Digestive disorders normally result from over-eating or eating wrong kinds of food. These include nausea, vomiting, heartburn, flatulence, hiccoughs and constipation. One may develop either one or more of these disorders. Rarely so some persons develop diarrhoea after a binge of overeating.

Digestion can be impaired by eating too much of fried or spicy food, particularly when one is not habituated to it. Eating in a large quantity, more than one’s usual intake or eating very fast also results in digestive disorders.

Vomiting can occur due to excess alcohol. Some persons are not able to tolerate large quantities of tea and coffee and can develop dyspepsia due to it. 

Vomiting also occurs after overeating, eating fried, food containing pepper to which one is not accustomed. The quantity of food which cannot be accommodated by the stomach is usually thrown out. Nausea, uncomfortable bloating sensation in abdomen, burning sensation in chest and or abdomen may precede actual vomiting. There may be associated complaint of sour taste in mouth. 

Chronic constipation, where one does not clear his bowels regularly, also leads to sense of bloating and fullness in abdomen along with heart burn. 

Taking small, frequent quantities of food is always recommended to prevent digestive disorders. A small quantity of food is always better tolerated and digested as compared to a big meal. Acid present in inner lining of stomach is also neutralised by food taken. When one does not eat for long, this acid tends to build up causing burning pain. Taking a heavy meal after long hours loads the stomach, adding to discomfort. If one is not used to taking very hot or spicy food, he should avoid it. 

Alcohol is harmful for overall health of an individual and therefore best avoided. One should also avoid taking excess of tea or coffee. 

Numerous home remedies have been proven to be useful by the experience of people using it. Drinking hot water with ½ to one teaspoon of lemon juice or pinch of baking soda is useful to reduce bloating of abdomen.

Taking cold milk in small quantity is useful to reduce nausea and heart burn. 

Drinking hot water before sleeping or as first thing in the morning clears the bowels and cures constipation. They are very beneficial as first aid remedy, when somebody has a digestive disorder. In mild problems, it can serve as a cure also by reducing the symptoms and preventing its exacerbation. Numerous spices like mint, cumin and anise aid in digestion. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day is useful for digestion.

Nausea and vomiting along with heart burn can be treated symptomatically with medicines that reduce the increased acid production of the abdomen. Anti-emetic drugs like metoclopramide or domperidone are useful to stop vomiting. Mild laxatives can be used to treat constipation.

After recovery from a bout of digestive disorder one should take a light meal to give rest to the digestive system and allowing it to recuperate very well.

Dr Rachna Pande is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital.