The term digestive tract summarizes numerous organs responsible for the absorption, reduction, transport, utilization and excretion of the food we eat. These include the oral cavity with tongue, teeth and salivary glands, the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon, but also the organs that produce substances essential for digestion, such as the pancreas, gall bladder and liver. All these organs can become inflamed, which can sometimes manifest itself in specific symptoms.
The inflammation can be acute or chronic. One speaks of a chronic inflammation when there are recurring inflammatory flares over a period of weeks to months. In the following, the most important and most frequent inflammations of certain organs, especially those responsible for the comminution, transport and absorption of food components, are briefly presented. The following texts serve primarily to provide an overview.
Heartburn
- Cause:Between the esophagus and the stomach there is a sphincter muscle that only opens when we have ingested food that should pass into the stomach. Between ingestion of food, this muscle tightly closes the stomach towards the esophagus so that no acid gastric juice can pass into the esophagus. However, if this muscle becomes weaker, so that it can no longer fully absorb its closing function, the corrosive gastric acid enters the esophagus.
Unlike the mucous membrane in the stomach of a healthy person, the mucous membrane of the oesophagus is not designed for hydrochloric acid and can become inflamed. An inflammation of the esophagus is also known as esophagitis. Furthermore, the mucous membrane of the esophagus can be visibly damaged.
The symptoms also occur when the sphincter muscle is largely intact, but more stomach acid is produced than usual. This is especially the case with an unhealthy diet and stress.
- Symptoms: The most common form of heartburn, as the name suggests, is a burning sensation behind the sternum. Accompanying the affected persons occasionally hear a bitter to sour taste in the mouth.
These symptoms most often occur after eating food, as well as after consuming coffee, alcohol and cigarettes. They are aggravated when lying flat. In the worst case, especially when lying down, the stomach acid can flow into the lungs, leading to coughing attacks and replacing sphincters.
- Diagnosis:The diagnosis is often made by the doctor based on the patient’s symptoms.
By means of a so-called gastroscopy, a small camera, which is inserted into the esophagus and stomach, can be used to assess how far possible mucous membrane damage and inflammation of the esophagus has progressed. Furthermore, a pH measurement can be taken inside the esophagus to detect hydrochloric acid. A pressure measurement of the sphincter muscle between the esophagus and the stomach can provide information on how well it fulfils its function.
- Therapy:Heartburn is now a very common condition in industrialized countries and there are numerous drugs available to relieve the symptoms.
Some reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, others neutralize the stomach acid. Which drug best suits the symptoms of the affected person depends on how far the symptoms have already progressed and how long they have lasted. The doctor treating the patient can provide more detailed information on this. If the drug therapy is not successful, there is still the possibility of a minor surgical procedure in which part of the stomach is placed around the esophagus from the outside. As a result of food intake, the stomach fills up, which subsequently compresses the esophagus and thus prevents the faulty