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Quizzes > Health & Medicine > Diseases & Conditions

Take the GI Symptom Quiz on Digestive Disorders

Dive Into This Digestive Health Quiz and Test Your Gut Smarts!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of stomach intestines quiz items on sky blue background, digestive health icons and quiz prompt

This GI Symptom Quiz helps you spot common digestive disorders and match symptoms to likely causes. You'll work through short scenarios to check your recall and remember key red flags for study or practice. When you're done, explore the disorders refresher and the digestion quiz .

Which of the following is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)?
Steatorrhea
Heartburn
Hematochezia
Jaundice
Heartburn, a burning sensation behind the breastbone, is the hallmark symptom of GERD. It occurs when stomach acid refluxes into the esophagus, irritating its lining. Other symptoms such as regurgitation and chest pain may occur, but heartburn is the most common.
What term describes difficulty swallowing?
Dyspepsia
Dysphagia
Dysarthria
Dysuria
Dysphagia refers specifically to difficulty or discomfort in swallowing. It can result from esophageal strictures, motility disorders, or neuromuscular conditions. Accurate history and evaluation help differentiate oropharyngeal from esophageal dysphagia.
Which symptom is most characteristic of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Worsening pain with fasting
Abdominal pain relieved by defecation
Jaundice
Bloody diarrhea
IBS is defined by recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel habits, often relieved by defecation. Blood in stool is atypical and suggests organic disease. Fasting typically does not worsen IBS pain, and jaundice is a hepatobiliary sign.
Melena refers to which of the following presentations?
Vomiting blood
Black, tarry stools
Bright red blood per rectum
Fatty, foul-smelling stools
Melena describes black, tarry stools resulting from upper gastrointestinal bleeding where blood is digested as it passes through the gut. Hematochezia is bright red bleeding per rectum, and hematemesis refers to vomiting blood. Steatorrhea involves fatty stools.
Which of these is a classic symptom of cholelithiasis (gallstones)?
Pain relieved by defecation
Epigastric burning at night
Continuous right lower quadrant pain
Biliary colic after fatty meals
Gallstones often cause biliary colic - intermittent right upper quadrant or epigastric pain - exacerbated by fatty meals due to gallbladder contraction. Pain is usually episodic, not continuous, and not relieved by bowel movements.
What symptom defines steatorrhea?
Excessively fatty, foul-smelling stools
Constipation with hard stools
Black, tarry stools
Frequent small-volume stools
Steatorrhea is marked by bulky, greasy, foul-smelling stools due to fat malabsorption. Black tarry stools (melena) indicate upper GI bleeding. Frequent small-volume stools suggest inflammatory disease, and hard stools suggest constipation.
Hematochezia refers to which clinical finding?
Vomiting blood
Black, tarry stools
Pale, clay-colored stools
Bright red blood per rectum
Hematochezia is fresh bright red blood passed per rectum, indicating lower GI bleeding. Melena (black tarry stools) suggests upper GI bleeding. Hematemesis is vomiting blood, and pale stools may indicate biliary obstruction.
Which symptom is most typical of lactose intolerance?
Jaundice after cheese
Constipation after yogurt
Blood in stool after milk
Bloating and diarrhea after dairy intake
Lactose intolerance causes bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea after consuming lactose-containing foods due to lactase deficiency. It does not cause bleeding, jaundice, or constipation.
Dyspepsia most closely describes which of the following?
Frequent vomiting
Lower abdominal cramping
Difficulty swallowing solids
Epigastric discomfort or indigestion
Dyspepsia refers to upper abdominal discomfort or indigestion, often described as burning, fullness, or early satiety. Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing, and vomiting or lower abdominal pain are different GI symptoms.
Which of the following is NOT a common feature of acute viral gastroenteritis?
Abdominal cramps
Nausea and vomiting
Hematochezia
Watery diarrhea
Acute viral gastroenteritis typically causes watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. Bloody diarrhea (hematochezia) is more characteristic of bacterial infections or inflammatory conditions.
Which symptom is most indicative of peptic ulcer disease?
Pain improved by fasting
Epigastric pain relieved by eating
Right lower quadrant pain
Pain radiating to the back only at night
Duodenal ulcers often cause epigastric pain that improves with eating or antacids. Gastric ulcer pain may worsen with food. Right lower quadrant pain suggests appendicitis, and pain strictly at night is less specific.
Which feature best describes constipation?
Black, tarry stools
Frequent urgent bowel movements
Loose, watery stools
Fewer than three bowel movements per week
Constipation is generally defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week or hard, lumpy stools. Loose stools and urgency point toward diarrhea, and black stools indicate melena.
