Everyone gets a stomachache from time to time—whether it’s from eating something that doesn’t agree with you or a virus.

But when discomfort is ongoing or getting in the way of everyday life, something more complex may be happening. Certainly, if your pain is extreme, comes on suddenly, is accompanied by nausea and vomiting or low blood pressure, your abdomen is rigid, you can’t tolerate food, the pain is constant or keeps you awake at night, or the pain radiates into your back, shoulder, chest, flank, or groin you should seek medical attention right away, says gastroenterologist Benjamin Levy, M.D., a clinical associate of medicine at UChicago Medicine in Illinois.

But not all GI symptoms are an emergency. Discomfort may come and go, be milder in nature, and dampen your quality of life. This sort of digestive distress is common. In fact, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) reports that 40% of Americans say that digestive troubles have impacted their day-to-day function or gotten in the way of enjoyable activities.

So what could be going on? Your best bet is to see your doctor for an evaluation—because the sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner you can be properly treated and feel better. Below, some of the most common digestive disorders you and your doctor may discuss, as well as their symptoms and treatments.

What Is a Digestive Disorder?

A digestive disease or disorder is a problem in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which winds from your throat all the way down to your anus and includes your esophagus, stomach and intestines, as well as other organs such as your liver, pancreas, and gallbladder, according to the National Library of Medicine. If you have one, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Abdominal pain

• Bloating

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Heartburn

• Nausea

• Vomiting

As many as 60 to 70 million Americans in total have a digestive disease, says the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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