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The digestive system is a group of organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. It is also called the alimentary canal and the gastrointestinal tract. The major parts of that tube are:
Inside this tube is a lining called the mucosa. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that in the mouth, stomach and small intestine, the mucosa contains tiny glands that produce juices to help digest our food. Other organs that aren't part of the tube - the liver, gallbladder and the pancreas - produce and store digestive juices that are used in the intestine. In addition, parts of other organ systems (for instance, nerves and blood) play a role in the digestive system.
The large, hollow organs of the digestive system contain muscle that enables their walls to move. The movement of organ walls can propel food and liquid and also can mix the contents within each organ. Typical movement of the esophagus, stomach and intestine is called peristalsis.
After we swallow, food enters the esophagus. At the end of the esophagus, a ring-like valve opens, to let food enter the stomach. The stomach stores the food and liquid, mixes it with digestive juices, and then empties its contents slowly into the small intestine. Food is further digested in the small intestine, where nutrients from the food are absorbed through the intestinal walls. Digestion continues in the large intestine or colon. The waste products of this process then remain in the colon, usually for a day or two, until the feces are expelled by a bowel movement.
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) says more than 95 million people in the United States have a digestive problem and over 10 million end up in the hospital each year. Digestive diseases range from the occasional upset stomach (Read about "Indigestion") to the more life-threatening colon cancer (Read about "Colorectal Cancer") and encompass disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas.
The following links will provide you with information on a number of diseases and conditions that can affect the digestive system.
Appendicitis: see Appendicitis Bowels, incontinence: see Fecal Incontinence Bowels, constipation: see Constipation Bleeding: see Gastrointestinal Bleeding Campylobacter: see Campylobacter Cancer, colorectal: see Colorectal Cancer Cancer, esophagus: see Esophagus Cancer Cancer, head and neck: see Head and Neck Cancers Cancer, liver: see Liver Cancer Cancer, oral: see Oral Cancer Cancer, pancreatic: see Pancreatic Cancer Cancer, stomach: see Stomach Cancer Celiac sprue disease: see Celiac Disease (Celiac Sprue) Cirrhosis: see Cirrhosis Colitis, ischemic : see Ischemic Colitis Colitis, ulcerative: see Ulcerative Colitis Colon cancer: see Colorectal Cancer Colon polyps: see Colon Polyps Colorectal cancer: see Colorectal Cancer Constipation: see Constipation Crohn's: see Crohn's Disease Cryptosporidiosis: see Cryptosporidiosis Dehydration: see Dehydration Diabetes: see Diabetes Diarrhea: see Diarrhea Dietary guidelines: see Dietary Guidelines Diverticulitis: see Diverticular Disease Diverticulosis: see Diverticular Disease Dumping syndrome: see Rapid Gastric Emptying Dyspepsia: see Indigestion (Dyspepsia) E. coli: see E. coli Enterobiasis: see Pinworm Infection (Enterobiasis) Esophagus cancer: see Esophagus Cancer Fecal incontinence: see Fecal Incontinence Food safety: see Food Safety Gallstones: see Gallstones Gastritis: see Gastritis Gastroenteritis: see Gastroenteritis Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): see GERD Gastrointestinal reactive arthritis: see Reactive Arthritis Gastroparesis: see Gastroparesis Giardiasis: see Giardiasis Head and neck cancers: see Head and Neck Cancers Heartburn: see Heartburn Hemorrhoids: see Hemorrhoids Hepatitis A: see Hepatitis A Hepatitis B: see Hepatitis B Hepatitis C: see Hepatitis C Hepatitis D: see Hepatitis D Hepatitis E: see Hepatitis E IBS: see Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Incontinence, fecal: see Fecal Incontinence Indigestion: see Indigestion (Dyspepsia) Intussusception: see Intussusception Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): see IBS Ischemic colitis: see Ischemic Colitis Listeriosis: see Listeriosis Liver: see The Liver Liver cancer: see Liver Cancer Ménétrier's disease: see Ménétrier's Disease Norwalk viruses: see Noroviruses Oral cancer: see Oral Cancer Pancreatic cancer: see Pancreatic Cancer Pancreatitis: see Pancreatitis Peptic ulcers: see Peptic Ulcers Pinworms: see Pinworm Infection (Enterobiasis) Polyps, colon: see Colon Polyps Proctitis: see Proctitis Rapid gastric emptying: see Rapid Gastric Emptying Rotavirus: see Rotavirus Salmonella: see Salmonella Shigellosis: see Shigellosis Stomach cancer: see Stomach Cancer Ulcerative colitis: see Ulcerative Colitis Ulcers, peptic: see Peptic Ulcers Whipple's disease: see Whipple's Disease |
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