Overview of Digestive Symptoms

ByJonathan Gotfried, MD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Reviewed/Revised May 2024
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    Disorders that affect the digestive (gastrointestinal) system are called digestive disorders. Some disorders simultaneously affect several parts of the digestive system, whereas others affect only 1 part or organ.

    Some symptoms usually suggest a digestive disorder, such as

    More general symptoms, such as abdominal pain (see also Chronic and Recurring Abdominal Pain), passing of gas (flatulence), loss of appetite, hiccups, and nausea, may suggest a digestive disorder or another type of disorder. Chest or back pain usually suggests another type of disorder but sometimes is caused by a digestive disorder.

    "Indigestion" is an imprecise term that is used by different people to mean different things. The term covers a wide range of symptoms, including dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting, regurgitation, and the sensation of having a lump in the throat (globus sensation).

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