Digestive Problems Have Diverse Symptoms and Causes

The term “digestive problems” is very often used as a general designation to describe a range of complaints in the gastrointestinal tract with different symptoms and causes. Typical and common digestive disorders are summarized and defined here for you.

You can alleviate some of these digestive complaints yourself through a gut-friendly and fiber-rich diet. Seasoning hard-to-digest foods with anise, caraway, fennel, or Asian cumin can also help keep bloating & co. at bay after eating.

Should home remedies fail, products from Roleca® Pharma are your option:

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How Do Digestive Problems Arise?

Our digestive organs must perform numerous tasks to properly break down and utilize the food consumed. For various reasons, the complex digestive system can become imbalanced.

Finding the exact cause of digestive problems is not always easy.

Most frequently, digestive problems are associated with:

Diet
Stress
Food intolerances
Medications or
Chronic illnesses

Imbalances in digestion can sometimes cause not only discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, they impair overall well-being, for example, by causing fatigue, lack of energy, or headaches. This is particularly true if digestive complaints persist over a longer period.

The 6 Most Common Symptoms of Digestive Problems

1. Bloating and Fullness

Bloating occurs when there is too much air in the abdomen. Most often, the causes are harmless and can be avoided by changing eating habits. Bloating and fullness very often occur together. In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting may also occur.

These digestive problems are often caused by eating too much, too fatty, and hard-to-digest food. The abdomen bloats because the gastrointestinal tract is extremely overwhelmed with digestion.
However, digestive disorders such as bloating, fullness, or abdominal cramps can also arise without an identifiable cause, even with a healthy diet. For example, if there is a disorder in the digestive system or if the stomach cannot expand sufficiently or quickly enough when eating hastily. In this way, gases can form in the stomach and intestines, leading to a bloated abdomen. Swallowing air also promotes the development of a bloated abdomen.

Avoid carbonated drinks if you are prone to bloating. Alcohol and coffee also promote a bloated abdomen! The same applies to legumes and vegetables such as beans, chickpeas, cabbage, and onions. Furthermore, you should only enjoy apples, pears, cherries, and plums occasionally if your digestive tract is susceptible to bloating.

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2. Abdominal Cramps

In healthy digestion, the chyme is transported through the digestive system with rhythmic movements. In digestive disorders, the smooth muscles of the intestine contract spasmodically and do not fully relax, which manifests as pain.

The triggers for gastrointestinal cramps can be diverse. In addition to an overly rich meal with possibly unfamiliar or heavily spiced foods, psychological tension, stress, or emotional excitement can also be reasons leading to abdominal cramps.

Infections of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, by viruses (gastroenteritis) or unclean food, can also cause digestive problems, abdominal pain, and cramps. If you are occasionally plagued by cramps, nausea, or other abdominal complaints as a result of such causes, it is generally harmless. However, prolonged abdominal cramps may indicate allergies or an inflamed appendix, which are advisable reasons to consult a doctor.

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3. Irritable Stomach and Irritable Bowel

Many people, regardless of age, suffer from functional stomach and bowel complaints such as irritable stomach or irritable bowel. The symptoms of irritable stomach include the following:

Patients with irritable stomach are particularly affected not only by the intake of certain foods but also by psychological stress. In so-called functional dyspepsia, the cause often lies either in a slow-working stomach musculature or an overactive gastric motility.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome can also be accompanied by various symptoms. The most common and typical are:

Indefinite abdominal pain
General malaise
Irregularities in bowel movements with constipation or diarrhea
Bloating and Fullness

Those affected by irritable stomach or irritable bowel symptoms often tend to think about the possible discomfort before eating, and therefore perceive eating as a burden.

Since the diverse symptoms that occur with irritable stomach or irritable bowel syndrome can often be confused with other medical conditions, consulting a doctor is recommended.

4. Acute Constipation

One in four adults in Germany reports occasionally suffering from sluggish bowels and/or constipation. The frequency of bowel movements varies among individuals. Nevertheless, there are certain relevant symptoms:

Bowel movements occur less than three times per week
Stool is too hard and lumpy
Low stool volume
Straining during defecation, possibly accompanied by pain

The reasons for this are diverse. Temporary, acute constipation can be due to insufficient physical activity, low fluid intake, or a low-fiber diet, among other things.

