Everyone experiences occasional digestive upsets such as indigestion, pain, heartburn, regurgitation, flatulence or a disturbance of bowel habit. These can be regarded as normal often caused by diet, life-style or a change in routine. If symptoms of this sort persist or worsen, it indicates new digestive problems such as Gastritis, Peptic ulcer, Reflux oesophagitis and Hiatus hernia. Sometimes these collective symptoms of stomach can cause a crushing pain in your chest identical to the pain of a heart attack.

         Now, it is known as "Acid peptic Disease". A peptic ulcer is a raw area or small hole in the lining of the stomach or the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. Most ulcers that occur in the duodenum medically termed as “Duodenal ulcers”. A smaller number develop in the stomach called as “gastric ulcers”. The term "Gastritis" is used for generalised inflammation of the inner lining membrane.

Anxiety neurosis and stress.

    Smoking and alcoholism.
    Prolonged chemical medication that would irritate the membrane.
    Helicobacter pylori - a bacteria which lives in the inner lining of the stomach damage the lining of the       stomach. This bacteria spreads through contaminated food.
    Heredity.

     The symptoms usually appear as "Burning" at the pit of the stomach. It warns you that you have mild “Gastritis.” This is later associated with pain often felt in between meals. If the erosion in the stomach lining is more it gives pain immediately after taking food or it may ache when your stomach is empty. The pain is relieved by drinking cold water and intensified with spicy and sour foods. These symptoms warn you that you are prone to get “Gastric Ulcer.” Sometimes it makes you awake at night. The pain may be felt over your chest, in between shoulders. If you feel better by eating something you may have “Duodenal Ulcer.”  

Reflux oesophagitis is inflammation of lower end of oesophagus. This can be thought of as chronic heartburn. The term refers to the frequent backing up as reflux of stomach contents such as food, acid and bile into the oesophagus. This occurs because a muscular valve at the junction of the oesophagus and stomach fails to work properly.

    The stomach contents irritate the oesophagus and cause a painful burning sensation in the chest rising up to the throat as "Heartburn." Sometimes this is accompanied by a bitter taste in the mouth. These symptoms typically occur after taking food. Large meals and fatty or spicy foods are most likely to cause problems. Lying down or bending over may cause or worsen the symptoms. Stomach contents may rise as far as the throat and experienced as regurgitation. When severe, it may resemble vomiting.

    Heartburn is a symptom something that is experienced with a burning sensation behind the breastbone as a result of rather diffuse or extensive inflammation or irritation of the oesophagus. This sometimes can cause a crushing pain in your chest identical to the pain of a heart attack. Though it causes discomfort, occasional heartburn is not harmful. But if you have heartburn frequently, your stomach's acid may inflame the lining of your oesophagus, narrowing it.

    Sometimes Reflux oesophagitis may be misinterpreted with “Hiatus hernia.” It is protrusion of the top of the stomach through the diaphragm upto the chest cavity. Although a hernia helps to cause reflux disease, many people have a hiatus hernia, but no reflux problems because their sphincter functions properly. In most sufferers reflux disease is not more than a nuisance, bothering them only on some occasions, eg: after large spicy meal. In some people it causes regular discomfort that disrupts their lives.

Eventhough the signs and symptoms demands a physician to make a provisional diagnosis, you may require some investigations to confirm that.

Endoscopy

      Your oesophagus and stomach is examined directly with a flexible telescope to see if there is any Oesophagitis. Endoscopy also helps in detecting any other problem such as stomach ulcer.

  Barium meal or Swallow
      X-ray pictures are taken as you swallow a thick liquid which outlines the oesophagus and stomach. It is most useful to find the cause of the food that sticks.      

Avoid stress and anxiety.
Do not smoke.
Avoid alcohol.
Do not swallow pain-killers unless really necessary.
Follow a normal healthy diet with 3 or 4 balanced meals a day. Avoid eating within two hours of lying down or     before going to bed.
Do not skip meals, do not eat irregularly or have late night snacks.
Avoid any foods that make your symptoms worse such as spicy and sour foods. Avoid eating large or fatty         meals.
Lose weight if you are over weight.

      We differ in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders from other systems of medicine. We come out with good solutions for all the causative factors which impair the alimentary tract. It has wonderful action on the stomach barrier and vaso-vagal stimulation. I had come across many cases of non-specific apthae, gastritis, peptic ulcer and acid reflux diseases. Unlike the other medications, homoeopathic medicines are administered in most diluted, dynamic form which never irritate your stomach lining but has powerful action in dissolving the scar tissues. I have treated patients with marvellous results. I have been successful even in some cases of peptic ulcer with pyloric stenosis.