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Digestive disorder treatment. Digestive problems: causes, symptoms and treatment

With normal functioning of the digestive system, a healthy adult takes food 3 to 5 times during the day. It is fully digested and absorbed with the complete breakdown of its nutrients into molecules with further distribution throughout the body, conversion into energy and a resource that ensures the activity of the whole organism. If the food consumed is poorly digested, then the person begins to experience heaviness in the stomach, dyspepsia develops with signs of nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea. The most common cause of this pathological condition is a lack of digestive enzymes that are secreted by pancreatic tissue. The presence of other factors and secondary diseases that disrupt the stable digestion of food cannot be ruled out.

All symptoms of reduced activity of the gastrointestinal tract organs in terms of processing consumed food are felt directly by the patient himself and can be observed by loved ones who are in his environment.

Signs that the cooking process is not going well are as follows.

Unusual severity

Immediately after lunch, breakfast or dinner, severe heaviness occurs in the stomach cavity. It seems as if a stone was placed inside the stomach. At the same time, the person has the feeling that the stomach has completely stopped and temporarily stopped its functional activity.

Lack of appetite

In the morning, a person feels that his stomach is empty and the urge to eat is really present. As soon as he has had breakfast, heaviness is followed by complete apathy towards food. Appetite disappears until the evening and quite often people suffering from insufficiently good digestion go to bed with the same feeling of pathological fullness as in the morning when the dish was just eaten. The desire to eat returns again only the next day.

Nausea and vomiting

Throughout the day, the patient experiences stomach cramps, which sometimes intensify, then the condition stabilizes and for a while it seems that the disease has subsided. In some cases, the digestive system cannot cope with the load and all the food that was eaten the day before comes back in the form of vomit. At the same time, the feeling of hunger is completely absent.

Diarrhea

Almost immediately, when the process of food digestion stops, the gastrointestinal tract begins an urgent evacuation of those food debris that are located in different parts of the intestine. In addition to vomiting, loosening of the stool is also used. In this regard, the patient develops liquid diarrhea, which can have a one-time manifestation or occur 3-5 times a day.

In especially severe cases, watery stools appear every 2-3 hours after the next meal.

Weakness and dizziness

Due to dehydration of the body due to diarrhea, as well as the lack of sufficient amounts of nutrients in the form of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as the main component of energy metabolism in the body, the process of gradual depletion of cells of all human tissues and organs begins. Therefore, blood pressure decreases, loss of strength and physical weakness occur, bordering on a state of drowsiness.

Pain inside the abdomen

A persistent pain syndrome appears in the area where the stomach and intestines are located, which intensifies as the patient’s general well-being worsens. If the reason for poor digestion of food is a lack of digestive enzymes, then acute pain appears in the left hypochondrium, where the pancreas is located.

Temperature increase

Disturbances in the digestive system are always stressful for the whole body. With prolonged dysfunction, the intestinal mucosa begins to become inflamed, the balance of beneficial and pathogenic microflora is disrupted, which can cause a slight increase in body temperature to a level of 37.1 - 37.6 degrees Celsius.

In some cases, the pathological condition intensifies in patients when meat, animal fats, legumes, butter, and bacon appear in their diet.

This is explained by the fact that the gastrointestinal tract needs to spend much more effort, energy and enzymes on these types of products in order to ensure not only their digestion, but also high-quality absorption. Therefore, during the period of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to limit yourself in taking products of this type.

Why food is poorly digested in an adult, the causes of the disease

  • There are a large number of factors, the presence of which negatively affects the performance of the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder and other vital organs. Despite this, the following reasons for poor cooking of food are identified, which are most often found in medical practice:
  • alcohol abuse, smoking and taking drugs (all these harmful addictions cause intoxication of the body of varying severity, which inevitably leads to the accumulation of poisons in the liver and the development of dyspeptic manifestations);
  • overeating and improperly organized diet (eating foods with low biological benefits, saturating the menu with fatty, smoked, pickled, spicy dishes, leads to gastrointestinal upset);
  • inflammatory processes in the tissues of the pancreas (this pathological condition of this organ is fraught with the fact that it ceases to synthesize the required volume of digestive enzymes that ensure stable and high-quality digestion of food);
  • hormonal imbalance with a decrease in secretions responsible for the tone of muscle fibers that ensure the functioning of the abdominal organs;
  • chronic cholecystitis (a disease that affects the gallbladder when an insufficient amount of bile comes from its cavity and all the fats consumed during meals are not digested, which causes an emergency stop of the stomach, or a significantly reduced activity);
  • oncological processes in the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract (a cancerous tumor completely destroys all layers of the epithelium in the area of ​​its localization, so poor digestion of food can also occur for this reason);
  • entry into the gastrointestinal tract of severe strains of bacterial, viral and fungal infections that provoke an acute inflammatory process and prolonged indigestion;
  • recently undergone surgical intervention on the abdominal organs, after restoration of which the patient’s appetite returns again, and the digestion process returns to normal.

Also, quite often, this kind of problem with digesting food develops against the background of gastritis, peptic ulcers, erosion of the mucous membrane of the duodenum, viral liver damage (various strains of hepatitis), and intestinal obstruction.

Treatment - what to do if the stomach does not digest food?

If you notice symptoms indicating a lack of digestive cycle, you should immediately make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. It is quite possible that due to a prompt examination and prescribed therapy, it will be possible to avoid a large number of complications and quickly get rid of secondary ailments that cause poor functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

The most commonly used therapeutic methods are aimed at restoring stable digestion of food:

  • preparations containing artificial digestive enzymes that compensate for the lack of secretions produced by the pancreas;
  • antibacterial and antiviral agents, if the cause of the pathological condition of the gastrointestinal tract is due to the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into the body;
  • sorbents that ensure the absorption of toxic substances with their further evacuation outside the body in order to facilitate the functioning of the liver and kidneys;
  • antispasmodics (used to relieve attacks of nausea and vomiting if all food has already been removed from the digestive system, and stomach spasms continue to bother the person);
  • tablets and intramuscular injections containing synthetic hormones when there is an imbalance of these substances in the patient’s body;
  • cleansing enemas and laxatives, when poor digestion of food is caused by fecal blockages and the patient suffers from constipation for a long period of time;
  • chemotherapeutic agents for a certain category of patients whose examination results revealed the presence of foreign neoplasms of a malignant nature in their body;
  • drugs intended to cleanse liver tissue (these are special medications that relieve the workload of this digestive organ, increasing its activity in the absorption of fats).

Depending on the presence of certain symptoms and concomitant diseases in the patient, it is possible that the attending gastroenterologist will decide to include other categories of medications in the therapeutic course. The type of drug, its dosage and duration of administration are selected individually for the characteristics and specifics of the functioning of the digestive system of each patient individually.

Digestion is one of the main life processes. It ensures the supply of nutrients necessary for the functioning of the body. A digestive disorder is a condition in which a malfunction occurs, expressed in the appearance of pain, discomfort in the stomach, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or other unfavorable symptoms.

Functional digestive disorder

Stomach problems are a common problem. Its improper operation has a bad effect on a person’s well-being, health, and immunity. Functional digestive disorder is a failure in the secretory or motor function of the stomach. In this case, the patient may feel sharp severe pain in the abdomen, discomfort, nausea, and vomiting. Incomplete digestion of food is usually accompanied by bowel dysfunction. However, the structures of the mucous membranes of the digestive organs are not affected, remaining unchanged.

The diagnosis is made through interviewing the patient, collecting anamnesis, and testing. In special cases, more complex examination methods are prescribed.

Acute digestive disorder

Acute digestive disorder, called dyspepsia, is not an independent disease. This designation hides a set of symptoms. Signs of dyspepsia differ depending on the causes of the disorder.

Usually, the malaise begins suddenly and is accompanied by a rapid deterioration in the patient’s well-being. He may experience severe nausea, repeated vomiting, pain and discomfort in the abdomen, and diarrhea. If left untreated, a large amount of fluid may be lost, which leads to the development of dehydration, which aggravates the patient's condition. This condition is especially dangerous in young children, the elderly and pregnant women.

Chronic disorder

Often people suffering from chronic indigestion do not seek medical help. This phenomenon may be a consequence of functional disturbances in the process of food digestion, arising from errors in diet and nutrition, or develop against the background of diseases of the gastrointestinal system: pancreatitis, ulcers, gastritis. There may be psycho-emotional reasons for the development of indigestion.

