This document defines and describes several common gastrointestinal symptoms: dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), heartburn, indigestion, changes in appetite, and changes in bowel function. It provides details on the causes and types of each symptom, definitions of key terms, and examples of medical conditions that may cause alterations in digestion.

1. DR.QURATULAIN MUGHAL
(DPT)
ISRA UNIVERSITY,KARACHI
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2. 1. Difficulty with swallowing
2. Heartburn
3. Indigestion
4. Change in appetite
5. Change in bowel function
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3. DEFINITION:
“Is the medical term for the symptom of
difficulty in swallowing.”
Dysphagia is classified into the following major
types:
A) Oropharyngeal dysphagia
B) Esophageal dysphagia
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4.  Arises from abnormalities of muscles, nerves
or structures of the oral cavity, pharynx, and
upper esophageal sphincter.
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5.  Is a form of dysphagia where the underlying
cause arises from the body of the esophagus,
lower esophageal sphincter, or cardia of the
stomach, usually due to mechanical causes or
motility problems.
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7.  Also known as acid indigestion.
DEFINITION:
“Is a burning sensation in the central chest
or upper central abdomen.”
 The pain often rises in the chest and may
radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the
jaw.
CAUSES:
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
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8.  Also known as dyspepsia.
DEFINITION:
“Is a condition of impaired digestion.”
Symptoms:
 upper abdominal fullness
 Heartburn
 Nausea
 Belching
 upper abdominal pain
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9.  Non-ulcer indigestion
 Post-infectious
 Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
 Liver and pancreas diseases
 Food or drug intolerance
 Helicobacter pylori infection
 Systemic diseases
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10.  Appetite is the desire to eat food, sometimes
due to hunger.
 It is regulated by a close interplay between
the digestive tract, adipose tissue and
the brain.
 Problem in these pathways can alter your
appetite.
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11.  Decreased desire to eat is termed anorexia.
 While polyphagia (or "hyperphagia") is
increased eating.
 loss of appetite cachexia.
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12.  Colon cancer
 Ovarian cancer
 Stomach cancer
 Pancreatic cancer
 Emotions such as sadness, depression, or
grief
 Use of certain medicines, including
antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, codeine,
and morphine.
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13.  Defecation or bowel function is the final
act of digestion, by which organisms
eliminate solid, semisolid, or
liquid waste material from the digestive
tract via the anus.
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14. Abnormal changes in the color of your stool
can include:
 black, tarry stools
 clay-colored stools
 deep red stools
 white-colored stools
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15. Changes in the consistency of stool include:
 dry stools
 hard stools
 mucus or fluid that leaks out around the stool
 watery, loose stools (known as diarrhea)
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16.  celiac disease
 Crohn’s disease
 diverticulosis
 hyperthyroidism
 irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
 ulcerative colitis
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