It is important not to ignore common digestive problems

Dr. P. Piramanayagam, Consultant Medical Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

On World Digestive Health Day, Dr. P. Piramanayagam, Consultant Medical Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai talks about the prevalence of digestive issues, diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention. He said “Common digestive problems are burning sensation in the chest or pain in the upper abdomen. Often these symptoms are caused by Acid reflux from the stomach into the food pipe, medically known as GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease).

Such digestive diseases are on the rise, possibly due to the changing dietary habits, western food influences, junk food, smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy food habits, not eating on time, lack of sleep, stress and late-night engagements, along with a sedentary lifestyle that leads to obesity”. “These digestive conditions can be troublesome as they leave patients suffering for a longer period of time. Their productivity comes down as these conditions affect concentration at work. Further, when digestive problems are left untreated for a long time, they may develop into Cancer in a small proportion of patients. So, digestive irregularities must not be neglected. Consult a Physician if any symptoms or discomfort persists for an unusually long time”. “Various tests and procedures, particularly upper GI endoscopy are done to examine a patient with chronic GERD. Advancements in medical technology have ensured ways to find out how much acid is coming back from the stomach and further confirmatory tests are done.” “Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the treatment is not just restricted to taking medication, managing symptoms and healing of existing ulcers. It involves long-term lifestyle modifications and dietary changes. Decreasing portion size and eating more frequently, avoiding deep-fried and spicy food, giving up smoking and alcohol consumption, chocolates, coffee and nicotine, and eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime etc. may lessen reflux. One must try to be as physically active as possible. Half an hour of exercise every day helps a lot for overall health and fitness. Those who are overweight or obese must try to lose weight”. “In recent times, we have noticed a lot of interaction between the gut and the brain. Those with anxiety and overwhelmed by pressure, often develop digestive problems. So, effective stress management also improves digestive conditions”.