|
Abdominal Bloating: Bloating
or distension is the sometimes painful swelling of the abdomen
caused by excess gas, fluid buildup or constipation. It is
associated with the "ballooning" feeling
caused by excess gas or other internal pressure.
Constipation: The most common digestive complaint, defined
as the infrequent and difficult passage of stool. The signs
and symptoms associated with the condition include: abdominal
discomfort, bloating, straining and lumpy stools.
Diarrhea: The passage of frequent and loose stools that can
be watery. Diarrhea can be accompanied by a sense of urgency,
cramping and large amounts of gas.
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Disease (GERD): A condition in which
acid-containing contents of the stomach travel back up into
the esophagus. GERD is often accompanied by persistent symptoms,
such as chronic heartburn and regurgitation of acid.
Heartburn:
A burning pain in the esophagus just below the breastbone that is caused by food and stomach juices backing up into the esophagus. If heartburn
occurs two or more times per week, you may have a more serious medical condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Incontinence: The inability to control the bladder or bowels,
resulting in either urinary or fecal accidents. Urinary incontinence,
or the loss of bladder control, is very common in older people
-- at least 1 in 10 people age 65 or older has this problem.
Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting.
Fecal incontinence can occur briefly during bouts of diarrhea
or when hard stool becomes lodged in the rectum.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
(IBS): A condition in which the colon
muscle contracts more readily and causes abdominal pain and
cramps, excess gas, bloating and a change in bowel habits.
Some people with IBS have constipation, which means hard, difficult-to-pass,
or infrequent bowel movements, while others experience diarrhea,
which is frequent, loose, watery stools. Other people with
IBS alternate between constipation and diarrhea.
|
