Upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms include:
Lower GI symptoms include:
Some upper and lower GI symptoms result from physiologic illness or represent a disorder of gut-brain interaction (previously called functional gastrointestinal disorders) such as irritable bowel syndrome (ie, no radiographic, biochemical, or pathologic abnormalities are found even after extensive evaluation). The reasons for these symptoms are not clear but may be attributed to disturbances of motility, nociception, or both; ie, they are perceived as uncomfortable certain sensations (eg, luminal distention, peristalsis) that other people do not find distressing.
