A spectrum of diverse disorders affecting the gastrointestinal tract does not have a demonstrable structural or biochemical abnormality. Currently, these have been grouped together as functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and affect the patients to a varying degree. Functional GI disorders occur due to altered physiology in the presence of normal biochemical parameters and cannot be attributed to structural abnormalities of the GI tract. The symptoms usually arise in the mid and lower GI tract.
Pathophysiology No single etiology can be attributed to the causation of functional GI disorders. Multiple factors working together have been implicated and exact mechanisms are not elucidated. A biopsychosocial model has been described to explain the multitude of symptoms. Altered GI motility: psychosocial and physiological stress can exaggerate GI motility in patients with functional GI…
