Disorders of the Intestines Flashcards
(103 cards)
What are the key anatomical features of the small intestine?
• Diameter: ~2.5 cm (1”)
• Length: ~6 m (20 feet) (varies in literature)
• Regions:
1. Duodenum (~30 cm / 1 ft) – Absorbs iron
2. Jejunum (~3.7 m / 12 ft) – Absorbs almost everything
3. Ileum (~2.4 m / 8 ft) – Absorbs bile salts, vitamin B12, water, electrolytes
• Functions: Digestion and absorption
• Surface features:
- Villi with columnar epithelial cells and microvilli (increase surface area to ~200-250 m²)
- Core of villus: Contains blood capillaries and lymphatic vessels
What are the key anatomical features of the large intestine?
• Diameter: ~7.5 cm (3”)
• Length: ~1.5 m (5 feet)
• Sections:
- Ascending
- Transverse
- Descending
- Sigmoid
- Rectum
- Anus
• Functions:
- Absorption (water, electrolytes, vitamins B & K)
- Breakdown, storage, and elimination of indigestible substances
• Surface features:
- Columnar epithelial cells (no villi)
-Goblet cells
- Scattered lymphocytes and lymphatic nodules
What is bowel transit time, and why is it important?
• Definition: The time it takes for food to move from the mouth to the anus.
• Normal transit time:
- Average: 30-40 hours
- Maximum: 72 hours (still normal)
- In females: Can reach up to ~100 hours
• Health implications:
- Intestinal bacteria prefer dietary carbohydrates
- If depleted, bacteria break down proteins, producing byproducts
- Some byproducts are linked to diseases such as colorectal cancer, chronic renal disease, and autism
• Bowel movement regularity:
- Normal range: 3 times a day to 3 times a week
What is gastroenteritis (stomach flu)?
• Definition: Acute irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines
• Main symptoms: Vomiting and diarrhea
• Onset: Rapid (1-2 days after exposure)
• Duration:
- Symptoms: 1-3 days
- Virus shedding: Up to 8 weeks
• Complication: Dehydration
What are the causes of gastroenteritis?
• Most common cause: Viruses
- Norovirus (most common cause of serious gastroenteritis & foodborne disease outbreaks)
- Rotavirus (most common cause of diarrhea in infants and young children)
• Norovirus characteristics:
- Highly contagious
- Spreads via contaminated food, water, surfaces, person-to-person contact, and airborne droplets from vomit
- Survives extreme temperatures
What are the signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis?
• Watery, usually non-bloody diarrhea (bloody • diarrhea suggests a more severe infection)
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Occasional muscle aches or headache
• Low-grade fever
What is the massage therapy clinical relevance of gastroenteritis?
• Massage is contraindicated (CI’d).
• Norovirus remains contagious for up to 48 hours after symptoms subside.
• Therapists should not treat patients during this period.
• If a patient had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 48 hours, the therapist should disinfect all surfaces the patient contacted.
What is diarrhea, and how is it classified?
• Definition: Increased intestinal motility resulting in excessive frequent bowel movements (4-20 per day) with high fluid content.
• Types:
- Acute diarrhea: Sudden onset, lasts less than 14 days
- Chronic diarrhea: Persists more than 14 days
• Complication: Dehydration
What are the causes of diarrhea?
• Infectious organisms:
- Viruses (Norovirus, Rotavirus)
- Bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter)
- Food poisoning
- Contaminated water
- Animal contact
• Food sensitivity: Dairy, soy, etc.
• Drugs: Antibiotics, antacids
What is the massage therapy clinical relevance of diarrhea?
• Massage may not be CI’d, depending on the cause.
• If infectious (e.g., Norovirus), massage should be avoided.
• Caution required for abdominal massage (due to increased intestinal motility).
What is constipation?
• A decrease in intestinal activity
• A common digestive complaint
• Characterized by:
- Hard, lumpy stools
- Straining
- Fewer than 3 bowel movements per week
What are the causes of constipation?
- Failure to respond to the urge to defecate
- Poor dietary habits: Inadequate fibre or fluid intake
- Medications:
• NSAIDs
• Antidepressants
• Opioids
• Antacids - Weakness of the abdominal muscles
- Chronic laxative use
- Inactivity and bed rest
- Pregnancy
- Hemorrhoids (causing pain while defecating)
- Colon obstruction (due to inflamed or twisted bowel, tumor, scar tissue, hernia)
What are the signs and symptoms of constipation?
