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Summary
Your stomach is an organ between your esophagus and small intestine. It is where digestion of protein begins. The stomach has three tasks. It stores swallowed food. It mixes the food with stomach acids. Then it sends the mixture on to the small intestine.
Most people have a problem with their stomach at one time or another. Indigestion and heartburn are common problems. You can relieve some stomach problems with over-the-counter medicines and lifestyle changes, such as avoiding fatty foods or eating more slowly. Other problems like peptic ulcers or GERD require medical attention.
You should see a doctor if you have any of the following:
- Blood when you have a bowel movement
- Severe abdominal pain
- Heartburn not relieved by antacids
- Unintended weight loss
- Ongoing vomiting or diarrhea
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Upper GI Endoscopy
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Gastrectomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Dumping Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
-
Gas in the Digestive Tract
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
-
Gastritis
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Gastroparesis (American College of Gastroenterology) Also in Spanish
-
Gastroparesis
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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Gut Feelings About Gastritis: When Your Stomach's Sick
(National Institutes of Health)
- Learn About GI Motility (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
-
Menetrier's Disease
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Stomach Polyps (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Health Check Tools
- Abdominal Pain (Stomach Pain), Long-Term (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Abdominal Pain (Stomach Pain), Short-Term (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastritis
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastroparesis
(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Stomach Diseases
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Reference Desk
- Definitions of Digestive Terms (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
-
Your Digestive System and How It Works
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Find an Expert
- American College of Gastroenterology
- ASGE: Find a Doctor (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)
- Find a Gastroenterologist (American College of Gastroenterology)
-
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Search for SAGES Members (Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons)
Children
- "Stomach Flu" (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)
- First Aid: Stomachaches (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Infantile pyloric stenosis - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pyloric Stenosis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Talking about GI Disorders (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- What's Puke? (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Why Do I Burp? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Your Digestive System (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Digestive System (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Stomachaches (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
Patient Handouts
- Bezoar (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
-
Dumping Syndrome
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - PDF
- EGD discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Gastrectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Gastritis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Gastroparesis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pyloric stenosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Stomach acid test (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Upper GI and small bowel series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish