Dubai: Dubai Health Authority (DHA) doctors advise people who experience recurring abdominal pain not to take it lightly and to get checked.
Dr Haitham Sawalmeh, senior specialist surgeon at Rashid Hospital, said, “Patients try to solve the problem of abdominal pain using herbs, home remedies in the initial stages and don’t take it seriously. Often they visit a general practitioner once the pain is quite severe and prolonged.”
He spoke during the authority’s weekly smart clinic, which is an initiative to share vital health information with the community through Twitter and Periscope.
Dr Sawalmeh said depending on their condition, they may be referred to see a specialist. “From the time of the initial symptoms to the time of diagnosis, the time lapse is huge. This may cause unnecessary complications and a more aggressive form of treatment.”
He said that 80 per cent of all surgeries done by the general surgery department at Rashid Hospital are abdominal surgeries.
“About 75 per cent of gastrointestinal tract diseases (GI) can be corrected by lifestyle changes which include diet and exercise. Twenty-five per cent are related to organ pathology and they require intervention, surgical or non-surgical.”
He said that people should be aware of when to see a doctor in cases of abdominal pain.
“If the pain is severe or recurrent or if it is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, people should contact their health care provider immediately. The symptoms include fever, persistent vomiting, signs of dehydration, painful urination, pain as result of injury, pain that lasts for hours, inability to pass stool, bloody stools, difficulty breathing and pain during pregnancy.”
