Do you often feel bloated after meals, have heartburn while lying down, and struggle with recurrent abdominal pains? If so, you’re not alone. Digestive disorders are common and often a painful part of everybody’s life. From acid reflux and peptic ulcer to chronic Liver diseases that demand treatment from best liver transplant surgeon in Chennai, multiple diseases disrupt our digestive system. In this blog, let’s look at 5 common digestive disorders, their causes, and what you can do to feel your best.
- Gastroesophageal reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or heartburn is a common condition where your stomach acid backs up into the oesophagus. It generally happens after consuming fatty & spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, and acidic fruits/juices. When GER occurs repeatedly, it erodes the oesophagus lining and causes internal bleeding, resulting in GERD.
Here are the risk factors for GERD – obesity, pregnancy, smoking, and certain medications. You can effectively treat the disease by making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, avoiding triggers, and eating smaller, more frequent meals.
- Lactose intolerance
Studies say 65% of people worldwide experience lactose intolerance of some form. This disorder is characterised by our inability to fully digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. If you’re lactose intolerant, you’ll experience bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and nausea, within 30 minutes to 2 hours of consuming dairy foods. Prevention measures include avoiding lactose-containing food and incorporating alternative sources of calcium in your diet.
- Peptic ulcers
A peptic ulcer is an open sore that develops in the lining of the stomach, duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), or oesophagus. The two most common causes of peptic ulcers include the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and the usage of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Prolonged stress and acids from the food we consume make ulcer symptoms worse. So, stop using NSAIDs and take antibiotics to clear the H. pylori infection. It reduces acid production in the stomach and relieves symptoms such as burning or gnawing abdominal pain.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD is a group of chronic conditions that include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease that cause inflammation in the digestive tract. While ulcerative colitis affects only the colon and rectum, Crohn’s disease affects any part of the digestive tract. As for the cause, doctors are not sure. However, you can treat IBD with medications and lifestyle changes. It reduces symptoms and improves overall health.
- Liver disease
The liver plays a critical role in breaking down and processing food & waste products. So, liver diseases such as Hepatitis, Cirrhosis, NAFLD, and Hemochromatosis lead to the build-up of toxins in the blood. It eventually scars your liver, impacting the digestive system. In extreme cases, if the liver is no longer able to function, a transplant may be needed. In this surgical procedure, your damaged liver is removed and replaced with a healthy liver from a donor at the best liver hospital in Chennai
Digestive disorders are common and impact the quality of your life. While many can be cured easily, some, like end-stage liver disease, may need liver transplant surgery that’s complex and expensive. With the best liver transplant surgeon in Chennai, you can ensure your new liver is placed, connected, and functioning properly.