Dyspepsia, which causes distension of stomach, needs immediate medical attention.
 
*A bloated stomach is of nuisance value as it hinders day to day activities. One of the main causes is lifestyle. It can also be caused by a sudden increase in fibre from vegetables, fruits. If so, a change in diet can help. Many women have bloating prior to menses, which also regresses as soon as they get their menses. Some conditions such as lactose intolerance, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, intestinal inflammations, Crohns disease can also cause stomach bloating where proper diagnosis and treatment is needed.

Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day.
 
*Bowel is the lower part of the digestive system. The abdominal and intestinal muscles help in moving the stools down into the rectum. The frequency of bowel movements among normal, healthy people varies from three a day to three a week and perfectly healthy people may fall outside both ends of this range.

Heartburn is just a minor complaint.

*Heartburn is common, but it is not trivial. In fact, frequent heartburn can severely impact the productivity, daily activities and quality of life of those who experience it. In addition, persistent heartburn could be a symptom of a more serious condition called Gastro Esophageal reflux Disease or GERD which, if left untreated, can cause or contribute to a wide range of problems such as ulcers of the esophagus, asthma, chronic cough and in rare cases, cancer of the esophagus.

Pomegranates help cure stomach problems.

*Pomegranate has traditionally been used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery and also stops passing of blood in stool. Sour and sweet-sour pomegranates are very effective in relieving gastric heat and are particularly recommended for people with a bilious nature. Most stomach complaints respond positively to fresh pomegranates sprinkled with salt and pepper. 

Mouth ulcers are caused by chronic stomach ailments.

*It is true. Chronic stomach ailments leads to acidic changes which in turn can produce mouth ulcers. These are very painful conditions and whenever investigated, related stomach complaints would also be found. Diet plays a very important role especially a fibre rich diet which can have a cleansing effect. Deficiency of Vitamin B12, Iron and Folic acid is also found to be causing mouth ulcers. Just supplementing may not be enough. The assimilation of these vitamins into the system is important.

Piles are caused due to chronic stomach complaints.

*Piles can be due to stomach complaints such as constipation but can also be due to swollen veins in the lower portion of the rectum or anus. In the initial stages, exercises including walking and increased fibre in the diet help reduce constipation and straining so that stools become soft and easy to pass. If the condition is prominent, it is best to seek advice from the physician.

Chest pain due to stomach issues can be confused with heart problems.

*Conditions like acid reflux which occurs in the stomach can cause mild to severe chest pains which are often thought to be due to heart troubles. Gas causes the stomach to expand, which can cause discomfort and pain. As the stomach lies just below the left side of chest, any pressure in the stomach area can lead to pain in the chest.

In all these cases identifying the underlying cause is very important. Eliminating dietary errors, bad lifestyle practices will by itself relieve the complaint. If not investigations are recommended.

Coffee causes heartburn.

*Coffee is one of the causes of hyperacidity which leads to heartburn. Hyperacidity is painful and debilitating and some of the aggravating factors are coffee, caffeine, chocolates. Coffee seems to relax the sphincter muscle of the esophagus in some people causing heartburn but it is not clear if this is from the caffeine or from other elements in coffee. As coffee is acidic, it can cause hyper secretion of gastric acids.

Spicy food and stress cause stomach ulcers.

*Spicy food and stress may aggravate ulcer symptoms in some people but they do not cause ulcers. They have a definite role in preventing early recovery. While treating patient with ulcers, diet, exercises, and stress free breathing exercise are planned as supportive therapy. They have given much better results along with the medications. Almost all stomach ulcers are caused either by infection with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori or by use of pain medications.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disease.

*Irritable bowel syndrome is not a disease but a functional disorder, which means that there is a problem in how the muscles in the intestines work. Irritable bowel syndrome is characterised by gas, abdominal pain and diarrhoea or constipation or both. 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 later. Constitutional homoeopathic medicines give significant relief.

Cirrhosis is only caused by alcoholism.

*Alcoholism is one of the many causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is scarring and decreased function of the liver. In children, cirrhosis may result from cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, biliary atresia, glycogen storage disease and other rare diseases. In adults, cirrhosis may be caused by hepatitis B or C, primary biliary cirrhosis, diseases of abnormal storage of metals like iron or copper in the body, severe reactions to prescription drugs or injury to the ducts that drain bile from the liver.

Fasting help to get rid of stomach ailments.

*Fasting as a remedy is fully in harmony with the "nature-cure" philosophy of the cause of disease. If a disease is created by an abnormal accumulation of toxins in the system, fasting will help in their elimination from the system. The membranous linings of the stomach and intestine which act as a sponge to absorb food materials are squeezed to throw out the waste matter from the system.

The author is a senior physician, Soukya and can be contacted at 22214625/ 22218252 or email:                      drsudha@soukya.com