Erratic food habits lead to acidity attacks

Patients are walking in with severe abdominal pain, burning sensation in the stomach and also heart burn and severe chest congestion. Pradeep Kumar (name changed), a 25-year-old was rushed to the cardiology unit of a super specialty hospital because of severe chest congestion.

Experts claim that often they are mistaking it for chest pain or heart attack and later after evaluation it is found that it is a severe acidic attack. The major reasons for the increasing incidences are irregular eating hours, working in shifts, heavy snacking and also indulging in binge eating.

Dr Kiran Kumar Peddi, consultant interventional gastroenterologist, said, “The problem among college going youths or even employees with various companies is that there is too much of gap between meals.

They often end up skipping meals due to work and these long hours can also cause acidity. Eating at the proper time is very important. Even if they are taking a small meal in the middle they must ensure that it is not a heavy snack.”

The problem is also found when people indulge in too much of coffee, tea, carbohydrate drinks, ice-creams, spicy foods, lemon-based foods and tamarind foods.

Those into high-stress jobs also have major issues of acidity and must have a regime of exercise and meditation.

Dr Nagarjuna Yarlagadda, consultant gastroenterologist, said, “It is important to evaluate a patient as to what is triggering the acid attack. It can be different for different individuals. But the worry is that if at 25 years, there is chronic acidity than it can lead to severe ulcers and also inflammation of the oesophagus.”