Gastroenterologist named unusual symptoms of GI diseases

Almost everyone faces unpleasant symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases during life. And not always malfunctions in the digestive system are manifested by nausea or abdominal pain. Gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh, an expert of the Hemotest laboratory, told Izvestia on January 28 about unusual symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases that are worth paying attention to.

According to her, gastrointestinal diseases include dozens of pathologies. The most common of them - gastritis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach), colitis (inflammation of the intestine), peptic ulcer disease, which affects the stomach or duodenum. Inflammatory processes can also affect the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and occur in acute or chronic form. In more rare cases, the work of the GI tract is disturbed by benign and malignant tumors.

Many diseases of the digestive tract are characterized by the same symptoms. Most often it is heartburn, belching, abdominal bloating, nausea and vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea or, conversely, constipation, pain in different areas of the abdomen, an unreasonable decrease in body weight.

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"In many cases, the symptoms of completely different diseases can be almost identical. Therefore, only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis with the help of laboratory and instrumental studies," - said Kashukh.

But often diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are hidden or manifest themselves with non-standard symptoms, the doctor added. For example, bad breath can be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease. This is a chronic inflammation of the lower esophagus that occurs when stomach contents are pushed back into the esophagus.

A digestive system disorder can be signaled by a deterioration of the skin, hair and nails, a dramatic change in appearance.

"The appearance of vascular asterisks on the limbs, trunk and yellowish skin color are markers of severe liver disease. Dry skin, brittle nails and dull hair are a frequent consequence of malabsorption syndrome (a condition in which nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals from food, are poorly absorbed in the intestines). This condition is characteristic of diseases of the small intestine, such as celiac disease or Crohn's disease," noted the gastroenterologist.

Due to poor absorption of micronutrients, iron deficiency can occur, which leads to anemia. This condition is characterized by dry and pale skin, brittle hair and nails. In addition, an imbalance of important nutrients can eventually lead to a weakening of the immune system, the expert explained.

Earlier, on January 16, Kashukh told Izvestia that overeating and alcohol negatively affect health and can lead to exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, overeating can cause pain in the right side, but this is usually due to overcrowding of the colon or gallbladder diseases.