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The stomach functions as a reservoir. It
is a large, hollow organ and holds the food we eat. It secretes acid and
some digestive enzymes which help begin the processes of digestion. It
also acts as a churn to mix up food so that when the food is released
through the valve at the end of the stomach (called the pylorus), it is
in a liquid or semi-liquid form ready to be digested and absorbed by the
small intestine.
Stomach Disorders
Gastritis - The term
"gastro-" means stomach. When a word ends with "itis,"
it means "inflammation of." So the word gastritis means
inflammation of the stomach. When we look into a patient's stomach that
has gastritis, we see that it is very reddened and sometimes so inflamed
that it can ooze a small amount of blood just by being touched.
Gastritis is very common with the ingestion of substances which irritate
the lining of the stomach. Examples of these are alcohol, medications
containing aspirin and anti-arthritic medications. Some people have
gastritis for unclear reasons.
Peptic Ulcer Disease, Gastric Ulcer,
Stomach Ulcer - One might ask, "With the stomach making so much
acid, why doesn't it just digest itself?" The body has a number of
defense mechanisms which protect the stomach from the acid it produces.
Any agents or conditions which decrease these normal defense mechanisms
can predispose the development of an ulcer in the stomach. Symptoms of a
gastric ulcer may be indigestion, burning upper abdominal pain or
intolerance to certain foods. Some people complain of pain in the pit of
their stomachs (the soft part of the stomach just below the breast bone)
or slightly to the left. Classically, this pain is relieved by eating
food but one or two hours later the pain returns. Others say eating
makes the pain worse. If an ulcer is located near the valve at the end
of the stomach (pylorus), it may interfere with the valve's function and
prevent adequate emptying of the stomach contents into the small
intestine. This may result in nausea and/or vomiting. Should the ulcer
bleed, blood may be present in the material vomited or blood may pass in
the stool (bowel movement). If a large amount of blood has been passed,
it may be digested and the stool will appear black and sticky and have a
bad odor.
If a person passes such a
black stool, he should consult his physician immediately!
Gastric Cancer, Stomach Cancer - The
growth of abnormal cells which are no longer under control of the body.
Unfortunately, cancers of the stomach usually grow silently until they
become rather large and are no longer curable by surgery. However,
cancers can imitate stomach ulcers and that is why physicians who find
stomach ulcers biopsy them to be sure that they are not malignant
(cancer). The symptoms of gastric cancer are very similar to those of
gastric ulcers and include pain in the pit of the stomach, nausea,
sometimes vomiting (with or without the presence of blood), and
"early satiety," which is a full sensation felt after eating
only a small amount of food.
Sometimes, an endoscopic ultrasound may
be requested by your physician if an abnormality is found during
endoscopy.
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