Home
About IFFGD
GI Disorders
Publications
Research
Membership
Events Calendar
Donate to IFFGD

Links
Glossary

Site Map
Contact IFFGD

Call IFFGD
Toll Free at
1-888-964-2001

Visit these IFFGD
web sites: aboutConstipation.org
aboutGERD.org
aboutIBS.org
aboutIncontinence.org
aboutKidsGI.org aboutgiMotility.org giResearch.org

Other Disorders & Links

Note that the web sites listed on this page are noncommercial and are external to IFFGD; we do not warrant or have any control over their content. These sites include: 1) Registered nonprofits/charities and medical societies with established governing boards, 2) Educational or research institutions, 3) Health related government sites.

Categories

Other Disorders - Nonprofits

Government, Charitable, Educational Institutions

Professional Organizations

Events Calendar

Clinical Studies or Trials

Other Disorders – Nonprofits

Other disorders can have symptoms that may be similar to or overlap with gastrointestinal functional or motility disorders. Several of these are listed below along with links to sites where you can find out more information.

Crohn's disease is a serious inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It predominates in the intestine (ileum) and the large intestine (colon), but may occur in any section of the GI tract. Crohn's disease usually causes diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, often fever, and at times rectal bleeding. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss also may occur. Symptoms may range from mild to severe, but in general people with Crohn's disease can lead active and productive lives.
— Source: Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) is an unexplained functional digestive disorder characterized by recurrent, prolonged attacks of severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain resulting in decreased quality of life for both children and adults. Largely overlooked until about the mid-1990s, millions of people worldwide suffer from this debilitating syndrome, while the clinical doctors are increasingly educated about CVS, the number of US patients diagnosed with this syndrome is climbing at a staggering rate.
— Source: Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association

Eosinophilic Enteropathy is a digestive system disorder in which eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, are found in above normal amounts in the digestive system. Symptoms vary depending on where and in what number the eosinophils are found. Also, symptoms tend to be highly specific to each individual case. Common symptoms may include pain, swelling, skin rash or hives, reflux, choking, difficulty swallowing, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stools containing blood and/or mucus, abdominal cramping, and/or diarrhea.
— Source: American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders

Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome (EMS) is a rare, systemic, immune mediated disease that originally surfaced in the United States as an epidemic in 1989 resulting from ingestion of an amino acid, L-Tryptophan, a popular health food supplement at the time. The FDA recalled the supplement in March 1990. New cases may occur through unknown means. During the acute phase, EMS is characterized by flu-like symptoms, intense muscle pain with spasms and contractures, burning rashes, breathing difficulties and elevated eosinophil (a type of white blood cell) count. Later the disease attacks many areas of the body in a random manner and with varying degrees of severity from patient to patient.
— Source: National Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome Network

Fibromyalgia (FM) is an increasingly recognized chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle and hands, but any body part can be involved. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time.
— Source: National Fibromyalgia Association

Gluten intolerance/Celiac disease is the result of an autoimmune system response to the ingestion of gluten (from wheat, rye, and barley) that damages the small intestine. Classic symptoms include: diarrhea, bloating, weight loss, anemia, chronic fatigue, weakness, bone pain, and muscle cramps.
— Source: The Gluten Intolerance Group

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a hepatitis virus. Symptoms vary and may include light stools, dark urine, fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Some persons have mild flu-like symptoms, and some people experience no symptoms.
— Source: Hepatitis Foundation International
Additional Resource: American Liver Foundation

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder. Its cause is unknown. Symptoms vary and may include frequency, urgency, lower abdominal pain, muscle and joint pain, migraines, allergic reactions, and gastrointestinal problems.
— Source: Interstitial Cystitis Association

An ostomy refers to the surgically created opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes. There are many different types of ostomies.
— Source: United Ostomy Associations of America

Parkinson disease. The National Parkinson Foundation - www.parkinson.org. The Mission of the National Parkinson Foundation is to find the cause of and the cure for Parkinson disease through research, to improve the quality of life for persons with Parkinson and their caregivers, and to educate persons with Parkinson, their caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the general public about Parkinson disease and its treatment.

Parenteral and enteral nutrition. Sometimes a person cannot receive enough nutrients from the food they eat because of a severe gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that impairs their ability to swallow food, move food along the GI tract, or absorb nutrients from the food. In such cases, home parenteral or enteral (homePEN) nutrition support may be necessary.
— Source: The Oley Foundation

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the colon, the large intestine, which is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the innermost lining of the colon. Symptoms characteristically include diarrhea with or without rectal bleeding and often abdominal pain.
— Source: Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA)

Urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control) was conservatively reported in 1996 by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to affect 15%-30% of community-dwelling adults and at least half of all individuals confined to nursing homes. This translates into 13 million Americans, 11 million, or 85%, of whom are estimated to be women.
— Source: National Association for Continence (NAFC)
Additional Resource: The Simon Foundation for Continence

Government, Charitable, Educational Institutions

For kids and teens Band-Aides & Blackboards is a site about growing up with medical problems ...any ole type. Its goal is to help people understand what it's like, from the perspective of the children and teens who are doing just that. These kids have become experts at coping with problems. They'd like you to know how they do it, and they hope that you'll be glad you came to visit.

Be MedWise is a public education initiative by the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) – a nonprofit coalition of over 150 government, consumer, patient advocacy and public health organizations. NCPIE serves as a source of reliable information about the proper use of medicines, and Be MedWise seeks to promote a better understanding that over-the-counter (OTC) drug products are serious medicines and must be taken with care.

The Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (CSiR) is a registered non-profit organization. Established on October 18, 1976, CSiR is dedicated to increasing public awareness, providing patient educational materials, spearheading patient advocacy, and funding medical research regarding all areas of the gastrointestinal tract - from reflux disease, to inflammatory bowel disease, to irritable bowel syndrome, to hemorrhoids, and more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead U.S. federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health, through its National Library of Medicine, has developed ClinicalTrials.gov to provide patients, family members and members of the public current information about clinical research studies.

Family Village is a global community that integrates information, resources, and communication opportunities on the Internet for persons with cognitive and other disabilities, for their families, and for those that provide them services and support. They includes informational resources on specific diagnoses, communication connections, adaptive products and technology,adaptive recreational activities, education, worship, health issues, disability-related media and literature, and more.

Healthfinder® is a site, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with other Federal agencies, for finding government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. It links to information and Web sites from over 1,800 health-related organizations.

Incontact is a national charity in the United Kingdom for people affected by bladder and bowel problems. They provide support and information and represent the interests of people with continence problems.

Karolinska Institutet is one of Europe's largest medical universities. Located in Sweden, the Karolinska Institutet´s mission is to improve the health of mankind through research, education, and information. They maintain a listing of many disease resources.

MayoClinic.com Digestive System Center A guide to how your digestive system works and what to do about digestive system ailments from heartburn to hemorrhoids is available from the MayoClinic.com Digestive System Center.

MEDLINEplus has extensive information from the National Institutes of Health and other trusted sources on over 500 diseases and conditions. It also lists hospitals and physicians, a medical encyclopedia and dictionaries, health information in Spanish, extensive information on prescription and nonprescription drugs, health information from the media, and links to clinical trials.

MyPyramid.gov provides food and nutrition information from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which was established in 1994 to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans. One size doesn't fit all. MyPyramid Plan can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you -- for kids and adults.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The mission of NCCAM is to support rigorous research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), to train researchers in CAM, and to disseminate information to the public and professionals on which CAM modalities work, which do not, and why.

The Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, has established a National Commission on Digestive Diseases based on the mutual interest in advancing digestive diseases research shared by the NIH and the U.S. Congress. Established in Fall 2005, the Commission is charged with conducting an overview of research in digestive diseases and developing a strategic plan for the next ten years of NIH digestive diseases research.

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1980, the clearinghouse provides information about digestive diseases to people with digestive disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public.

The National Health Information Center (NHIC) is a health information referral service. NHIC puts health professionals and consumers who have health questions in touch with those organizations that are best able to provide answers. NHIC was established in 1979 by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), Office of Public Health and Science, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIDDK conducts and supports research on many of the most serious diseases affecting public health, including digestive diseases.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) –"The Nation's Medical Research Agency" – includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases.

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a unique federation of voluntary health organizations dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them. NORD is committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and service.

The Northwestern Center for Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders was created to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment for patients with difficult and often poorly explained digestive symptoms. Their mission is to advance the understanding and treatment of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders through an integrated approach to patient care, research, training and education.

The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) serves as a focal point for women's health research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Established in September 1990 within the Office of the Director, ORWH works in partnership with the NIH institutes and centers to ensure that women's health research is part of the scientific framework at NIH and throughout the scientific community.

The UCLA Center for Neurovisceral Sciences & Women's Health is an NIH-funded, interdisciplinary basic and translational research program focused on various aspects of mind brain body interactions in health and disease. The Center seeks better understanding of such common gastrointestinal disorders as irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and common urological disorders such as irritable bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis).

The University of North Carolina (UNC) Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders is a multidisciplinary facility dedicated to advancing the understanding and care of patients with functional disorders. Their web site offers up-to-date information on Functional GI and Motility Disorders for both the professional and the patient, and provides information on the Center and its research, training, patient education and clinical treatment.

The mission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to promote and protect the public health by helping safe and effective products reach the market in a timely way, and monitoring products for continued safety after they are in use.

Professional Organizations

The Academy of Immunomodulation Through Apheresis (AITA) is a group of immunologists, hematologists, dermatologists, gastroenterologists, nephrologists and rheumatologists working to provide multidisciplinary educational resources that promote understanding of selective apheresis in immune-mediated diseases.

The American Academy of Family Physicians provides health information for the whole family.

The American College of Gastroenterology was founded in 1932 to advance the study and medical treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Founded in 1917, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the USA.

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) was founded in 1897 and is the oldest nonprofit specialty medical society in the country.

The American Motility Society (AMS) is an organization dedicated to the study of the movements of the digestive system.

The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons is the leading professional society representing more than 1000 board certified Colon and Rectal surgeons and other surgeons dedicated to advancing and promoting the science and practice of the treatment of patients with diseases and disorders affecting the colon, rectum, and anus.

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy represents over 7,000 gastroenterologists, surgeons, and other digestive health specialists who remain committed to furthering the knowledge of the diagnosis and treatment of GI disease through the appropriate use of endoscopic techniques.

The Functional Brain-Gut Research Group (FBG) is an organization of professionals that supports, promotes and advances multidisciplinary research and education in the basic science, clinical and behavioral aspects of brain-gut interactions.

The North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) strives to improve the care of infants, children and adolescents with digestive disorders by promoting advances in clinical care, research and education.

The Rome Foundation is an international organization that classifies the functional gastrointestinal disorders and by using the best evidence establishes criteria (Rome Criteria) for their diagnosis.

The Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) provides several resources for patients and the general public to educate themselves about surgical options.

Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates. Gastroenterology (GI) nursing is a specialty practice area in which nurses and associates provide care to patients with known or suspected gastrointestinal problems who are undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic treatment and/or procedures.

Founded in 1968, the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN) is a professional, international nursing society of more than 3,700 nurse professionals who are experts in the care of patients with wound, ostomy and continence problems.