Which finding suggests upper gastrointestinal bleeding rather than lower?
Melena
Steatorrhea
Tenesmus
Hematochezia
Melena (black, tarry stools) indicates digested blood from an upper GI source. Hematochezia is fresh blood from lower GI bleeding. Steatorrhea and tenesmus relate to malabsorption and rectal irritation, respectively.
What symptom most commonly accompanies acute pancreatitis?
Jaundice as the initial presentation
Left shoulder pain
Right lower quadrant pain
Severe epigastric pain radiating to the back
Acute pancreatitis classically causes sudden, severe epigastric pain that radiates to the back. RLQ pain suggests appendicitis; left shoulder pain often indicates splenic injury; jaundice may occur but is not the initial feature.
According to Rome IV criteria, which feature is required for a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome?
Jaundice and elevated liver enzymes
Intermittent vomiting and hematochezia
Recurrent abdominal pain at least one day per week for three months accompanied by a change in stool form or frequency
Continuous abdominal pain with weight loss
Rome IV IBS criteria require recurrent abdominal pain ?1 day per week for the last three months, associated with ?2 of the following: related to defecation, change in stool frequency, or change in stool form. Weight loss, bleeding, or liver findings suggest organic disease.
Which of the following is considered an alarm symptom that warrants prompt endoscopic evaluation?
Mild constipation
Unintended weight loss
Intermittent bloating
Occasional flatulence
Alarm features such as unintended weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia, dysphagia, or persistent vomiting require endoscopy to rule out malignancy or serious pathology. Mild GI symptoms without alarm signs are often managed conservatively.
Which symptom cluster is most suggestive of Helicobacter pylori infection?
Lower quadrant pain relieved by defecation
Epigastric discomfort, postprandial fullness, and bloating
Jaundice and dark urine
Frequent vomiting of undigested food
H. pylori often causes dyspeptic symptoms including epigastric pain, postprandial fullness, early satiety, and bloating. Lower GI and hepatic symptoms suggest other etiologies. Diagnosis is confirmed by breath, blood antibody, stool antigen testing, or endoscopic biopsy.
A patient presents with bloody diarrhea and tenesmus. Which inflammatory bowel disease is more likely?
Crohn's disease
Ulcerative colitis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Celiac disease
Ulcerative colitis typically presents with continuous mucosal inflammation of the colon, causing bloody diarrhea and tenesmus. Crohn's disease can involve any GI segment but often has nonbloody diarrhea and transmural lesions.
Which symptom is most characteristic of celiac disease?
Right upper quadrant pain
Epigastric burning relieved by antacids
Chronic diarrhea and weight loss
Intermittent painless rectal bleeding
Celiac disease often presents with malabsorption, leading to chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies. RUQ pain suggests hepatobiliary disease, and epigastric burning or painless bleeding point elsewhere. Serologic tests (tTG-IgA) and duodenal biopsy confirm diagnosis.
Bile salt malabsorption most commonly causes which symptom?
Chronic watery diarrhea
Epigastric pain
Steatorrhea with bulky stools
Hematochezia
When bile salts are not reabsorbed in the ileum, they enter the colon, drawing water and causing chronic watery diarrhea. Steatorrhea indicates fat malabsorption; hematochezia and epigastric pain are unrelated.
Which symptom triad is classic for achalasia?
Jaundice, pruritus, dark urine
Dysphagia to solids and liquids, regurgitation, chest pain
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, tenesmus
Early satiety, bloating, weight gain
Achalasia presents with progressive dysphagia for solids and liquids, regurgitation of undigested food, and chest pain or discomfort. GI inflammatory and hepatic symptom clusters differ. Diagnosis is via esophageal manometry and barium swallow.
Excess gastric acid secretion leading to peptic ulcers is characteristic of which syndrome?
Zollinger - Ellison syndrome
Carcinoid syndrome
Gilbert's syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome
Zollinger - Ellison syndrome results from gastrin-secreting tumors (gastrinomas) causing excessive acid production and recurrent peptic ulcers. Carcinoid syndrome involves serotonin secretion; IBS and Gilbert's relate to motility and bilirubin metabolism, respectively.
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency typically causes which symptom?
Steatorrhea
Melena
Dysphagia
Hematemesis
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency leads to inadequate digestive enzymes, especially lipase, resulting in fat malabsorption and steatorrhea. GI bleeding symptoms and swallowing difficulties are not typical of this condition.
Cholestatic liver disease most commonly presents with which symptom?
Epigastric burning
Hematochezia
Pruritus
Painless jaundice
Pruritus due to bile salt deposition in the skin is a hallmark of cholestatic liver disease. Painless jaundice may occur but pruritus often precedes it. Epigastric burning and GI bleeding are unrelated.
