Consult Doctor Luis Carlos Sabbagh Regarding any kind of Gastroenterology Problem . Click here to know more here

1. How to deal with stomach pain, ulcers, reflux, constipation, Crohn’s
disease? By Doctor Luis Carlos Sabbagh
There's something about digestive difficulties that makes them hard to discuss in polite
company—which leaves many of us suffering one problem or another in silence. What's more,
digestive disorders are placing a "growing burden" on Americans, causing an unprecedented
number of clinic visits and hospitalizations, says Stephen Bickston, an American
Gastroenterological Association fellow and professor of internal medicine at Virginia
Commonwealth University. Yet fixes can be as simple as making informed lifestyle changes or
taking over-the-counter remedies. Peppermint oil and soluble fiber, for example, can help
people with irritable bowel syndrome; a 2008 British Medical Journal study suggests that both
should be first-line therapies for IBS.
Here's a rundown of the latest medical wisdom on eight common gastrointestinal problems.
Reflux
Symptoms of reflux, such as heartburn, are among the most common digestive ills. In a
Swedish study, 6 percent of people reported experiencing reflux symptoms daily and 14 percent
had them at least weekly. Such frequent symptoms may indicate a person has GERD, or
gastroesophageal reflux disease. Aside from being painful, GERD can harm the esophagus over
time or even lead to esophageal cancer.
Heartburn typically involves a "hot or burning feeling rising up from the center of the abdomen
area and into the chest under the breastbone or sternum," says Michael Gold,
a gastroenterologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. "It may be
accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth, or hypersalivation, or even finding food or fluid in
your mouth," particularly at night. Pregnancy, some medications, and consuming alcohol or
certain foods can cause heartburn. Kids under age 12 and some adults may have GERD without
heartburn, instead experiencing asthma-like symptoms, trouble swallowing, or a dry cough.
Treatment options include drugs that reduce acid levels, such as the proton pump inhibitors
Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, and Protonix and the H2 blockers Axid, Pepcid, Tagamet,
and Zantac. But taking medication is not without risk. In 2008, a study found that a proton
pump inhibitor may weaken the heart-protective effect of the blood thinner Plavix in patients
taking both medications.
In severe cases of GERD, surgeons can tighten a loose muscle between the stomach and
esophagus to inhibit the upward flow of acid. Laparoscopic surgery, which involves small
incisions, has been found to lessen scarring and shorten recovery time compared with open
procedures.

2. Peptic Ulcers
If you have unexplained stomach pain, consider this before reaching for a painkiller: "The worst
thing to do if ulcers are suspected is to take aspirin or other NSAID [non steroidal antiinflammatory drug] pain reducers," Gold says. "They worsen it and don't help."
Instead, if you think you have a peptic ulcer—and 25 million living Americans will get one at
some point—consider getting tested for Helicobacter pylori, experts advise. By disrupting a
protective layer of mucus, that bacterium causes ulcers, which are sores in the lining of the
stomach or first stretch of the small intestine. Other causes include smoking, which can elevate
stomach acidity, and excessive NSAID use. Alcohol use may also be a factor, but it's unclear
whether that alone can cause ulcers. (The old theory blaming factors like stress isn't totally
wrong: Stress can aggravate symptoms of peptic ulcers and delay healing.)
Left untreated, ulcers can cause internal bleeding and may eat a hole in the small intestine or
stomach wall, which can lead to serious infection. Ulcer scar tissue can also block the digestive
tract. And long-term H. pylori infection has been linked to an increased risk of gastric cancer.
Ten to 14 days of antibiotic treatment, often combined with acid reduction therapy, can rid
someone of H. Pylori. Surgery is an option for more severe cases. A 2008 study published in
the World Journal of Surgery concluded that laparoscopic repair should be considered for all
patients with so-called perforated ulcers.
Consult Doctor Luis Carlos Sabbagh Regarding any kind of Gastroenterology Problem .