Functional Gut Disorders
Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common disorders that are characterized by persistent and recurring gastrointestinal symptoms. These occur as a result of abnormal functioning of the GI tract.
If you suspect you have a functional gut disorder, it is important to seek medical advice to make sure your symptoms aren’t caused by any other illness, such as diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease or polyps. Coeliac disease (an immune intolerance to gluten, present in wheat and other grains) may produce many of the same symptoms as IBS. Lactose intolerance may produce bloating, cramps and diarrhea.
Functional gut disorders are diagnosed by the absence of ‘alarm features’, such as fever, bleeding, lump in the abdomen, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, history of cancer or weight loss. These features can be identified via taking a careful clinical history and doing a physical examination by a Gastroenterologist. Once the absence of ‘alarms features’ is confirmed, the diagnosis of functional disorder is given.
More than 20 functional GI disorders have been identified. They can affect any part of the GI tract, including the esophagus, stomach, bile duct and/or intestines.
List of the most common functional gut disorders:
