Stomach Disorders

Also called: Gastric disorders

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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

Barium Swallow (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
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

Related Issues

Gut Troubles: Pain, Gassiness, Bloating, and More (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Disorders of the Stomach (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
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 and Gastropathy (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Gastroparesis (American College of Gastroenterology) Also in Spanish
Gastroparesis (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
Gut Feelings About Gastritis: When Your Stomach's Sick (National Institutes of Health)
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

ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastritis (National Institutes of Health)
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)
Find a SAGES Member Surgeon (Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

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) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Bezoar (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Dumping Syndrome (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
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