Self-medication raises acidity among youth

Doctors insist on proper diagnosis as it could be a digestive problem, not acid reflux

There was an 11 per cent growth in the sale of antacid tablets last year, with 490 million prescriptions given by doctors, indicating that acidity is a major problem and also maybe that there is overuse of the drug.

A recent clinical evaluation in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh found that 27 per cent of patients self-diagnosed and self-medicated for between three to six months after the symptoms of acidity surfaced. That was the reason overthe-counter sale of antacids was very high.

Dr Sandeep Lakhatakia, senior gastroenterologist at Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, said acidity used to be associated with those who were in their late 40s and 50s.

“We are finding more young patients in the agegroup of 20 to 30 years who have been highly experimental in terms of self-medication, radical changes in diet and opted for home remedies before coming to a specialist,” Dr Lakhatakia said.

Doctors find that patients are suffering from overuse of the drug as they are popping antacid pills whenever they experience a burning sensation in the throat or uneasy burps. Overuse leads to constipation and also causes frequent diarrhoea.

Sixty-five per cent of patients suffer from acidity during the day and more than 30 per cent at night, says Dr Shravan Kumar, head of the department of gastroenterology at Gandhi Hospital.

“There is constant irritation in the throat due to the gastric acid. Acid reflux leads to lots of burps and uneasy feeling. In those who suffer at night, it affects their sleep pattern and they are not able to sleep properly which affects their work schedules and also causes mood disorders,” he said.

Doctors say it is important to get a proper diagnosis - it could be some other digestive problem and not acid reflux.