Saqib Rather
Srinagar, Sep 17: For a growing number of people in Kashmir, stomach trouble has quietly become part of everyday life.
Acidity after meals, repeated bloating, constipation, indigestion and abdominal pain are increasingly being treated as routine problems. Many people simply call it “mead doud” or “gas” and continue with their daily lives after taking a tablet or changing what they eat for a few days.
Doctors, however, say the familiar term can conceal several different digestive disorders and should not be treated as a diagnosis.
“Meadeh doud, as it is commonly called, is not a single disease,” gastroenterologist Dr Reyaz Ahmed Para says. “The pain can originate from different parts of the digestive system.”
He says the discomfort may come from the oesophagus in cases of reflux or acidity, while problems involving the lower digestive tract, ulcers, duodenitis, gallbladder stones and infections can also produce pain that patients may describe simply as stomach trouble.
The problem, doctors say, is that many people become accustomed to recurring symptoms.
A burning sensation is dismissed as acidity. Bloating is blamed on something eaten the previous night. Constipation is treated at home. If the discomfort returns, the same medicine is taken again.
Over time, what began as an occasional complaint can become a long-term problem.
Doctors say changing eating habits are an important part of the picture.
Kashmir’s traditional food culture remains strong, but it now exists alongside greater consumption of processed foods, packaged snacks, junk food and caffeinated beverages.
Dr Nazia Zahoor says dietary patterns can play an important role in digestive health.
“This includes high intake of protein rich food, excessive intake of salted alkaline tea (Noon chai), inclusion of more processed and junk food, frequent consumption of pickled and dried food, high consumption of caffeinated beverages etc.,” she says.
Doctors stress that this does not mean traditional Kashmiri food is itself responsible for digestive disease.
The concern is excessive consumption, irregular eating patterns and the overall balance of the diet.
Noon chai, for instance, remains an important part of Kashmiri households. Dr Para says it does not necessarily need to be abandoned, but moderation is important because of its salt and soda content.
Helicobacter pylori, commonly known as H. pylori, is another important factor in gastrointestinal disease. The bacterium is associated with gastritis and peptic ulcer disease.
A study conducted among 2,000 patients with functional dyspepsia in Kashmir found H. pylori in 58 percent of the study population. Researchers also found that eliminating the infection healed gastritis but did not necessarily eliminate all dyspepsia symptoms.
The finding underlines why recurring indigestion cannot always be explained by one cause.
Dr Para says infections can interfere with normal stomach function and contribute to digestive problems.
For patients, this means that repeatedly taking medicine for “gas” may provide temporary relief without addressing the actual reason behind the symptoms.
Bloating is another symptom that many people have started accepting as normal.
Dr Para describes bloating as a common complaint involving both the stomach and intestines. He says excessive gas, food intolerance, undigested fibre and changes in gut bacteria can contribute to the problem.
Occasional bloating may not be a cause for concern, but persistent or worsening symptoms need attention, particularly when accompanied by pain, vomiting, bleeding or unexplained weight loss.
“Frequent vomiting is a warning sign and should be examined by a doctor,” Dr Para says.
One of the biggest challenges is what happens when symptoms first appear.
Instead of consulting a doctor, many people reach for medicines already available at home or repeat an earlier prescription.
Acidity improves. The person feels better. The problem is considered solved.
Dr Para cautions against this approach and stresses the importance of timely medical evaluation.
“This is unsafe. Early consultation and timely evaluation are essential to prevent complications,” he says.
Doctors say occasional indigestion after a heavy meal is different from symptoms that repeatedly return over weeks or months.
The frequency, duration and change in symptoms matter.
The digestive system is not isolated from the rest of the body.
Stress, disturbed sleep, irregular meals and lack of physical activity can influence digestion and bowel habits. Conditions such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome can produce persistent symptoms even when there is no obvious structural abnormality.
This can make digestive complaints particularly difficult for patients to understand.
Two people may both say they have “gas”, while one may actually have reflux and another may have constipation or functional bowel symptoms.
The complaint sounds similar. Doctors advise people not to ignore digestive symptoms that continue, become more frequent or change significantly.
Unexplained weight loss, repeated vomiting, blood in vomit or stool, difficulty swallowing, persistent abdominal pain and major changes in bowel habits warrant medical assessment.
A study of 9,525 patients with persistent dyspepsia in North Kashmir found significant findings on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in 26.9 percent of cases. These included peptic ulcers, oesophagitis, erosive gastroduodenitis and a smaller proportion of upper gastrointestinal malignancies. Most patients, however, had normal or non-significant findings.
The study involved people already selected for persistent dyspepsia and therefore does not represent the general population.
Doctors say Kashmir’s digestive-health problem cannot be blamed on one food or one habit.
It is a combination of changing diets, irregular routines, infections, stress, reduced physical activity and the tendency to treat recurring symptoms without finding their cause.
Nutritionist Asma Mir says maintaining digestive health is important for the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and function properly.
“It helps your body break down food and absorb nutrients to keep your system healthy,” she says. “People with a healthy digestive system are less likely to face problems like constipation, heartburn, indigestion, bloating, and other serious digestive issues.”
For many Kashmiris, the first step may therefore be a simple change in attitude.
Not every stomach complaint is seriogas But a stomach complaint that keeps returning should not always be dismissed as “gas”.
As Dr Para puts it, “Meadeh doud” is not a disease by itself. Finding the cause, rather than repeatedly treating the symptom, may be the more important step towards better digestive health.