Causes of problems with digestion of food

Infants are most susceptible to digestive disorders. This is due to insufficient development of the organs of the gastrointestinal system and its sensitivity to new products. If treated incorrectly, infants develop pathologies of the digestive system.

Incorrect introduction of complementary foods can also lead to problems with food digestion: complementary feeding too early, mixing several new foods in one go, combining meat complementary foods with fruit ones.

Another cause of stomach upset in children is infections, especially rotavirus. When ingested, they lead to severe intoxication with diarrhea. The child develops frequent loose stools, abdominal pain, and a rise in temperature.

Poor absorption of nutrients is also associated with insufficient hygiene, poor quality food, and dysbacteriosis.

Symptoms in children and adults

Digestive disorders usually develop after an inflammatory process that disrupts the proper functioning of internal organs. The condition can appear very quickly, especially in children. Symptoms of the pathology appear several hours after exposure to the provoking factor.

The child exhibits the following signs:

  1. Unpleasant sensations, pain localized in the epigastric region or spreading throughout the abdomen. The severity of pain may vary, intensifying after feeding. Children often develop colic.
  2. Nausea, vomiting . The child feels nauseous and may vomit repeatedly, after which he feels temporary relief.
  3. Diarrhea. The baby has frequent, loose stools that have a strong, unpleasant odor. The remains of poorly digested food are noticeable in the stool. Profuse diarrhea combined with repeated vomiting leads to fluid loss, which causes poor health and weakness (dehydration of the body).
  4. Lethargy, malaise. Appetite and sleep are often disturbed. Infants refuse to breastfeed, cry a lot, and are capricious.
  5. Fever. This symptom usually accompanies viral infections. A rise in temperature leads to fever, chills, and increased thirst.

In adults, indigestion manifests itself with similar symptoms:

  • belching;
  • heaviness, aching pain in the abdomen;
  • heartburn;
  • nausea followed by vomiting;
  • diarrhea or constipation;
  • pale skin.

Patients often complain of dizziness, swelling, irritability, and headaches. Dysbiosis is possible, signs of flatulence appear. With colitis - colic. Constipation occurs from poor diet, hemorrhoids or anal fissures.

Treatment of digestive disorders

When the first signs of digestive problems appear, the child should be shown to a pediatrician. After all, the causes of indigestion can be serious diseases that require prompt treatment. Adult patients will need a doctor if digestive problems are caused by pathology. He will make an accurate diagnosis, select medications for the treatment of the painful condition, and determine the need for hospital treatment.

Proper diet plays an important role in treating indigestion. It should be built on the following principles:

  1. Frequent meals, about 5-6 times a day.
  2. Reduce calorie content; you can consume no more than 2000 kcal per day.
  3. Reduce salt intake to 10 g per day.
  4. Control of drinking regime, the patient should drink at least one and a half liters.
  5. Proper processing of foods (if you have an upset stomach, only boiled and steamed foods are allowed).
  6. The consistency of the food is shown (the patient is given liquid or semi-liquid food).

On the first day of illness, it is advisable to completely give up food; already on the second day, you can introduce liquid porridge or pureed soup into the menu.

Authorized products include:

  1. Soups. They are cooked in vegetable or diluted meat broth. You can add rice or semolina to the dish. Along with the soup, you can eat some crackers or a small piece of wheat bread.
  2. Ground porridge in water, rice, buckwheat, and oatmeal are best.
  3. The meat should be lean, turned in a meat grinder or chopped. You can cook cutlets or steamed meatballs from rabbit, veal or chicken by removing the skin.
  4. Steam omelette.
  5. Fresh cottage cheese soufflé.
  6. Fresh fruit and berry fruit drinks and jelly (sugar is added in limited quantities).

Drinks for patients with indigestion are allowed:

  • mineral water;
  • green or black tea;
  • rosehip decoction;
  • currant tea;
  • blueberry jelly;
  • natural cocoa without milk.

During the treatment and recovery period, the following dishes are prohibited:

  1. Soups, in the preparation of which pasta, vegetables, cereals, and fatty broths were used.
  2. Vegetables in any form, especially legumes.
  3. Milk soups.
  4. Dried fruits.
  5. Dairy.
  6. Fried/boiled eggs.
  7. Spices, sauces.
  8. Canned food.
  9. Salty fish.
  10. Sweets.

