The common conditions that can affect the small intestine include Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bowel obstructions, small bacterial overgrowth, and irritable bowel syndrome. Other, more rare conditions can also affect the small bowel, such as cancer.
Crohn's disease is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. It is an autoimmune disorder, meaning your body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in your body.
Crohn's disease most commonly affects the last part of the small intestine (ileum) and parts of the colon.
If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine's lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients (malabsorption).
Enteritis is inflammation of your small intestine. It may also include your stomach (gastroenteritis) or colon (enterocolitis). It's usually caused by a viral, bacterial or parasitic infection (food poisoning, stomach bug or the stomach flu). Sometimes it's caused by radiation, drugs or disease.
The common conditions that can affect the small intestine include Crohn's disease, celiac disease, bowel obstructions, small bacterial overgrowth, and irritable bowel syndrome. Other, more rare conditions can also affect the small bowel, such as cancer.
A colonoscopy examines your entire colon, sometimes including the very end of the small intestine.
Enteritis is inflammation of the small intestine.
Viral gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the inside lining of your gastrointestinal tract. It can be caused by rotavirus, norovirus, adenovirus, and other viruses. Babies can be vaccinated against rotavirus. Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea.
Intestinal problems, such as polyps and cancer, infections, celiac disease, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, malabsorption, short bowel syndrome, and intestinal ischemia. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, and hiatal hernia.
Enteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the small intestine (small bowel).
CT enterography is an imaging test that uses CT imagery and a contrast material to view the small intestine. The procedure allows your healthcare provider to determine what is causing your condition. He or she can also tell how well you're responding to treatment for a health issue, such as Crohn's disease.
CT Scans and CT Enterography
This test allows them to view the small intestine and other areas of the abdomen and pelvis to detect tumors and to determine whether cancer has spread to nearby organs or tissue, such as the lymph nodes.
The small intestine can also be examined after the patient swallows a pill shaped capsule with a camera that takes thousands of pictures as it passes through the digestive tract. This procedure, called capsule endoscopy, can be used to examine the entire length of the small bowel.
The 5-year relative survival rate for all types of small bowel cancer is 69%.
The early stages of small intestine cancer are often curable. Surgery is typically the main treatment for small intestine cancer. When the tumor is localized, surgery is the only treatment that can cure small intestine cancer.
More Information. The small intestine is a long tube-like organ that connects the stomach to the large intestine.
An intestinal infection is an inflammation or irritation of the intestines. It may be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other microorganisms. The symptoms of an intestinal infection include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and fatigue.
In ulcerative colitis, a theory is that the immune system mistakes "friendly bacteria" in the colon, which aid digestion, as a harmful infection, leading to the colon and rectum becoming inflamed.