis.You can find detailed information under Meckel’s diverticulum. Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic clinical picture which has no organic cause.

There are complaints in digestion and sometimes severe pain which persist for at least 3 months before the diagnosis may be made. Similar to the irritable stomach, it is a diagnosis of exclusion. Patients typically also suffer from flatulence and diarrhoea.

Since no clear cause is known, there is unfortunately also no specific therapy. Certain eating habits and medications that protect the intestinal mucosa can improve the situation. You can find detailed information under irritable bowel syndrome.

Celiac disease is a gluten intolerance. Gluten is a protein that occurs in many grains. It is found in wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt, among others.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease, the body produces antibodies that react with gluten and cause inflammation (gliadin antibodies). Celiac disease is diagnosed by means of a gastroscopy, during which the small intestine can also be examined. There, changes in the mucous membrane are present.

Patients should only eat gluten-free food, e.g. potatoes, corn, rice, millet and soya. Detailed information can be found under Celiac disease. Information on other rare diseases of the intestine can be found under

  • Bowel abscess
  • Mesenteric artery occlusion
  • Whipple’s disease
  • Pseudomembranous colitis