Medicines that improve the digestion process

For stomach disorders, three types of drugs are used (depending on the active substance):

  1. From pancreatin. This substance belongs to enzymes that improve upset digestion.
  2. Medicines that contain other substances along with pancreatin (for example, cellulose or bile acids). They optimize the activity of the gastrointestinal system, increasing the production of enzymes necessary for this.
  3. Agents that restore pancreatic function.

Drugs that improve digestion include:

  1. Pancreatin. Affordable price, fast action. It is used for overeating, insufficient functioning of the pancreas, problems with the liver, stomach, and intestines.
  2. Creon. Available in capsules, it contains pancreatin. Prescribed for chronic pancreatitis, tumors of the stomach and pancreas, alcohol abuse, overeating.
  3. Mezim. Contains pancreatin, protease, lipase, which improve the process of digestion and metabolism.
  4. Festal. Enzymatic tablets have a pronounced effect and rapid action. Take the medicine for flatulence, diarrhea, deficiency of enzymes secreted by the pancreas. Festal is indicated when overdoing it with salty, spicy or fatty foods.
  5. Enzistal. Helps with flatulence, pancreatic problems, and chewing dysfunction.
  6. Somilaza. The medicine has a beneficial effect on the entire digestive system. Prescribed for gastritis, pancreatitis, pathologies of the liver and gallbladder, in the postoperative period.

Drug treatment of nausea and diarrhea

Vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea can be symptoms of diseases that pose a danger to the health of children and adults. Such diseases include: pathologies of the nervous and digestive systems, meningitis, intestinal infections, ingestion of foreign objects. Therefore, it is advisable to consult a doctor regarding drug therapy;

  • antacids and hydrochloric acid blockers: Losek, Alugastrin, Gestil.

    • Adults are usually prescribed tablets of the same groups in increased dosages.

    Features of children's treatment

    When treating children for digestive disorders, you cannot independently determine treatment methods and use traditional methods without the consent of a specialist. There can be many reasons for the appearance of symptoms of the disease, so it is necessary to seek medical help for diagnosis.

    Proper nutrition of the child and adjusting his diet play an important role. Highly allergenic foods are removed from the baby's menu. The child should not overfeed, so split meals are prescribed - from 5 times a day, in small portions.

    During the recovery period, you need to give up all harmful foods: fried and fatty foods, smoked foods, pickles, sweets, canned food.

    Folk remedies that promote digestion

    To improve bowel function, you can take baths with linden blossom. They help soothe pain by reducing discomfort. The procedure is indicated even for infants. To prepare a bath, you need to brew nine large spoons of linden flowers in a liter of boiling water, leaving for an hour to infuse. Then pour the resulting infusion into a warm bath of water. The duration of the procedure can be up to a quarter of an hour.

    For the treatment of adults, you can use an infusion of elecampane. A small spoonful of plant roots is poured with a glass of boiling water. Infusion duration is 6-8 hours. Then filter and drink, dividing into three doses. Treatment should not last more than 15 days.

    A decoction of blackberry roots also helps. For this, the rhizomes of the plant are crushed and filled with water at the rate of 10 g per 0.5 liter. The mixture is put on fire and boiled until it evaporates by half. Pour an equal amount of red wine into the resulting decoction and drink a large spoonful every 3-4 hours.

    Child prevention measures

    To prevent stomach upset in a child, you need to:

    1. Monitor the baby’s diet and diet, the quality and freshness of products.
    2. Correctly introduce complementary foods.
    3. Observe the rules of personal hygiene, regularly wash your hands and objects with which the little one comes into contact.
    4. Do not give your child several new foods at one feeding.
    5. Visit your doctor promptly when seeking medical help.

    After eating food, complex mechanical and chemical processes are launched in our body, which we used to call digestion. Any violation of it negatively affects a person’s condition and reduces the quality of his life, causing a lot of painful inconvenience. What are the main causes of indigestion and the main methods of treating it.

