Intestine diseases are conditions that affect the small or large intestines in the human body. Both intestines play a major role in the human digestive system. Although the symptoms can vary based on the individual and the type of disease, these diseases often cause a person to lose weight because of a loss of appetite. Different methods of treatment can be used to fight or reduce the symptoms of the disease. Some of the different types of intestine diseases are inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer and gastrointestinal diseases.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is one of the different types of intestine diseases. This condition causes the intestines to become inflamed, which can lead to high levels of discomfort. One of the common inflammatory bowel diseases is Crohn’s disease. A person with Crohn’s disease might experience stomach pain, cramping, ulcers, weight loss and diarrhea. There are no known cures for Crohn’s disease, but it can be treated with a change of diet and medications in order to reduce the severity of the symptoms. Other inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and collagenous colitis.
Cancer is one of the common types of intestine diseases. When cancer develops in a certain area or areas of the body, it causes the development of abnormal cells to spread throughout the body. One common type of intestine cancers is bowel cancer, which is found in the large intestine area. Some of the symptoms are stomach pain, blood and changes in the stool, fatigue and a decrease in appetite. Surgery and chemotherapy often are used to treat this type of cancer.
Gastrointestinal disease is another of the types of intestine diseases and is known to be contagious. It affects the small and large intestines and often is caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea are some of the known symptoms of this condition. These symptoms might last as long as 10 days before the infection is gone. A physician might prescribe antibiotics for treatment of a bacterial infection and might recommend plenty of fluids and rest.
Although these diseases can be severe on a person’s health, an individual can live a normal life with the proper treatment. If a person is experiencing any of the symptoms associated with intestine diseases for an extended period of time, he or she should contact a physician for medical testing and screening. The testing and screening might require a blood test and a biopsy of the intestine tissues.
