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Digestive Disorders

The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract, which is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus.  The digestive tract also includes other organs that help the body break down and absorb food.

Organs that make up the digestive tract are:

  • mouth,
  • esophagus,
  • stomach,
  • small intestine,
  • large intestine or colon,
  • rectum, and
  • anus.

Inside these hollow organs is a lining called the mucosa. In the mouth, stomach, and small intestine, the mucosa contains tiny glands that produce juices to help digest food. The digestive tract also contains a layer of smooth muscle that helps break down food and move it along the tract. (More)


Understanding Digestive Disorders

  • About the Colon and Rectum
  • Barrett's Esophagus: A Closer Look
  • Be on the Lookout for Colon Cancer: Early Detection Can Save Your Life
  • Colorectal Cancer Myths and Realities
  • EndoCinch (Endoscopic Fundoplication)
  • ERCP - Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Facts about Fiber
  • Fiber-Not Fast Fix 'Colon Cleansing' Products-Key to Colorectal Health
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Women
  • (More)

  • Commonly Asked Questions

  • After Gallbladder Surgery
  • Chronic Constipation
  • Chronic Pain After Bowel Surgery
  • Correlation Between Eating and Evacuating
  • Enlarged Spleen
  • Liver Cysts
  • Long-term Use of PPIs
  • Slow Gastric Empyting/Gastroparesis
  • Stomach Nodules
  • Surgery or Continued Drugs?

  • Additional Information

  • Symptoms and Tests
  • The Body
  • Research Studies
  • Info by Age, Ethnicity, Sex
  • Ask an Expert

    Most Recent Questions

    Chronic Constipation
    Enlarged Spleen
    Chronic Pain After Bowel Surgery
    Stomach Nodules
    Frequent Abdominal Pain

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    NetWellness Expert Salim M Hayek Salim M Hayek, MD, PhD
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    Last Updated: Apr 22, 2013