    Digestion is a complex mechanism for processing food entering the body, which is aimed at the body’s absorption of nutrients and the removal of remnants of undigested components and decay products. Even a small failure in this process gives us a lot of unpleasant problems, which is not surprising, because digestion is the initial stage of a complex natural mechanism called metabolism. Food is a source of vital substances for the growth and proper functioning of the body: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. Since the cells of our body cannot assimilate them in their original form, this is precisely what is needed for the digestion process, which, by breaking down the listed components into the smallest soluble molecules, adapts them to our body’s acceptance.

    There are usually two large groups of digestive disorders. The first group includes disorders associated with digestive insufficiency syndrome (maldigestion), that is, disruption of the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates due to a lack of necessary enzymes (stomach juice, bile). Due to the dysfunction of enzymes, the process of breaking down nutrients stops.

    The second group includes disorders associated with the syndrome of impaired intestinal absorption (malabsorption). In this case, substances that were broken down during digestion cannot normally penetrate into the blood and lymph (as a rule, they come from the mucous membrane of the small intestine). The combination of breakdown and absorption is called malassimilation.

    Symptoms of the disorder.
    The most typical symptom of indigestion is chronic diarrhea. Such long-term disorders are caused by metabolic disorders (protein, fat, vitamin metabolism, etc.). In such cases, anemia, exhaustion, and muscle weakness may occur.

    In general, the symptoms of digestive disorders are different; their manifestation can occur either separately or in combination. Other signs of digestive disorders are:

    • stool retention (constipation);
    • bloating;
    • belching;
    • feeling of heaviness, discomfort in the lower abdomen or lower chest;
    • feeling of fullness in the stomach;
    • feeling of nausea, vomiting;
    • a feeling of discomfort, burning in the chest area or heartburn;
    • aching abdominal pain or colic;
    • swelling;
    • pallor;
    • night blindness;
    • increased susceptibility to bleeding.
    It should be noted that diarrhea (diarrhea) leads to dehydration. If the problem is chronic, you should immediately consult a specialist, as this may be a manifestation of a serious illness. You should be especially wary when chronic diarrhea is observed immediately after returning from abroad (for example, from vacation) or if you suspect consumption of low-quality or spoiled food.

    Digestive disorders can often result in headaches, as well as emotional and mental disorders (increased irritability).

    Treatment of indigestion.
    Treatment should be prescribed only after an accurate diagnosis of the cause of this disorder. It often happens that it is necessary to urgently eliminate the consequences of intense and prolonged diarrhea in the absence of an accurate diagnosis.

    The most common cause of digestive disorders is a not particularly dangerous infection of the digestive tract. Treatment in this case prescribes drinking plenty of clean drinking water, still mineral water, unsweetened tea, brine or any other salted liquid. At the same time, the patient is prohibited from eating solid food for two days. After this period, the introduction of oatmeal soup and crackers into the diet is allowed until intestinal functions are normalized.

    Digestive disorders are a very common occurrence among infants and small children. In this case, the child is also recommended to drink frequently in small portions, otherwise, due to diarrhea, dehydration may occur, which can threaten the baby’s life.

    In the process of diagnosing the disease, the doctor conducts a detailed examination of the stool to identify the cause of diarrhea. If an intestinal infection is suspected, bacteriological studies of stool analysis are prescribed to determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to antibiotics.

    If inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, ulcer or other serious diseases is suspected, intestinal examinations are performed using an endoscope. A long and thin device is lowered through the mouth and esophagus into the stomach. If there are affected or suspicious areas, the doctor takes a tissue sample from that area, which is then examined in the laboratory. This procedure is absolutely safe and painless. Slight discomfort and unpleasant sensations are all that the patient experiences during this procedure.

    Additional research may help identify many other diseases that cause problems with food digestion. It should be noted that not all diseases can be cured. In particular, for congenital gluten intolerance or celiac disease, treatment involves complete abstinence from eating certain foods. In this case, a special diet is the solution to the problem.

    If the cause of indigestion is stress or other mental disorders, the treatment includes, in addition to sedatives, non-directive therapy. Autogenic training also has a positive effect.

    Folk remedies for the treatment of indigestion:
    Pour a liter of boiling water into a jar with a mixture of two tablespoons of blackberry leaves and a tablespoon of calendula. Close the jar tightly with a lid, wrap it in a towel and leave to infuse for half an hour. After this, strain the infusion. Take 2/3 cup three times a day.

