What does the stomach do?
Our stomach is a crescent shaped and muscular organ and has 4 main functions:
Temporary storage of food before it goes into the small intestine
Mixing and breaking down food with acid and enzymes.
Absorption of some water, some alcohol and some medications.
Production of some hormones including those that stimulate digestion and appetite.
The stomach produces hydrochloric acid which helps to sterilise the contents of the stomach to kill any unwanted bugs and aids digestion, and pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down proteins. It also produces mucus which helps protect the linking of the stomach from the acid produced for digestion.
Once food has passed into the stomach it can remain there for between 2 and 5 hours. The muscles of the stomach help to churn the food around, mix it with acid and enzymes and turn it into a thick soup like consistency that is called chyme. Once its processed enough the chyme is then released into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine to continue on its journey through our digestive tract.
Issues with our stomach and can IBD impact it?
Gastritis (inflammation of the lining of our stomach) and stomach ulcers are two of the more common issues that can occur in our stomach. Ulcers can be caused by a bacteria called H pylori. This is a bacteria found in the stomach of lots of people, and in most it does not cause any problems, however, in a small number of people, H pylori infection can cause heartburn, bloating and nausea and may need to be treated.
Although rare, IBD can affect the stomach and top of the small intestine too and this is called gastroduodenal Crohn's disease.
I have written a free e-book to help you find a way forward for your everyday life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Whether you are right at the beginning of your journey with IBD or have been living with your condition for years and feel like you have tried almost everything, there are things you can do everyday, beyond the medication you are taking, to help you take back control.
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We are all wonderfully unique and what works for one person may not work for another so please seek help and advice before changing your diet to work out the right way forward for you.