Stomach

It has three main functions; firstly, it acts as a reservoir to receive food and drink, and has the capacity to stretch to thirty times it’s normal size after large meals, without any problem. Secondly, it plays an important part in breaking down the contents of meals into smaller parts and mixing them with acid and other digestive enzymes in preparation for the next and greatest part of the digestive process in the small intestine. Lastly it regulates the rate at which the partially digested food leaves the stomach and enters the intestine. This allows the remainder of the process and absorption of energy and nutrients from the food to happen over a longer time and with maximum efficiency.If any of these processes are disrupted for any reason, the most common symptoms experienced are pain in the upper abdomen, or under the ribs, nausea (queasiness), a sensation of uncomfortable fullness, vomiting and occasionally diarrhoea.These may arise from a number of conditions, including, inflammation or ulceration, infection, muscular incoordination, or cancer. It is important to remember that stress can also increase sensitivity in the stomach, thus leading to or increasing such symptoms.The most common way to investigate such symptoms is by endoscopy (otherwise known as gastroscopy - endoscopy of the stomach), where it is possible to directly inspect the lining of the stomach, and take small samples for analysis. Other tests include scans (e.g. ultrasound or CT) or gastric emptying studies.

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