Which physical exam finding is most indicative of peritonitis?
Heel tap sign
Rebound tenderness
Murphy's sign
Psoas sign
Rebound tenderness (pain on release of abdominal pressure) indicates peritoneal irritation. Murphy's sign suggests cholecystitis, psoas sign suggests appendicitis, and heel tap sign is less specific.
Which symptom is characteristic of microscopic colitis?
Chronic non-bloody watery diarrhea
Severe constipation
Steatorrhea
Bloody diarrhea with tenesmus
Microscopic colitis presents with chronic, watery, non-bloody diarrhea. There is no visible mucosal abnormality on colonoscopy, but biopsies confirm inflammation. Bleeding, constipation, and fat malabsorption point to other diagnoses.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) most often causes which symptom?
Jaundice and pruritus
Bloating and chronic diarrhea
Hematochezia and tenesmus
Dysphagia
SIBO leads to malabsorption, bloating, abdominal discomfort, and chronic diarrhea. Hepatobiliary and colonic bleeding symptoms are not characteristic, nor is swallowing difficulty. Diagnosis is made by breath testing or jejunal aspirate culture.
Which of the following best describes presentation of acute appendicitis?
Recurrent solid food dysphagia
Chronic painless jaundice
Periumbilical pain migrating to the right lower quadrant
Epigastric burning after meals
Appendicitis classically begins with dull periumbilical pain that later localizes to the right lower quadrant, often with anorexia and low-grade fever. Epigastric burning suggests peptic disease, painless jaundice suggests biliary obstruction, and dysphagia suggests esophageal pathology.
Which stool characteristic differentiates IBS-D from IBS-C?
Steatorrhea in IBS-D versus tenesmus in IBS-C
Loose, watery stools in IBS-D versus hard, lumpy stools in IBS-C
Bloody diarrhea in IBS-D versus melena in IBS-C
Constipation in IBS-D versus diarrhea in IBS-C
IBS-D (diarrhea predominant) patients have loose, watery stools, whereas IBS-C (constipation predominant) patients have hard or lumpy stools. Blood or fat in stool excludes IBS. The terms reflect stool form, not bleeding or malabsorption.
Migratory thrombophlebitis (Trousseau's syndrome) can be an early sign of carcinoma of which organ?
Colon
Stomach
Pancreas
Liver
Trousseau's syndrome - migratory superficial thrombophlebitis - is classically associated with pancreatic adenocarcinoma due to a procoagulant state. While malignancies can induce hypercoagulability, pancreatic cancer is the most common culprit.
Elevated fecal calprotectin suggests which of the following?
Intestinal inflammation
Esophageal motility disorder
Bile acid malabsorption
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency
Fecal calprotectin is a marker of neutrophil-driven inflammation in the GI tract and is elevated in inflammatory bowel disease. It does not rise in functional disorders, malabsorption syndromes, or motility issues.
Which symptom helps distinguish nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) from nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)?
Only NAFL causes right upper quadrant pain
NASH may present with elevated transaminases and fatigue, whereas NAFL is often asymptomatic
Both have identical symptom profiles
NAFL presents with jaundice, NASH never does
NAFL is typically asymptomatic with normal labs, whereas NASH often causes fatigue and mild elevations of AST/ALT. Jaundice and significant RUQ pain are uncommon in both and suggest other pathology.
Achlorhydria in pernicious anemia can lead to which symptom due to bacterial overgrowth?
Melena
Bloating and flatulence
Jaundice
Steatorrhea only
Lack of gastric acid (achlorhydria) permits bacterial overgrowth in the upper GI, causing bloating, flatulence, and sometimes diarrhea. Steatorrhea can occur but is not the sole manifestation. Bleeding and jaundice are not direct consequences.
Which of these is a hallmark symptom of bile acid diarrhea?
Bloody diarrhea
Chronic constipation
Steatorrhea only
Urgent watery diarrhea, especially post-prandial
When excess bile acids reach the colon, they stimulate secretion and motility, causing urgent, watery diarrhea often triggered by meals. Fat malabsorption is less prominent, and bleeding or constipation are not features.
Zenker's diverticulum typically presents with which symptom?
Regurgitation of undigested food and neck discomfort
Painless hematemesis
Chronic epigastric pain
Lower quadrant cramping
Zenker's diverticulum causes a false pouch in the hypopharynx leading to regurgitation of undigested food, halitosis, and neck bulge or discomfort. Epigastric pain, bleeding, and lower abdominal issues are unrelated.
Functional dyspepsia is diagnosed based on Rome IV criteria. Which symptom is required?
Dysphagia and odynophagia
Hematochezia
Postprandial fullness, early satiation, or epigastric pain/burning without structural disease
Melena
Functional dyspepsia involves epigastric pain or burning, early satiety, or postprandial fullness with no evidence of structural disease. Swallowing difficulties and bleeding require other evaluations.
Gastroparesis most commonly presents with which symptom?
Early satiety and nausea without obstruction
Severe constipation
Watery diarrhea
Hematochezia
