Essay Sample on Gastrointestinal Disorders

Introduction

Diagnosing digestive disorders can be categorized into two, where there are methods for the upper part and those for the lower region. The first of the upper tract diagnostic methods is the barium swallow which is a test that involves the use of Barium Sulfate to detect painful or infected areas within the esophagus through to the stomach. The procedure involves the patient taking the barium sulfate solution and the same is tracked through the digestive tract as it goes down towards the stomach and the small intestines. The problems that may lead to carrying out this method include hiatal hernia, tumors, ulcers, dysphagia, and polyps (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018). While the test is safe on a general scale, there are some implications that may affect the patient, including constipation, allergic reactions, an aspiration, where the solution may accidentally get into the windpipe.

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The second routine is gastroscopy which involves the use of an endoscope to view the inside walls of the upper part of the tract, including the esophagus, the stomach and the upper section of the duodenum. The endoscope is a thin tube that has a lighting camera at the front which enables the physician to check if there are any infections. It is used to detect celiac disease, hiatus hernia, GERD, and gastric ulcers. The procedure is very safe, though there are cases when the patient may experience damages to tissues along the digestive tract (Buttaro, Trybulski, Polgar-Bailey & Sandberg-Cook, 2017). Besides that, there are some who may react negatively towards the sedatives that are used when carrying out the procedure.

The fourth one is a test that is carried out on the lower part of the tract called colonoscopy. It is a procedure which involves a colonoscope being inserted into the lower part of the digestive tract through the rectum as the intention is to view the inside of the colon. It is applied when one exhibits symptoms of Crohn's disease. The complication of the method is that it may lead to the tearing of tissues in the bowel; besides the fact that one may be affected by the sedatives they receive before undergoing the procedure (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018).

The fifth one is anorectal manometry which does not require the use of scope but rather meant to test the tenacity of the muscles in the digestive tract. For instance, a doctor may use the same on the anal sphincter muscles to determine how strong they are, especially when one is always constipated or has inconsistencies in the removal of fecal matter. The only complication with the procedure is that in some cases there may be bleeding in the rectum when there is irritation as caused by the catheter (Buttaro, Trybulski, Polgar-Bailey & Sandberg-Cook, 2017).

The general classification of diarrhea is mainly dependent on how long it lasts, but there is also the mode that depends on the mechanism that causes it. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), acute diarrhea is one of the main reasons as to why children under 5 years die (Minocha & Adamec, 2010). The disease is mainly caused by the presence of parasites, viruses, or bacteria in the digestive system. Besides that, tumors, surgical procedures, and allergies may also make one to diarrhea. In that case, the first type of diarrhea is the osmotic one where the bowel retains a lot of water, hence having non-absorbable substances accumulating in the same place. A very common case is the presence of sorbitol which reduces the rate at which water is absorbed, thereby resulting in the motility of the small intestines rapidly (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018). The condition lasts for days that do not exceed four, and treatment is mainly through medications from over-the-counter like bismuth subsalicylate and having a change in dieting behaviors.

The second type is secretory diarrhea which affects the absorption of the electrolyte in the bowel, hence releasing water into the duodenum that results in having movements in the bowel. The cause of this illness is from taking some types of drugs or having a form of infection. Treating the disease requires medications that are effective in the triggering of water absorption and stopping movements in the bowel, and they include codeine, loperamide, and lidamidine (Buttaro, Trybulski, Polgar-Bailey & Sandberg-Cook, 2017). The third type of diarrhea is inflammatory which is as a result of the presence of pathogens like salmonella, Shigella, and the campylobacter. These pathogens inhabit the colon, therefore causing one to have pains in the abdomen. If the victim is not treated immediately, they may end up having blood in their feces, especially if they have ulcerative colitis. Treatment of the illness is more or less the same as that of secretory diarrhea, though more rehydration is required as one loses more water within a short time, besides the disorder lasting for over a week (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018).

Assessing a plan for the care of a patient with acute abdominal pain in the setting of an office requires proper initiative that mainly dwells of cleanliness. Abdominal pain is one of the major symptoms that point to one having diarrhea. Considering that a patient loses a lot of water when they are suffering from the illness, it is essential that there is medication for rehydration. This includes offering intravenous solutions that are best for when the patient is severely dehydrated. In addition to that, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) and Zinc supplements which replace the water lost through the feces and reduce episodes of diarrhea respectively, thereby allowing for water to be absorbed in the small intestines (Buttaro, Trybulski, Polgar-Bailey & Sandberg-Cook, 2017). Having these materials nearby would be very useful as a first remedy for the patient before getting them to see a doctor.

References

Buttaro, T., Trybulski, J., Polgar-Bailey, P., & Sandberg-Cook, J. (2017). Primary care: A Collaborative Practice (5th ed., pp. 630-661). Mosby Inc.

Minocha, A., & Adamec, C. (2010). The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders (p. 456). New York: Infobase Pub.

Papadakis, M., McPhee, S., & Rabow, M. (2018). Current medical diagnosis & treatment 2018 (57th ed., pp. 586-650). Columbus: McGraw Hill.