March/April 2007
Page 8
Common Misconceptions About Digestive System Disorders
Researchers have only recently begun to understand the many often-complex disorders that affect the digestive system. Accordingly, people are gradually replacing folklore, old wives’ tales, and rumors about the causes and treatment of these disorders with accurate, up-to-date information. Misunderstandings still exist, and while some folklore is harmless, some can be dangerous if it keeps a person from correctly preventing or treating an illness. Listed below are common misconceptions rebutted by the facts as professionals understand them today.
Ulcers
Question: Spicy foods and stress cause stomach ulcers.
Answer: False!
The truth is that almost all ulcers are caused by infection with a bacterium call Helicobacter pylon (H. pylon) or by use of pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen, the so-called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Most H. pylon related ulcers could be cured with antibiotics. NSAID-induced ulcers can be cured with time, stomach-protective medications, antacids, and avoidance of NSAIDs. Spicy food and stress may aggravate ulcer symptoms in some people, but they do not cause ulcers.
Heartburn
Question: Smoking a cigarette helps relieve heartburn.
Answer: False!
Actually, cigarette smoking contributes to heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)—a muscle between the esophagus and the stomach—relaxes, allowing acidic contents of the stomach to splash back into the esophagus. Cigarette smoking causes the LES to relax.
Celiac Disease
Question: Celiac disease is a rare childhood disease.
Answer: False!
Celiac disease affects children and adults. More often, celiac disease causes symptoms during childhood—usually diarrhea, growth failure, and failure to thrive. But the disease can also first cause symptoms in adults. These symptoms may be vague and therefore often attributed to other conditions. Symptoms can include bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rash, and thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). People with celiac disease should not eat any foods containing gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and oats. In celiac disease patients, gluten destroys part of the lining of the small intestine, thereby interfering with the absorption of nutrients.
Bowel Regularity
Question: Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day.
Answer: False!
The frequency of bowel movements among normal, healthy people varies from three-a-day to three-a-week, and perfectly normal people may fall outside both ends of this range.
Constipation
Question: Habitual use of enemas to treat constipation is harmless.
Answer: False!
The truth is that habitual use of enemas is not harmless. Over time, enemas can impair the natural muscle action of the intestines, leaving them unable to function normally. An ongoing need for enemas is not normal. You should see a doctor if you find yourself relying on them or any other medication to have a bowel movement.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Question: Irritable bowel syndrome is a disease.
Answer: False!
It is not a disease. It is a functional disorder, which means there is a problem in how the muscles in the intestine work. It is characterized by gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation. Although the syndrome can cause considerable pain and discomfort, it does not damage the digestive tract as diseases do. Also, it does not lead to more serious digestive diseases.
Diverticulosis
Question: Diverticulosis is an uncommon and serious problem.
Answer: False!
The vast majority of Americans over age sixty have it, but only a small percentage has symptoms or complications. It is a condition in which little sacs (diverticula) develop in the wall of the colon. They appear and increase in number with age. Most people never know they have diverticulosis. Less than 10 percent of people who have diverticulosis develop complications such as bleeding, perforation of the colon or diverticulosis (infection).
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Question: Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by psychological problems.
Answer: False!
It is the general name for two diseases, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis that cause inflammation in the intestines. The cause of the disease is unknown but researchers speculate that it may be a virus or bacteria interacting with the body’s immune system. There is no evidence to support the theory that inflammatory bowel disease is caused by tension, anxiety, or other psychological factors or disorders.
SOURCE: UOAA Newsletter: The Bypass on-line, Triangle Ostomy Association, Raleigh, NC, January 2007, via Inside Out On-line Mar/Apr 2007.
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