Delayed gastric emptying causes early satiety, nausea, vomiting of undigested food, and bloating without mechanical obstruction. Diarrhea, bleeding, and constipation are not typical.
Which clinical presentation is typical for a Mallory - Weiss tear?
Chronic diarrhea with weight loss
Vomiting followed by hematemesis
Jaundice after fatty meal
Severe epigastric pain with melena
A Mallory - Weiss tear is a mucosal laceration at the gastroesophageal junction from forceful vomiting, leading to hematemesis. Chronic diarrhea, isolated jaundice, and epigastric pain with melena suggest other diagnoses.
Which postoperative symptom is common after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass?
Severe dysphagia immediately post-op
Dumping syndrome: nausea, diarrhea after high-sugar meals
Steatorrhea with fatty stools only
Hematemesis
Dumping syndrome occurs when hyperosmolar food enters the small intestine rapidly, causing nausea, cramping, and diarrhea after sugary meals. Steatorrhea and bleeding are not typical postoperative features, and early dysphagia is uncommon.
Chronic mesenteric ischemia typically presents with which classic symptom pattern?
Chronic diarrhea only
Postprandial abdominal pain leading to food fear and weight loss
Intermittent right lower quadrant pain
Nighttime epigastric pain only
Mesenteric ischemia causes crampy postprandial pain, leading patients to avoid eating and lose weight. Pain only at night or RLQ pain does not fit, and diarrhea alone is nonspecific.
A patient with Norovirus infection most commonly presents with:
Severe jaundice
Acute onset vomiting and watery diarrhea
Persistent constipation
Chronic bloody diarrhea
Norovirus typically causes acute-onset vomiting, watery diarrhea, and abdominal cramps lasting 1 - 3 days. Bloody diarrhea, constipation, and jaundice are not characteristic.
Which presentation is most suggestive of cholangiocarcinoma?
Painless jaundice with cholestatic LFT pattern
Chronic diarrhea
Epigastric pain after fatty meals
Lower GI bleeding
Cholangiocarcinoma often presents with painless jaundice and a cholestatic pattern on liver tests (elevated ALP, GGT). Fatty meal pain, bleeding, or diarrhea suggest other disorders.
Which symptom cluster best fits Whipple's disease?
Bloody diarrhea, tenesmus, anemia
Epigastric burning, early satiety, nausea
Steatorrhea, weight loss, migratory arthralgias
Constipation, bloating, hard stools
Whipple's disease is a rare bacterial infection causing malabsorption (steatorrhea, weight loss) and systemic features like migratory joint pains. Blood in stool and simple dyspepsia or constipation do not reflect its multisystem nature.
Gilbert's syndrome most commonly presents with which symptom?
Steatorrhea
Persistent right upper quadrant pain
Mild, intermittent jaundice during fasting or stress
Bloody diarrhea
Gilbert's syndrome is a benign unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia causing mild jaundice triggered by stress, fasting, or illness. It does not cause pain, malabsorption, or bleeding.
Which mechanism most directly contributes to refractory GERD symptoms despite proton-pump inhibitor therapy?
Non-acid (biliary) reflux irritating the esophagus
Autoimmune gastritis
Pancreatic enzyme deficiency
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
Refractory GERD can result from non-acid reflux (bile acids) that proton-pump inhibitors do not suppress. Other causes include hypersensitive esophagus or motility disorders. Pancreatic, bacterial, or autoimmune causes do not directly cause acid-refractory reflux.
Which symptom overlap complicates differentiation between autoimmune hepatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)?
Postprandial epigastric pain
Dysphagia
Fatigue and elevated aminotransferases
Bloody diarrhea
Both autoimmune hepatitis and PSC can present with fatigue and elevated AST/ALT levels. PSC also has cholestatic enzymes and cholangiographic changes, whereas autoimmune hepatitis shows autoantibodies and interface hepatitis on biopsy.
Which serologic marker correlates most with symptom severity in celiac disease?
Anti - centromere antibody
Anti - mitochondrial antibody
Tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG-IgA)
Anti - smooth muscle antibody
The tTG-IgA antibody titer correlates with mucosal damage and symptom severity in celiac disease. Other antibodies are associated with different autoimmune conditions and are not diagnostic for celiac-related symptoms.
Which rare systemic symptom may appear early in Whipple's disease before GI signs?
Persistent constipation
Migratory arthralgias
Hematochezia
Painless jaundice
Migratory arthralgias often precede GI symptoms in Whipple's disease by years, reflecting systemic Tropheryma whipplei infection. Jaundice, bleeding, and constipation are later or unrelated features.
Mesenteric venous thrombosis most commonly presents with which acute symptom?
Epigastric burning after meals
Acute abdominal pain with minimal findings on exam
Painless hematochezia
Chronic bloating relieved by flatus
Mesenteric venous thrombosis often causes severe, diffuse abdominal pain out of proportion to mild exam findings. Bleeding, simple bloating, or postprandial burning are not typical. Imaging confirms the diagnosis.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Common GI Symptoms -

