GI Disorders

Gastrointestinal functional and motility disorders

How functional and motility disorders are defined

A functional disorder or disease occurs when the main abnormality is the way the body works. In the doctor’s office, no structural or biochemical cause is seen.

Functional disorders generally cannot be diagnosed in a traditional way. No inflammatory, infectious, or structural abnormality can be seen by commonly used examination, x-ray, or laboratory test.

Gastrointestinal motility is defined by…

• the movements of the digestive system, and
• the transit of the contents within it.

Problems occur when nerves or muscles in any portion of the digestive tract do not function in a strong coordinated fashion. Symptoms commonly include…

• heartburn
• abdominal distension
• nausea
• vomiting
• constipation
• diarrhea

These disorders strike often

Functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders affect millions of people of all ages—men, women, and children. They are the most commonly presented GI illnesses seen by doctors in primary care or gastroenterology.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia are the most common functional GI disorders. IBS alone affects 10% to 20% of adults.

The disorders are costly

The social and economic costs of gastrointestinal disorders are enormous. The symptoms of these disorders can cause discomfort, ranging from inconvenience to deep personal distress. For those with severe symptoms the disorders can be debilitating, leaving them unable to fully participate in life and work.

Misunderstanding is risky

Much remains unknown about these disorders. This often leads to confusion and misunderstanding among patients and physicians alike. Lack of understanding can lead to misdiagnosis. It can lead to misguided treatment. For example, data reveals that women with IBS have an increased risk of unnecessary surgery; hysterectomy or ovarian surgery is performed more often in the IBS patient than in comparison groups.¹ This is a major women's health issue.

We need research

There is a pressing need to support more research. Gastrointestinal disorder research remains severely underfunded. Less than 1% of digestive disease research funding, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is allocated for functional disorders.

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