The human body undergoes a variety of changes as it ages, including changes involving the digestive system's health and function. Some changes occur as a direct result of the aging process, while others develop in association with changes in lifestyle, diet, and underlying medical conditions.

Once you understand some of the challenges your digestive system might encounter, you'll know how to respond to them and minimize their effects on your quality of life. Watch out for the following four age-related digestive health concerns.

1. Constipation

Although some four million Americans suffer from constipation, individuals aged 65 or older make up the largest segment of the population to struggle with this problem. For most sufferers, lack of exercise, hydration, and dietary fiber serves as the prime causes of slow or difficult defecation.

Older individuals may eat poorly or simply not eat enough, robbing their stools of the necessary bulk. In others, the colon muscles that move the stool along contract less efficiently. Still, others may fail to exercise (which affects their overall physical function) or take medications that promote constipation as a side effect.

Ask your gastroenterologist to identify the potential causes of your constipation. You may need to take in more fiber, become more physically active, drink more water, or discuss changes in your medication routine with your primary care physician.

2. Peptic Ulcers

Ulcers, painful or bleeding raw spots in the digestive tissue lining, may develop in the esophagus, intestines, or stomach (a condition known as peptic ulcers). They often appear due to H. pylori bacteria in the stomach, but they can also develop in response to irritation from medications.

Older individuals frequently suffer from chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, turning to medications such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for temporary relief. These drugs can irritate the stomach lining with sustained or heavy use, eventually producing peptic ulcers.

If you have stomach pain or bleeding caused by heavy NSAID use, ask for professional medical advice on other pain management options. You may find that you can get adequate relief through drug-free approaches, from weight loss to reduce joint strain to regular exercises that strengthen and lubricate the joints.

Medication designed to treat peptic ulcers can also prove valuable. Your gastroenterologist may prescribe drugs such as antibiotics (to kill H. pylori bacteria), proton pump inhibitors, beta-blockers, or antacids. Rarely, a serious bleeding ulcer may call for surgery.

3. Abnormal Growths

The more the body ages, the greater the likelihood of abnormal cellular reproduction and tissue growth. in the digestive system, these abnormalities sometimes take the form of polyps. Polyps develop more commonly in people aged 50 or older. Most of them will cause no harm, but some can turn cancerous.

Since polyps don't usually cause any symptoms that might alert you to their presence, you'll want to schedule periodic colonic screenings based on your gastroenterologist's recommendations. This specialist can spot any polyps that may require diagnostic testing, then administer any further treatment you might need.

4. GERD

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux) can affect you at any age. This problem occurs when stomach acids and other irritants escape through the sphincter that normally closes the stomach off from the esophagus, causing classic heartburn symptoms and potentially leading to serious tissue damage.

Seniors have an elevated risk for GERD. Age-related changes in the digestive system, drugs taken to combat other age-related disorders, and eating habits that stress or irritate the stomach can boost acid levels and/or make the sphincter work less efficiently.

If you regularly experience chest pain, nausea, choking sensations, coughing fits, bitterness or sourness in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, or the feeling of a lump in the throat, you may need evaluation and treatment for GERD. Treatment options may include dietary or lifestyle changes, medication, and corrective surgery.

Kentuckiana Gastroenterology & Paramount Surgery Center can help you keep your digestive system in optimal condition, regardless of your age or other challenging factors. Contact our office today to learn more and ask for an appointment.