Symptom Awareness

It is important to remember that many digestive disorders are treatable. If you have any of the following symptoms which are persistent and occurring without obvious reason, it is advisable to see a doctor. If you are unsure how to approach a doctor or the sort of language you should be using to communicate gut problems, take a look at our guide on What to Say to the Doctor.

• Abdominal pain before or after meals
  
  
• Feelings of fullness, bloating or flatulence
  
  
• Nausea or vomiting
  
  
• Heartburn or regurgitation
  
  
• Pain or difficulty in swallowing
  
  
• Loss of appetite
  
  
• Continuing unexplained weight loss
  
  
• Indigestion developing for the first time or in mid or later life
  
  
• Diarrhoea, constipation or any alteration in bowel habit
  
  
• Change in stools (bowel motions) especially if they become black, dark red, pale or contain mucus (slime)
  
  
• Bleeding when you pass a stool
  
  
• Pain when you pass a stool
  
  
• Feeling that your bowels are not emptying completely
  
  
• Generally feeling tired, lethargic or unwell in association with any abdominal symptoms

Guidelines for early diagnosis of gut problems from the British Society of Gastroenterology and Core.