    Take a medium-sized celery root and chop it. You will need about three to four grams. Brew the crushed mass with boiling water (one liter), wrap it well and leave to infuse for eight hours. Then strain the liquid and take one teaspoon three times during the day.

    An infusion of cumin and marjoram will help significantly improve digestion (especially after evenings of feasting). To prepare it, you need to pour a tablespoon of a mixture of cumin seeds (ground) and marjoram into a liter of boiling water. The infusion should infuse for fifteen minutes, after which it should be drunk half a glass twice a day.

    To normalize metabolic processes, it is useful to take the following mixture: cut aloe leaves (375 g) (before cutting, do not water for five days) and chop them. Add 625 g of honey and 675 g of red wine to the resulting mass. Mix the mixture well. Use one teaspoon for five days, and then a tablespoon three times a day an hour before meals. The course of treatment can range from two weeks to one and a half months.

    To restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, you should take an infusion of elecampane. A teaspoon of a mixture of crushed roots and rhizomes of elecampane should be poured with a glass of boiled water at room temperature. Leave the mixture covered for eight hours. After this, strain the infusion and take 50 ml three to four times a day twenty minutes before meals. The course of treatment is two weeks.

    Infusions of mint, chamomile and wormwood help improve digestion.

    To normalize intestinal activity, relieve inflammation, and also eliminate pain, this herbal infusion will help: mix 15 g of fennel fruits and calamus rhizomes, add 20 g of valerian roots and the same amount of mint leaves, and another 30 g of chamomile. Take ten grams of the resulting mixture and brew with boiling water (200 ml), place in a water bath and simmer over low heat in a sealed container for fifteen minutes. After this, remove the broth, cool and strain. Bring the resulting volume of liquid to the initial volume (that is, 200 ml) and take 3/4 cup three times a day after meals after forty-five minutes. After two weeks of treatment, the pain will disappear.

    Baths with linden blossom effectively relieve intestinal spasms and intestinal colic: pour nine handfuls of linden blossom into a liter of boiling water, put on fire and let it boil. Then let the resulting broth brew for half an hour, and then add it to a bath with warm water. Take a bath for no more than fifteen minutes.

    Indigestion often does not occur on its own, but is a symptom of an underlying disease, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, or gallbladder disease.

    Indigestion, also called indigestion, is defined as persistent or intermittent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen.

    What are the symptoms of indigestion?

    Symptoms of indigestion:

      burning in the stomach or upper abdomen

      abdominal pain

      bloating (feeling full)

      belching and gas

      nausea and vomiting

      sour taste in mouth

      rumbling in the stomach

    These symptoms may worsen under stress.

    People often suffer from heartburn (a burning sensation in the chest) along with indigestion. But heartburn itself is another symptom that may indicate another problem.

    Who is at risk for digestive disorders?

    Digestive disorders affect people of any age and both sexes. This is an extremely common problem. The risk increases with excessive alcohol consumption, medications that irritate the stomach (such as aspirin), digestive tract abnormalities such as ulcers, and emotional disorders such as anxiety or depression.

    What are the causes of indigestion?

    There are many causes of indigestion, including:

    Diseases:

      (rare) Stomach cancer

      Gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach does not empty completely, this is common in diabetes)

      Gastrointestinal tract infections

      Irritable bowel syndrome

      Chronic pancreatitis

      Thyroid diseases

    Medications:

      Aspirin and many other painkillers

      Estrogen and oral contraceptives

      Steroid drugs

      Some antibiotics

      Drugs for the treatment of thyroid diseases

    Lifestyle:

      Overeating, eating too quickly, eating foods high in fat, or eating in stressful situations

      Drinking large amounts of alcohol

    • Tension and fatigue

    Indigestion is not caused by increased stomach acidity.

    Excessive swallowing of air while eating can cause belching and bloating, which often accompany indigestion.

    Sometimes there is a permanent digestive disorder that is not associated with any of these factors. This type of digestive disorder is called functional, or non-ulcer dyspepsia.

    Digestive disorders occur in many women in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. It is believed to be caused by many factors associated with pregnancy, including hormones that relax the muscles of the digestive tract and the pressure of the enlarging uterus on the stomach.