    Recognize hallmark signs of gastrointestinal distress, from abdominal pain to bloating, through our GI symptom quiz challenges.

  2. Differentiate Digestive Disorders -

    Distinguish between conditions like IBS, GERD, and ulcers by analyzing key warning signs in the stomach disorder quiz.

  3. Analyze Gut Health Factors -

    Evaluate how diet, stress, and lifestyle choices impact your digestive system as you work through our gut health test.

  4. Apply Diagnostic Strategies -

    Use symptom-based reasoning from the digestive health quiz to form clear next steps, such as tracking patterns or seeking professional care.

  5. Evaluate Treatment Options -

    Assess common management approaches - like dietary changes and medications - after completing the digestive system quiz to know when medical advice is needed.

  6. Enhance GI Health Awareness -

    Build confidence in spotting early warning signs and adopt preventive habits to maintain long-term gut health.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Recognizing Key GI Symptoms -

    Familiarize yourself with signs like abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits often featured on a GI symptom quiz. Use the ABC mnemonic - Abdominal pain, Bloating, Changes in stool - to recall common red flags (NIH). Spotting urgent cues such as GI bleeding or unintentional weight loss boosts your digestive health IQ.

  2. Digestive Tract Anatomy and Roles -

    Review the GI tract sections - from mouth to anus - and their primary functions on a digestive system quiz: ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination (Mayo Clinic). Remember "MESI" - Mouth, Esophagus, Stomach, Intestines - to map out each part's role. Linking structure to function helps you diagnose stomach disorders on quizzes.

  3. Common Diagnostic Tests -

    Get comfortable with evaluations like endoscopy, colonoscopy, and imaging often featured on a stomach disorder quiz or digestive health quiz. For labs, recall "CBC + LFT + CRP" to screen for inflammation, anemia, and liver involvement (Cleveland Clinic). Matching test names to their clinical indications strengthens your quiz accuracy.

  4. Importance of the Gut Microbiome -

    Understand how trillions of microbes influence digestion, immunity, and mood - a common section in gut health tests (NIH). Recall the "3F" approach - Fiber, Fermented foods, Flora diversity - to support microbial balance and quiz performance. Recognizing dysbiosis symptoms like bloating or diarrhea is vital.

  5. Diet and Lifestyle Modifiers -

    Review how factors like low-FODMAP diets, hydration, and stress management affect GI function - frequently asked in digestive health quizzes. Use the "SIPS" mnemonic - Stress reduction, Increase water, Probiotic foods, Soluble fiber - for practical steps (Cleveland Clinic). Linking lifestyle changes to symptom improvement sharpens your quiz responses.

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