You enjoy eating rich spicy food. An evening without pani puri or chaat is not your style. Meals are incomplete without 'tikhi' chutney and pickles. Then annoying burps appear that keep you up whole night! What should you do? Read on as we try to explain.
What we call in everyday parlance, indigestion or upset stomach, is clinically known as 'dyspepsia' which is derived from Greek language meaning 'bad digestion.' Dyspepsia or indigestion is a very common problem affecting more than 30% population of our country - why not, considering our gluttony for rich and spicy food! Pani puris, bhel, vada pav, chaat and samosas - we are all tempted by these street foods, despite being aware of the after-effects of the consumption of these foods. Remember that pain and belching after eating.
Let us understand what happens in dyspepsia.
Dyspepsia is medically described as discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen area. It is not categorized as a disease but a group of symptoms like burping, nausea and bloating. Our digestive system has a sensitive protective lining called 'mucosa'. Can you imagine when a strong acid comes into contact with a soft and delicate surface like mucosa what it can do? It burns the surface, disintegrating it into bits and pieces, causing irritation and inflammation - slowly and gradually. The thought of it sends quivers down the spine!
Dyspepsia is usually a lifestyle health problem linked to a person's eating and drinking habits. Sometimes, the cause may be bacterial infection with H. pylori or other digestive conditions like gastritis, peptic ulcers etc. Following are found to cause dyspepsia:
- Eating too much or too rapidly
- Consuming oily, fatty and spicy foods
- Drinking excessive tea, coffee or carbonated drinks (like colas)
- Stress and emotional distress
- Smoking
- Obesity
If indigestion has been bothering you, Credihealth recommends following lifestyle changes:
- Eat meals at regular intervals.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Avoid greasy and spicy foods.
- Avoid smoking and alcohol.
- Avoid wearing very tight clothing especially around waist. This puts excessive pressure on stomach.
- Don't sleep immediately after eating dinner. Keep a gap of at least 3 hours.
Mild indigestion is generally nothing much to worry about. However it is advisable to seek medical help if symptoms persist for more than 1-2 weeks or it is accompanied by vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, jaundice or sweating. Rarely, indigestion signals serious conditions like stomach cancer.
Next time when you see those mouth-watering street foods, try to control the temptation. It's alright once in a while but don't indulge too much!
Credihealth to the rescue! All leading hospitals in Delhi/NCR are associated with us. Book an online appointment with the gastroenterologist in Delhi! Credihealth is always happy to help!
image source: diverticulitisinfo
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