    How is indigestion diagnosed?

    If you experience symptoms of indigestion, contact your doctor to avoid worsening the condition. Because digestive problems are a long-term condition, it is important to provide your doctor with an accurate description of the discomfort you are experiencing. When describing your symptoms of indigestion, try to determine in which part of the abdomen the discomfort usually occurs. A simple report of stomach pain is not quite enough to help your doctor determine your problem and provide treatment.

    First, your doctor must identify the underlying condition. Your doctor may do some blood tests and also order x-rays of your stomach or small intestine. Your doctor may also use a machine to take a closer look at your stomach. This procedure is called upper endoscopy. This procedure uses an endoscope - a flexible tube equipped with a light source and a camera to transmit images from inside the body.

    What is the treatment for digestive disorders?

    Since indigestion is a symptom rather than a disease, treatment usually depends on the cause of the indigestion.

    Often, attacks of indigestion go away within a few hours without medical intervention. However, if you feel worse, you should consult your doctor. Here are some helpful tips to help relieve symptoms of indigestion:

    • Avoid chewing with your mouth open, talking while eating, or eating too quickly. Thus, you swallow too much air, which worsens indigestion.

      • Drink after, not during, meals.

      Avoid eating at night

      Try to relax after eating.

      Avoid spicy foods.

      Quit smoking.

      Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

    If you follow these rules and your digestive problems persist, your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve your symptoms.

    Among somatoform disorders - organ neuroses, the development of which is provoked by psychological, social factors and minor somatic defects, a large proportion is occupied by various dysfunctions of the digestive tract. A typical symptom of organ neuroses is the algic component - pain that occurs in the structural parts of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, an attack of pain is always accompanied by difficult-to-tolerate vegetative symptoms and is combined with pronounced disturbances in the psycho-emotional state of a person.

    These disorders are classified depending on the location of pain attacks into three conditions:

    • irritable esophagus syndrome;
    • irritable stomach syndrome;
    • irritable bowel syndrome.

    To choose the right treatment strategy for suspected somatoform disorders, the patient should be examined by a gastroenterologist and consult a psychotherapist. Since all types of organ neuroses are characterized by a long-term chronic course, to completely eliminate unpleasant symptoms, persistent and consistent treatment and rehabilitation work is required, implying a complete correction of lifestyle and changes in diet.

    Causes of gastrointestinal dysfunction

    When examining patients suffering from somatoform disorders, significant anatomical defects or inflammatory diseases that could become a source of pain attacks are not detected. From a scientific point of view, the parts of the digestive system are practically healthy. No harmful microbes, fungi or viruses are found in the digestive tract. There are no signs of benign or malignant neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract.

    The reasons for the formation of dysfunctions in the digestive system are a combination of several factors:

    • the presence of a specific personal portrait of a person;
    • being in a state of chronic stress;
    • poor diet planning;
    • leading an unhealthy lifestyle;
    • presence of bad habits.

    Clinical studies confirm that people who have problems with the digestive system of psychogenic origin have many similar traits in their character profile. Almost all patients are timid, insecure, shy people. Their self-esteem is significantly reduced. They tend to be dependent and never take on leadership functions.

    Patients suffering from organ neuroses react very painfully to even minor changes in their reality.

    They rarely change jobs and work in the same team. They do not risk trying their hand at new fields and carry out standard professional duties year after year. They rarely rise through the ranks and do not reach special heights in their careers.

    However, such people are hardworking, responsible and disciplined employees. They try to complete tasks to the best of their ability and check the completed work repeatedly. Such subjects often take on the duties of other colleagues. They never engage in verbal debates because they are afraid to defend their point of view.

    Such excessive sacrifice leads to the fact that people regularly experience stress and are constantly in psycho-emotional tension. Instead of constructively transforming their negative feelings, they try not to think about their experiences, thereby driving the existing problem deeper. Dissatisfaction and unresolved internal conflict are externally expressed by signs of autonomic dysfunction and somatic disorders.

    Neglecting their own needs, ignoring their interests, and being busy with the affairs of others leads to the fact that such subjects eat irregularly and incorrectly.

    They do not care at all about the quality of the products they consume. Often people completely forget to have breakfast and lunch. This cannot affect the state of their digestive system.

