|
|
Functional gastrointestinal disorders are divided into two types based on their symptoms.
First, pain is the main symptom. Pain in the upper abdomen or burning in the stomach as if sprinkled with chili powder are among these symptoms.
Second, discomfort is the main symptom. Flatulence quickly as opposed to being sick or feeling excessive bloating after eating are part of this group of symptoms.
As such, the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders varies depending on whether pain is the main symptom or discomfort after eating. In some cases, both symptoms may occur together.
Functional gastrointestinal disorders can easily be confused with other disorders until they are fully tested, as they present almost all of the symptoms that can occur in digestive disorders. In particular, symptoms such as burning teeth or acid reflux can be difficult to distinguish from gastric ulcers or acid reflux.
In addition, functional gastrointestinal disorders are sometimes diagnosed as gastritis through endoscopic findings. However, our stomach secretes acid on a daily basis, so it is common for the surface to be inflamed to some extent. Unless it's acute gastritis, this chronic gastritis doesn't cause any specific digestive symptoms. I just use the word gastritis to easily explain the symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders to patients.
The mechanism by which functional gastrointestinal disorders occur is not yet clearly understood. However, a combination of factors such as acid reflux, inflammation of the digestive tract, and oversensitivity of internal organs are thought to be the cause.
In particular, functional gastrointestinal disorders are strongly correlated with stress. Because the gut and brain of the human body are closely linked, people who are stressed or anxious tend to have a worsening of functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Since functional gastrointestinal disorders do not have a specific organic disease, the primary treatment focuses on symptom relief.
The first thing I would recommend is to take care of your diet. The symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders are usually aggravated by diet. Practice small and frequent news habits and avoid stimulating foods, alcohol, tobacco, coffee, aspirin, and anti-inflammatory medications if possible.
In particular, some patients may react to certain foods and trigger symptoms. In this case, it is also necessary to keep a food diary to find out what foods in particular make the symptoms worse.
I also put a lot of emphasis on reducing stress, as it may be linked to mental problems.
If these methods do not improve the symptoms, medication may be used
Drug treatment for functional gastrointestinal disorders is first targeted at Helicobacter bacteria. Treatment of Helicobacter bacteria does not guarantee that functional gastrointestinal disorders will be cured, but in fact, about 1 in 10 patients will improve their symptoms with Helicobacter treatment.
However, if Helicobacter treatment does not improve functional gastrointestinal disorders, the next step is to administer symptomatic medication.
First, for the group of patients whose main symptom is postprandial discomfort, the first stage of treatment is to use a stimulant that helps with gastric movements. The hypothesis is that since the symptoms are full and sore, stimulating the above exercises will reduce the feeling of fullness. In fact, it is known that this treatment can improve a significant number of symptoms.
However, if the symptoms do not improve with the first stage of treatment, the second stage of treatment may prescribe medications to lengthen the gastric arche*. As the stomach expands, it has more room to receive food, which can also reduce discomfort.
*Vault: The area close to the ceiling.
Second, for the group of patients whose main symptom is pain, drugs that suppress stomach acid are used as the first stage of treatment. PPIs, which are commonly prescribed, are available in a variety of commercially available drugs and are highly effective in treating them.
If the first stage of treatment does not improve your symptoms, the second stage of treatment will curiously prescribe antidepressant medication. I explained that the gut and brain of the human body are closely related to the cause of functional gastrointestinal disorders. In fact, if you use antidepressant medication to calm your brain stress or an overactive gut, you may be able to improve the symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders. However, the medication prescribed by a gastroenterologist is different from the psychiatric medication taken by general depressed patients, so you should not worry too much.
Q. Is it possible to differentiate between pancreatic cancer and functional gastrointestinal disorders?
As with functional gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatic cancer can also cause symptoms such as bloating or bloating. However, since there are many diseases that present with these symptoms, it is difficult to suspect pancreatic cancer simply by having a bloated stomach or bloating. In the end, the most important part is the medical examination and examination by a specialist.
However, in the general population, we can tell you how to differentiate between pancreatic cancer and functional gastrointestinal disorders, you can think about the duration of the onset of symptoms. If you have had symptoms for more than 5~10 years, the possibility of cancer or other organic diseases is significantly lower.
Q. Can acid reflux progress to Barrett's esophagus* or stomach cancer?
It is true that if acid reflux persists for a long time, there is a risk of developing Barrett's esophagus or stomach cancer. However, most of these analyses were based on studies of Westerners. According to a study of patients in Korea and Asia, there is a significant difference in the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus or cancer caused by acid reflux between Korea and the West, so there is no need to worry too much.
*Barrett's esophagus: The normal squamous epithelial cells of the esophagus are replaced by columnar epithelial cells.
Q. Are there any medications that are bad for the stomach?
Aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs used for cardiovascular disease usually do not work very well on the gastric mucosa. In severe cases, it can cause stomach ulcers and cause significant problems not only in the stomach but also in the small intestine.
Q. Can coffee cause gastritis?
Coffee does not cause gastritis. The foods that cause gastritis are usually spicy or salty foods that irritate stomach acid.
Comments (0)
There are no comments for this article. Be the first one to leave a message!