02 Digestive Diseases

02 00 Ascites

02 01 Barrett’s Esophagus

02 02 Colitis

02 03 Constipation

02 04 Dysphagia

02 05 Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)

02 06 Intestinal Gas

02 10 Gastritis

02 11 Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

02 12 Pancreatitis

02 13 Salmonella Infection

02 14 Schatzki’s Ring

02 15 Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

02 16 Tylenol Liver Damage

02 20 Vomiting Blood

Our digestive tract, the gastrointestinal tract, is crucial to our overall health. It includes the esophagus, liver, stomach, small and large intestines, gallbladder, and pancreas. Digestive disorders, which affect millions of people each year, can disrupt this vital system. These disorders encompass a variety of diseases ranging from mild to severe. Common digestive disorders include gastroesophageal reflux disease, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, and hiatal hernia. The most common symptoms of digestive disorders include bleeding, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, pain, nausea and vomiting.

Understanding the color treatment system is crucial as it can guide you in your treatment journey. Each disease or condition is assigned a unique code, which includes a treatment color. This system is designed to help you quickly identify the treatment options for your specific condition, empowering you to take control of your health.

 

Scroll down the site to find your disease or condition. Then, you look for the treatment color. The treatment colors are magenta (red-blue), blue, cyan (blue-green), green, yellow (red-green), and red. I give the treatment colors a number. Magenta = 0, blue = 1, cyan = 2, green = 3, yellow = 4, and red = 5. For instance, Ascites would then be categorized as 02-00-4. Here, the last digit, the treatment color, is yellow. The first two digits are the disease/condition group (Digestive Diseases is 02). The next two digits (Ascites is 00) are the illness within the group, and the last digit (yellow is 4) is the treatment color. This system can help you quickly identify the treatment options for your specific condition.

 

When you use the projector, click on your treatment color, and a large image of it will appear. Make the color cover the whole page and project it onto yourself. When you use the LED light bulb, you choose your color manually.

Ascites are when too much fluid builds up in your abdomen (belly). This condition often happens in people who have cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver. The peritoneum sheet covers the abdominal organs, including the stomach, bowels, liver, and kidneys. The peritoneum has two layers. Ascites happen when fluid builds up between the two layers.

Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the flat pink lining of the swallowing tube that connects the mouth to the stomach (esophagus) becomes damaged by acid reflux, which causes the lining to thicken and become red.

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is an essential valve between the esophagus and the stomach. Over time, the LES may fail, leading to acid and chemical damage to the esophagus, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the digestive tract. It affects the innermost lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Symptoms usually develop over time rather than suddenly.

Ulcerative colitis can be debilitating and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. While it has no known cure, treatment can significantly reduce signs and symptoms of the disease and bring about long-term remission.

Constipation occurs when a person has difficulty emptying the large bowel. Home remedies and lifestyle changes can often help resolve constipation, but sometimes, medical attention is needed.

Constipation can happen for many reasons, such as when stool passes through the colon too slowly. The slower the food moves through the digestive tract, the more water the colon will absorb and the more complex the feces will become. A person who poops fewer than three times per week may have constipation. It can sometimes result from a significant intestine blockage or a lack of fiber or water.

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. When dysphagia is mild, it may cause an individual to stop eating for a minute or less. Still, when severe, it can prevent an individual from consuming enough calories for adequate nutrition. Dysphagia has many causes:

  • There may be a physical (anatomical) obstruction to the passage of food.
  • There may be abnormalities in the function of the nerves of the brain, throat, and esophagus, whose normal function is necessary to coordinate swallowing.
  • There may also be abnormalities in the throat and esophagus muscles.

EPI occurs when your pancreas doesn’t make enough digestive enzymes. Sometimes, the enzymes don’t work as they should. Enzymes are proteins that cause chemical reactions in your body. Digestive enzymes break down food, allowing your body to get nutrients.

Intestinal gas, a buildup of air in the digestive tract, is usually noticed once you burp or pass it rectally (flatulence). From the stomach to the rectum, the entire digestive tract contains intestinal gas as the natural result of swallowing and digestion. Certain foods, such as beans, are fully broken down once they reach the large intestine (colon), where bacteria act on them.

Gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach lining tissues, can be acute (coming on suddenly) or chronic (causing symptoms over a long period). Symptoms include upper abdominal or epigastric pain, burning, and heartburn. The pain may get worse with eating. Nausea and vomiting sometimes occur along with the pain. Symptoms of chronic gastritis include feelings of fullness, nausea, flatulence, weight loss, and vomiting.

Heartburn is an uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth behind the breastbone (sternum), sometimes rising as high as the neck. It usually occurs after meals, lying down, or sleeping at night. Heartburn is usually due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the rise of stomach acid back up into the esophagus. Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart, though its discomfort may be confused with heart pain and vice versa. Heartburn is a popular nonmedical term often referred to medically as pyrosis.

Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, a long, flat gland in the upper abdomen tucked behind the stomach. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digestion and hormones that regulate the body’s sugar (glucose) processing.

Pancreatitis can occur as acute pancreatitis, which appears suddenly and lasts for days. Pancreatitis can also occur as chronic pancreatitis, which occurs over many years. Mild cases of pancreatitis may go away without treatment, but severe cases can cause life-threatening complications.

Salmonella infection is caused by a group of salmonella bacteria called salmonella. The bacteria pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or animals. Contaminated foods are often animal in origin. They include beef, poultry, seafood, milk, or eggs. However, all foods, including some unwashed fruits and vegetables, can become contaminated.

Salmonella typhi is the only type of salmonella that lives only in humans. Therefore, it is passed only from human to human through contaminated food or water. It tends to cause a severe and life-threatening infection called typhoid fever.

A Schatzki ring, first identified in 1944 by Dr. Richard Schatzki, is a thin, circular membrane of tissue in the lower esophagus, the tube connecting an individual’s mouth to their stomach. A Schatzki ring causes narrowing of the canal of the esophagus (i.e., lumen) and eventually may lead to difficulty swallowing, known as dysphagia.

A Schatzki ring in individuals is considered the most common cause of episodic solid food dysphagia and food impaction, or blockage of the esophagus by food, in adults.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a severe condition affecting the small intestine. It occurs when the bacterial population in the small intestine increases. These bacteria may be found in small amounts in other gut parts and eliminated regularly. SIBO causes pain and diarrhea. It can also lead to malnutrition, as the bacteria use the body’s nutrients. SIBO symptoms mainly affect the gut.

Symptoms may include stomach pain, especially after eating, bloating, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, and a familiar feeling of fullness and gas.

Tylenol liver damage is damage to the liver that occurs due to an overdose of the drug acetaminophen. When appropriately used, acetaminophen is a safe and effective pain-relieving drug. Acetaminophen is found in many over-the-counter preparations as well as some prescription drugs like Vicodin.

Signs and symptoms of Tylenol liver damage can include yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, excessive sweating, dark urine, and stools, pale skin color, and unusual bruising or bleeding.

Vomiting blood, or hematemesis, is the regurgitation of stomach contents mixed with blood or the regurgitation of blood only. It can be concerning, but in some cases, minor causes may trigger it. These include swallowing blood from a mouth injury or a nosebleed. Vomiting blood may also be caused by more severe internal injuries, organ bleeding, or organ rupture.

Regurgitated blood may appear brown, dark red, or bright red. Darker blood generally indicates that the bleeding comes from an upper gastrointestinal source, such as the stomach. In addition, darker blood usually represents a less brisk and steady source of bleeding.

Bright red blood, on the other hand, often indicates an acute bleeding episode coming from the esophagus or stomach. It may represent a fast-bleeding source.