    It should be noted that functional disorders are more pronounced in people during the period of hormonal changes in the body. Often, syndromes of dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract start during the months of pregnancy and immediately after childbirth. Organ neuroses often occur in adolescents during puberty. Many women begin to suffer from this problem during menopause.

    What is cognitive therapy and how does it work?

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    Symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction

    The leading symptom of organ neurosis is the occurrence of pain. Patients describe pain attacks in different terms: cutting, stabbing, squeezing, pressing pain. Pain syndrome occurs in a specific part: esophagus, stomach, intestines. A person may feel a feeling of pressure and burning in the abdominal cavity.

    Painful sensations can constantly overcome the subject, weakening in the morning and worsening in the evening. In other patients, painful sensations occur with a certain frequency or appear at a time of strong unrest. Any extreme situation significantly aggravates the severity of pain. A painful attack debilitates a person so much that he becomes unable to perform any activities.

    Characteristic symptoms of irritable esophagus syndrome include spasms in the upper gastrointestinal tract that occur when eating. When the nutrient mass enters the stomach, a person experiences nausea, which is relieved after repeated vomiting. He feels that his stomach is full, even if he has eaten a small amount of food. Against the background of such unpleasant sensations, the patient loses his appetite, he consciously tries to eat as little as possible. Very quickly, the refusal to eat is reflected externally: the patient’s body weight decreases. He feels weak and powerless.

    Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by a change in the frequency of bowel movements, both increasing and decreasing.

    The consistency of excrement changes. The patient often experiences an urgency to defecate. There is rumbling in the stomach and flatulence. The performed act does not bring the patient a feeling of relief.

    With all syndromes of dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient develops an irrational, uncontrollable obsessive fear. Most often, the object of their illogical anxiety is the panicky fear of getting cancer. A person suffering from organ neurosis believes that he has a difficult-to-diagnose cancer. Or he believes that doctors deliberately do not tell him such a terrible diagnosis.

    Syndromes of dysfunction of the digestive system are often accompanied by fear of eating. The patient deliberately refuses social activities because he will have to eat in public, at unknown times and with inappropriate foods. He excludes his presence in public places. The subject is afraid of embarrassing himself in front of the public, assuming that after eating he will definitely experience vomiting or flatulence. He tries not to go far from home, since the need for frequent bowel movements simply “ties” him to the toilet.

    Often such people have thoughts about the meaninglessness and futility of life. They are convinced that their problem is an impossible task. And since they simply cannot tolerate dependence on the condition of their organs, patients can seek a way out of the situation through suicide attempts. Their thoughts about suicide are also reinforced by the pain syndrome, which they perceive as unbearable, ongoing pain.

    It is precisely because organ neuroses interfere with the normal functioning of the individual and contribute to thoughts of suicide that it is extremely important to contact a medical institution at the first suspicion of the development of an anomaly. The earlier treatment of organ neuroses is started, the greater the likelihood of the fastest and most complete elimination of painful symptoms.

    Treatment of phobias in cognitive behavioral therapy

    Treatment of phobias: psychotrauma as a cause of phobias

    Treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunctions

    Drug treatment for digestive disorders is aimed at eliminating or minimizing symptoms that cause discomfort to patients. Pharmacological treatment has a symptomatic effect, eliminating pain and associated phenomena for a short period of time.

    The basis of therapy for somatoform disorders is a combination of psychotherapeutic techniques and hypnosis techniques.

    Psychotherapy allows a person to reduce anxiety, reduce pain intensity, and learn ways to respond differently to stressors. By conducting hypnosis sessions, it is possible to influence directly the source of a person’s suffering.

    Immersing the client in a hypnotic trance opens the gates to working with an unconscious layer of the psyche - the subconscious sphere. It is the subconscious that is the “information bank” where all the information about the upheavals and dramas that have taken place is stored.

    Since pain in somatoform disorders is psychogenic in nature, the elimination of the true cause of neurosis ensures the absence of pain in the future when coming into contact with previously frightening circumstances.

    As a result of hypnosis sessions, a person becomes the master of his destiny: he takes responsibility for what is happening and is able to create comfortable living conditions. Managing your thinking and controlling your emotions helps a person become a successful person.