An inguinal hernia occurs when intra-abdominal fat or part of the small intestine bulges through a weak spot in the lower abdominal muscles. An inguinal hernia occurs in the groin—the area between the abdomen and thigh.

Inguinal hernia occurs more commonly in males than females and can occur any time from infancy to adulthood.

Types

There are two types of inguinal hernia: direct hernia and indirect hernia. These two types have different causes.

Indirect Inguinal Hernia

Indirect inguinal hernias are congenital hernias and are much more common in males than females because of the way males develop in the womb.

In a male fetus, the spermatic cord and both testicles—starting from an intra-abdominal location—normally descend through the inguinal canal into the scrotum, the sac that holds the testicles. Sometimes the entrance of the inguinal canal at the inguinal ring does not close as it should just after birth, leaving a weakness in the abdominal wall. Fat or part of the small intestine slides through the weakness into the inguinal canal, causing a hernia.

In females, an indirect inguinal hernia is caused by the female organs or the small intestine sliding into the groin through a weakness in the abdominal wall.

Indirect hernias are the most common type of inguinal hernia. Premature infants are especially at risk for indirect inguinal hernias because there is less time for the inguinal canal to close.

Direct inguinal hernia

Direct inguinal hernias are caused by connective tissue degeneration of the abdominal muscles, which causes weakening of the muscles during the adult years. Direct inguinal hernias occur only in males. The hernia involves fat or the small intestine sliding through the weak muscles into the groin. A direct hernia develops gradually because of continuous stress on the muscles. One or more of the following factors can cause pressure on the abdominal muscles and may worsen the hernia:

 sudden twists, pulls, or muscle strains

 lifting heavy objects

 straining on the toilet because of constipation

 weight gain

 chronic coughing

• Hiatal Hernia
• Common Digestive System Diseases
• Common Stomach Diseases or Disorders

The stomach is a j-shaped, hollow, distensible organ located in the upper left corner of the abdomen. The stomach has several digestive glands, which produce stomach acid and enzyme that digest protein.

Common Stomach Diseases or Disorders

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS)

CVS is characterized by episodes or cycles of severe nausea and vomiting that last for hours, or even days, that alternate with intervals with no symptoms. Although originally thought to be a pediatric disease, CVS occurs in all age groups. Medical researchers believe CVS and migraine headaches are related.

Many people can identify a specific condition or event that triggered an episode, such as an infection. Common triggers in children include emotional stress and excitement. Anxiety and panic attacks are more common triggers in adults. Colds, allergies, sinus problems, and the flu can also set off episodes in some people.
Other reported triggers include eating certain foods such as chocolate or cheese, eating too much, or eating just before going to bed. Hot weather, physical exhaustion, menstruation, and motion sickness can also trigger episodes.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis, is a disorder in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. It is also known as delayed gastric emptying. Normally, the stomach contracts to move food down into the small intestine for digestion. The vagus nerve controls the movement of food from the stomach through the digestive tract. Gastroparesis occurs when the vagus nerve is damaged and the muscles of the stomach and intestines do not work normally. Food then moves slowly or stops moving through the digestive tract.

Gastroparesis may occur in people with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The vagus nerve becomes damaged after years of high blood glucose, resulting in gastroparesis. In turn, gastroparesis contributes to poor blood glucose control.

Symptoms of gastroparesis include early fullness, abdominal pain, stomach spasms, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, bloating, gastroesophageal reflux, lack of appetite, and weight loss.

Gastritis

Gastritis is not a single disease, but several different conditions that all have inflammation of the stomach lining. Gastritis can be caused by drinking too much alcohol, prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen, or infection with bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Sometimes gastritis develops after major surgery, traumatic injury, burns, or severe infections. Certain diseases, such as pernicious anemia, autoimmune disorders, and chronic bile reflux, can cause gastritis as well.

The most common symptoms are abdominal upset or pain. Other symptoms are belching, abdominal bloating, nausea, and vomiting or a feeling of fullness or of burning in the upper abdomen. Blood in your vomit or black stools may be a sign of bleeding in the stomach, which may indicate a serious problem requiring immediate medical attention.

• Gastritis (Inflamed Stomach)

• Peptic Ulcers

 The person feels overly full soon after the meal starts and cannot finish the meal.
 The person feels overly full after a meal—it may feel like the food is staying in the stomach too long.

 The epigastric area is between the lower end of the chest bone and the navel. The person may experience epigastric pain ranging from mild to severe.

 The person feels an unpleasant sensation of heat in the epigastric area.

• Indigestion

• Common Digestive System Diseases

The Inflamed Appendix

Appendicitis is the medical term for the inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the first part of the large intestine called cecum. It is located in the lower right area of the abdomen.

Although anyone can get appendicitis, it is more common among people aged 10 to 30 years old.

Experts are not sure what the appendix does, if anything. The removal of the appendix does not seem to affect a person’s health. The inside portion of the appendix is called the appendiceal lumen. The mucus that the appendix creates travel through the appendiceal lumen and empties into the large intestine.

Causes

Appendicitis is commonly caused by obstruction of the appendix’x lumen. This can cause bacteria that normally live inside the appendix to multiply. As a result, the appendix becomes infected and become swollen. Obstruction of the appendix can be caused by

 feces, parasites, or growths that clog the appendiceal lumen
 enlarged lymph tissue in the wall of the appendix, caused by infection in the gastrointestinal tract or elsewhere in the body
 inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
 trauma to the abdomen

There is danger of the inflamed appendix to burst. When this happens, the infection can spread to nearby organs in the abdomen—a condition called peritonitis. This is a potentially dangerous condition, which requires immediate medical care.

Symptoms of Appendicitis

The most common symptom of appendicitis is pain in the abdomen. The abdominal pain usually

 occurs suddenly, often causing a person to wake up at night
 occurs before other symptoms
 begins near the belly button and then moves lower and to the right
 is new and unlike any pain felt before
 gets worse in a matter of hours
 gets worse when moving around, taking deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing

 loss of appetite
 nausea
 vomiting
 constipation or diarrhea
 inability to pass gas
 a low-grade fever that follows other symptoms
 abdominal swelling
 the feeling that passing stool will relieve discomfort

• Common Digestive System Diseases
• Common Stomach Diseases or Disorders

Thank you for visiting the Digestive System Diseases website.

Contacting the webmaster

Please be aware that we cannot reply to email questions about your specific health problems. We recommend that you direct your questions to your medical doctor.

The information in this website is meant to serve as an aid to understand general descriptions of health conditions and other health matters and not to replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. You should not use the information in this website to formulate your own treatment plan. Your healthcare provider can determine which optimal medical and dietary plan is best for you.

To report any broken links, request for health topics to be featured in our website, or other concerns about our website, you can contact the webmaster at davidkm77(@)gmail(dot)com. View information about our privacy policy.Thank you very much.

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Contacting the Webmaster

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