Self-medication not a solution for acidity problems: Doctors

Eating at irregular intervels, lifestyle changes and the lack of exercise are among factors for the occurrence of acidity in people today. 

According to gastroenterologists practising in Tamil Nadu, nearly 68 per ent of the patients they treat for various digestive disorders complain of acidity – which is higher than the burden that was seen four years ago. 

Even though so many suffer from this lifetime disease, doctors state that people tend to wait until the episodes of acidity begin to occur with regular frequency, before finding it imperative to consult a specialist, by which time, the underlying disease would have started causing serious damage. “Paradoxically, these patients experiment with self-medication through various remedies including changes in diet and consumption of Over-The-Counter medicines for some time before seeking appropriate medical help,” said Dr Prem Kumar, Assistant Professor, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

“Acidity is very common among people, especially among the younger generation, because of the number of hours they sit with no exercise and irregular food habits. Understanding the symptoms and making amendments accordingly is the need of the hour,” he added. 

Medicines only offer temporary relief: Stating that medicines cannot offer a permanent solution, Dr Usha Srinivas, Senior Consultant at Apollo Hospital, said, “Acidity is a lifetime disease which requires serious changes in one’s lifestyle habits to keep it at bay. It is essential to exercise often and to follow a regular food pattern. Stale foods can also cause acidity, which must be avoided.”

“Every individual is in a race against time. As sitting down to finish a whole meal consumes too much time, we tend to stuff ourselves with some junk in the middle of our hurried schedule and then when we are faced with acidity, we depend on pills to solve the problem. Consuming medicines for every ailment does not offer any solution,” said P Simon, a health expert. Stating that the symptoms include reduced appetite, chronic stomach pain, burning sensation, the feeling of being bloated, pain in the upper part of the abdomen and heart burn, Dr Kumar said that it is better to go in for early diagnosis and refrain from self-medication tendencies. “Often, when people feel bloated, they seek immediate and temporary relief. They go to a chemists’ shop and purchase medicines without a prescription,” he added.

With acidity being caused due to various factors, doctors urge for proper analysis before consuming medicines. “Though self-medication is not exactly wrong, it is essential to be aware of one’s history to understand what medicines one can take. If an older person identifies the symptoms, taking medicines without consulting a doctor could turn futile as he may be in the initial stage of having malignancy,” said Dr Ramakrishnan, gastroenterologist, SIMS Hospital.   

Make amendments to lifestyle habits: Doctors say that lifestyle changes in the form of food habits, proper food timings, a better food pattern, and staying away from the consumption of alcohol and tobacco is the need of the hour. “Lifestyle modification plays a very important role. Nobody sticks to a proper diet or time. Many tend to skip breakfast and end up eating junk. Most importantly, one must chew food his properly. Only then will the process of digestion be complete,” stated Dr Usha. 

“With the rise in the consumption of fast food, aerated drinks and alcohol, smoking, problems like acidity are bound to arise. Avoiding unhealthy food is essential. One must also realise the importance of consuming whole grains,” said Bhuvaneshwari, dietician.