• Abdominal bloating
• Pain on defecation
• Rectal bleeding (could also indicate colon cancer)
• Low back pain
• Toxicity symptoms:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Halitosis (bad breath)
What are the possible complications of constipation?
- Fecal impaction
- Obstruction
What is the treatment for constipation?
• Dietary changes and exercise are the main focus.
• Laxatives, etc., provide relief but do not address the underlying cause.
What is the massage therapy clinical relevance of constipation?
• Massage promotes parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) activation and decreases sympathetic (“fight or flight”) activation.
• Abdominal massage may help stimulate motility locally.
• It is challenging to accurately palpate the intestinal tract due to depth and variation in location among individuals.
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
• A long-term or recurrent disorder of gastrointestinal functioning.
• It cannot be linked to a physical problem like an ulcer or cancer.
• Involves the small and large intestines.
• Very common, especially among females.
Characterized by:
• Abdominal pain
• Altered bowel function (constipation and/or diarrhea)
• Bloating
How is IBS diagnosed?
Diagnosis is made after exclusion of other diseases, such as:
• Tumors
• Bacterial inflammation
• Parasitic disease
• Lactose intolerance
• Ulcers
• Biliary tract disease (gall bladder, bile ducts)
• Allergies
• Diverticulosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Laxative abuse
*IBS is NOT a predisposing factor for colorectal cancer.
What causes IBS?
• No apparent anatomic cause – classed as a “Functional Digestive Disorder”.
Correlations to:
• Inherited sensitivity to GI motility
• Emotional factors
• Diet, drugs, hormones
• Anxiety and depression
• May be a reaction to stress for some individuals.
What is the pathophysiology of IBS?
Small bowel:
• Hyper-reactive to food
• Delayed meal transit in patients prone to constipation
• Accelerated meal transit in patients prone to diarrhea
• Excess mucous production (colonic and small bowel inflammation found in some IBS patients)
• Fecal microflora differs among IBS patients compared to controls
• Hypersensitivity to normal intraluminal pressure
• Heightened pain perception in the presence of normal intestinal gas
Many patients have food intolerances, including:
• Wheat
• Dairy products
• Coffee, tea
• Citrus fruits
• Vinegar
• Spices
What are common symptoms of IBS?
• Abdominal distress
• Pain:
- Diffuse, particularly in the lower abdomen (left > right)
- Acute sharp pain layered over a more constant dull ache
• Variation in stool consistency:
- Hard stools, narrow caliber, painful or infrequent defecation (constipation)
- Diarrhea: small volumes of loose stool, evacuation preceded by urgency
• Dyspepsia (indigestion):
- Upper abdominal pain or discomfort
- Bloating, gas/flatulence, nausea, pyrosis (heartburn)
• Headache, fatigue
• Mental health symptoms:
- Depression, anxiety, difficulty with concentration
- Correlation with socializing difficulties and gut microbiome-brain connection (missing gut bacteria linked to depression)
• Fibromyalgia (pain in muscle/fibrous tissue)
• TMJ/jaw tension
• Sexual dysfunction:
- Dyspareunia (painful sex)
- Poor libido
• Stress triggers: May be triggered by stress
What are the clinical types of IBS?
• Constipation-type IBS:
- Pain in abdomen, triggered by eating
- Relieved by bowel movement
- Bloating, flatulence, nausea, heartburn
• Diarrhea-type IBS:
- Urgent diarrhea during or immediately after a meal
- Pain, bloating, rectal urgency
What is the treatment for IBS?
• Stress relief: Increased stress may worsen symptoms.
• Regular exercise: Helps improve overall symptoms.
• Dietary considerations:
- Reduce or avoid foods that worsen symptoms (e.g., low FODMAP diet)
- FODMAPs: Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are poorly absorbed in the small intestine.
- Fibre supplementation may help constipation and diarrhea.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals and eat slowly if discomfort occurs after eating.
• Medications:
- Sedatives
- Antidepressants
- Antispasmodics for pain relief
- Antidiarrheals
- Laxatives may help constipation but not pain
- Probiotics may improve IBS symptoms
• Psychotherapy
What is the clinical relevance of massage therapy for IBS?
• Stress relief: As stress can trigger or worsen IBS symptoms.
• Gentle abdominal massage: Avoid deep pressure on painful areas; it may be soothing.
• Positioning: Sidelying may be more comfortable, depending on pain location.