Small Intestine Disorders
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
Your small intestine is the longest part of your digestive system - about twenty feet long! It connects your stomach to your large intestine (or colon) and folds many times to fit inside your abdomen. Your small intestine does most of the digesting of the foods you eat. It has three areas called the duodenum, the ileum, and the jejunum.
Problems with the small intestine can include:
- Bleeding
- Celiac disease
- Crohn's disease
- Infections
- Intestinal cancer
- Intestinal obstruction
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Ulcers, such as peptic ulcer
Treatment of disorders of the small intestine depends on the cause.
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Bacteria Culture Test · National Library of Medicine
- Capsule Endoscopy · Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) · National Library of Medicine
- Intestine · Health Resources and Services Administration
- Meckel's diverticulectomy - series · Medical Encyclopedia
- Small bowel resection - series · Medical Encyclopedia
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For a life-threatening emergency, call 911 in the U.S. or your local emergency number.
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