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Let’s Talk About Health Matters: Constipation: All In 4 Health Series

All In 4 Health: #Allin4health #health4all #minding your wellbeing #uncomfortabletopics By Dr T W Ngwenya Changamire Disorders in the digestive tract can lead to a lot of embarrassing symptoms. Symptoms may include belching or burping a lot, “growling” stomach, flatulence or passing flatus, recurrent constipation or recurring diarrhoea. Recurrent constipation may lead to peri-anal conditions like fissures and skin tag development in the area or piles. A simple change in your eating habits may be all that is needed to solve these problems but is some cases further investigation may be required to exclude serious underlying condition. Let’s explore these symptoms. We will touch on common conditions that lead to the symptoms discussed. Gastritis is a condition where there is inflammation or redness and swelling of the stomach lining. This results from an excessive acidic environment in the stomach. This acidic environment is caused by excessive intake of alcohol, smoking, spicy,oily food ingestion, and regular use of drugs called NSAIDS. NSAIDS include drugs like Brufen, Dispirin, Aspirin and Diclofenac which is also known as Athrexin or Voltaren.

All In 4 Health: #Allin4health #health4all #minding your wellbeing #uncomfortabletopics

By Dr T W Ngwenya Changamire

Disorders in the digestive tract can lead to a lot of embarrassing symptoms. Symptoms may include belching or burping a lot, “growling” stomach, flatulence or passing flatus, recurrent constipation or recurring diarrhoea. Recurrent constipation may lead to peri-anal conditions like fissures and skin tag development in the area or piles.

A simple change in your eating habits may be all that is needed to solve these problems but is some cases further investigation may be required to exclude serious underlying condition.

Let’s explore these symptoms. We will touch on common conditions that lead to the symptoms discussed.

Gastritis is a condition where there is inflammation or redness and swelling of the stomach lining. This results from an excessive acidic environment in the stomach. This acidic environment is caused by excessive intake of alcohol, smoking, spicy,oily food ingestion, and regular use of drugs called NSAIDS.

NSAIDS include drugs like Brufen, Dispirin, Aspirin and Diclofenac which is also known as Athrexin or Voltaren. Gastritis symptoms include stomach pain, belching or burping, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, a feeling of burning sensation in the chest and sometimes loss of appetite which may result in unintentional weight loss.

Excess acid results in excess gas production.

 

 

This occurs as the body tries to neutralise the acid. Gas in the stomach gives of pain. Gas can only be released from the body in two ways.

Either through the mouth by burping or through the anus by passing flatus. So if you find yourself burping or passing flatus a lot, review your lifestyle habits, review the over the counter medications you have been taking and also review your diet. You might find that this may solve the symptoms.

 

 

Gastritis may also be caused by a bacterial infection. H. pylori is a bacterium that creates an acidic environment in the stomach. This is how the bacteria survives in the stomach. It survives by creating an acidic environment.

If left untreated, H pylori infections leads to Gastritis and it may also lead to Peptic ulcer disease. H. Pylori infection can be detected by conducting breadth tests, blood tests, stool sample analysis or taking samples from the stomach contents, a procedure known as Upper Gastroscopy. Gastritis is treatable. Treatment of gastritis involves cutting out smoking, reducing alcohol intake, cutting out spicy foods and stopping NSAID use.

If symptoms resolve, there is no need for further intervention. Symptoms that persist will need further investigation and treatment. This entails conducting tests for H. Pylori infection and treating it with the appropriate antibiotics.

 

Gastritis caused by H. Pylori infection may lead to growths in stomach lining called gastric polyps and which may increase your chance of developing cancer in the stomach.

Danger signs include vomiting blood, unintentional weight loss and Anaemia. It is important to visit a Doctor once these symptoms occur.

Constipation is a condition that causes a lot of discomfort. It is associated with a lot of pain. Constipation is a condition whereby a person experiences difficulties in passing stool and they pass stool less than 3 times a week in moderate situations or once a week in severe situation.

The stool is usually hard and lumpy. In some cases, one may feel as if they have not evacuated the rectum fully and may have to resort to using their finger to remove the stool.

Other symptoms include having to straining to have a bowel movement, abdominal cramps and flatulence. Constipation is in most cases corrected by a change in diet. A diet that prevents constipation development is a diet that is rich in fibre.

 

 

These foods include vegetables, fruits, whole-grain cereal and beans. Reducing the amount of processed or refined foods also helps. This also includes reducing the amount of fast foods ingested. A high water intake is also encouraged.

Inactivity may lead to constipation so you are also encouraged to introduce physical activity. This type of diet can assist in resolving and in the prevention of occasional constipation.

Keeping in stool for a long time may also lead to constipation. So once you feel like evacuating the bowel, make sure to go.
Constipation that does not resolve after diet modification needs to be investigated to exclude any obstructing pathology along the digestive tract.

This is referred to as chronic constipation. The doctor will also check background medical history and associated symptoms.

This is because chronic constipation is common in people suffering from diabetes, hypothyroidism and in pregnant women. Chronic constipation may also occur in people with neurological conditions like strokes and spinal injury. It may also affect those suffering from Depression or Eating disorders.

Certain drugs as well may cause constipation so it is important to visit the Doctor if you’re suffering from chronic constipation.

 

 

Chronic constipation can lead to swollen veins in your anus (piles) because of the straining. You may also develop a fissure or cut around the anus which may bleed. Rectal prolapse may also develop. Rectal prolapse is when the intestine protrudes from the anus, this also results from the straining.

Intermittent diarrhoeal episodes could be related to irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption or chronic bowel infections.

These will be discussed at a later stage.

Remember that most Abdominal symptoms are related to poor dietary choices. Symptoms that persist or symptoms associated with danger signs need to be investigated.

Danger signs include unintentional weight loss, a sensation of food getting stuck on swallowing, chronic constipation, vomiting blood or bleeding per rectal, mucus discharge per rectum and anaemia.

Contact All In 4 Health – Dr TW Ngwenya Changamire – for General Medical Consultation, Health Screening, Medical Check-up, Health Education and Promotion. The Glen Marais Shopping Centre, 57 Veld Street, Glen Marais, Kempton park 1619

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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