Suppressing bowel movements or heavy sweating can also lead to stool thickening due to significant fluid loss.

Many people suffer from constipation symptoms when they consume unfamiliar foods or experience a change in climate – such as when traveling. Certain situations like a febrile illness, shift work, or bed rest can also trigger obstipation.

Often, a change in diet and exercise habits can quickly rebalance sluggish bowels.

5. Chronic Constipation

With chronic constipation, many affected individuals experience significant distress, as it is not easily resolved. Doctors refer to chronic obstipation when there has been subjectively unsatisfactory bowel evacuation for at least three months, accompanied by two of the following symptoms:

Fewer than three bowel movements per week
Severe straining
Lumpy or hard stool
Feeling of incomplete bowel evacuation
Feeling of blockage or obstruction in the rectum

Chronic constipation is often accompanied by additional complaints such as bloating or abdominal pain. A functional disorder of the intestine is frequently the underlying cause. However, often the reasons are the same as for acute constipation. Especially in complicated and stressful life situations, a balanced and regular diet and sufficient exercise are often simply forgotten.

Why You Should Avoid Conventional Laxatives

The use of conventional laxatives for chronic constipation often leads to a vicious cycle and even greater distress, as they quickly cause habituation effects. Furthermore, they dehydrate the body, which can lead to health damage. When taking a naturally effective laxative, additional fluid is supplied to the body externally, preventing habituation effects and preserving natural bowel activity after discontinuing the remedy.

6. Diarrhea

Diarrhea affects an average of 30 percent of Germans at least once a year. In this case, the bowel usually makes itself known very suddenly and in the most inconvenient situations. Acute diarrhea, lasting only a few days, is annoying for healthy adults but harmless in most cases.

The body reacts with diarrhea when it fights invading harmful germs. A lot of water is also excreted. It is therefore all the more important to replenish the lost fluid by drinking plenty. The intake of mineral salts through electrolyte mixtures is also important. To quickly restore the balance of the intestinal flora, gentle preparations can also contribute to carefully slowing down water loss.

Typical symptoms of diarrhea include:

Liquid stool consistency
Increased stool volume
More than three bowel movements per day

Not only food intolerances and medications (especially antibiotics) can trigger diarrhea. Often, bacteria, viruses, or parasites – frequently when traveling – are responsible for diarrhea. To prevent acute diarrhea in such cases, frequent hand washing after being in public facilities, public transport, and before eating is very important.

Hygiene is also an important preventive measure when processing food: products susceptible to salmonella, such as eggs, meat, fish, and seafood, must always be well chilled and thoroughly cooked, and stored separately from other foods.

When traveling in countries with hot climates and low hygiene standards, you should always boil water before drinking.

Learn more about the following topics

Bloating and Fullness

In a survey, 7 out of 10 respondents reported having suffered from digestive issues in the past 12 months. Bloating and fullness are often leading symptoms that are uncomfortable for those affected. You can find more detailed information and a suggested treatment here.

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The Gut Microbiome

Central functions such as breaking down food, providing essential vitamins and nutrients, and protecting against pathogens and strengthening the immune system are just an initial indication of how important the gut microbiome is for holistic health.

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Roleca® Macrogol Effervescent Tablets

Staying active is a commonly heard piece of advice for general health. Movement is beneficial and contributes to a healthy lifestyle, especially outdoors. Our gut also benefits from a change of pace from long periods of sitting. But what to do when the gut is sluggish?

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This post is also available in: German

Digestive Problems Have Diverse Symptoms and Causes

How Do Digestive Problems Arise?

Most frequently, digestive problems are associated with:

1. Bloating and Fullness

2. Abdominal Cramps

3. Irritable Stomach and Irritable Bowel

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

4. Acute Constipation

5. Chronic Constipation

Why You Should Avoid Conventional Laxatives

6. Diarrhea

Learn more about the following topics

Bloating and Fullness

The Gut Microbiome

Roleca® Macrogol Effervescent Tablets

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