The thought of dealing with a gastrointestinal (GI) disease is a scary one, but it’s actually more common than you might realize. In fact, 60 to 70 million Americans are diagnosed with them every year! How can you know whether your stomach pain is actually a symptom of a GI disease, though?

Our AFC Urgent Care Clemson team provides some helpful answers below, so keep reading!

What Is a GI Disease?

GI diseases are problems with any of the organs along the gastrointestinal tract, which starts at the throat and ends at the anus.

Food and drink are broken down into little bits (nutrients) that the body can absorb and use as energy during digestion. When a GI problem or disease arises, it disrupts the digestive process. The symptoms of digestive illnesses can range from a simple upset stomach to life-threatening colon cancer. The most frequent GI disease symptoms are given here.

Common GI Disease Symptoms

• Abdominal discomfort (bloating, pain or cramps)
• Unintentional weight loss
• Vomiting and nausea
• Acid reflux (heartburn)
• Diarrhea, constipation (or sometimes both)
• Fecal incontinence
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty swallowing

How Are GI Diseases Diagnosed?

Typically, when diagnosing a GI disorder, symptoms are reviewed and a physical exam and blood tests are conducted. If those results warrant further testing, your GI healthcare team will likely order diagnostic tests that examine the throat, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon), liver, biliary tract, pancreas and gallbladder—all of which can be affected in a GI disorder.

Our AFC center can assist with your gastrointestinal issues and direct you to see a specialist as needed. Don’t hesitate to visit us if you experience any of the signs and symptoms we’ve listed below.

When to See a Doctor

• A noticeable change in bowel habits
• Blood on or in the stool that is either bright or dark
• Unusual or persistent abdominal/gas pains
• Very narrow stool
• A feeling that the bowel has not completely emptied after passing stool
• Unexplained weight loss
• Frequent or persistent nausea/vomiting
• Constant fatigue
• Anemia (low blood count)

Our AFC Urgent Care Clemson center is open seven days a week, and we are ready to provide the quality non-emergency care that you need! Visit us today.