Dr. Jayaram (left) performing an endoscopy procedure on a patient.
SANDAKAN: Describing the uncomfortable feeling in the upper middle part of the stomach, ones would usually say that it was ‘gastric’ or ‘gastritis’ but would never come round to the word ‘Dyspepsia’.
Dyspepsia, a medical term that is rarely used but is the proper word to describe the pain, said Head of Department (Medical) of Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Datuk Dr. Jayaram Menon, who is also the Gastroenterology Specialist.
“Whoever suffers the symptom of dyspepsia at least 12 weeks a year should undergo a medical screening. Adult above the age of 45 are advise to undergo oesophageal-gastric-duedeno-scopy (OGDS) procedure while adults under the age of 45 may consider themselves to have at least an Urea Breathe Test.
“Through these tests, it will be able to detect the presence of Helicobacter Pylori, a type of bacteria that causes peptic ulcer resulting in abdominal pain, possible bleeding and gastrointestinal symptoms,” he said.
The Senior Medical Consultant of QEH also said that the signs and symptoms of peptic ulcer can be constant or sporadic and remain as long as the infection is untreated.
“In the case of H. pylori-related peptic ulcer, the infection can be successfully treated with antibiotics, therefore one should seek immediate medical care for serious symptoms such as severe or persistent abdominal pain, bloody stool, or vomiting blood.
“If parents were detected positive with H. pylori, their children should voluntarily be making efforts to undergo appropriate medical test and also for those who have past history of ulcers and first degree relative (parent or sibling) who had stomach cancer should also be tested,” he said to reporters at the OGDS screening program at Hospital Kinabatangan, recently.
The OGDS program in Kinabatangan was the second of its kind in Sabah after a similar program was held on January this year in Telupid Health Clinic.
Through the program, patients in rural areas were examined and given consultation by specialists and doctors without going to the general hospital and this would eventually reduce their transportation and medical costs.
There were 30 patients who benefited from the one day program and 18 of them were found positive for H. pylori. Based on the numbers of patients with H. pylori, it was a wake-up call for people with abdominal pains to be tested.
Meanwhile, one of the patient, who benefited from the program, is a 35-year-old man who went to seek specialist’s treatment for his abdominal pain.
Through x-ray examination, doctor found foreign bodies in the form of two coins (a 5 cent and 10 cent coin) inside his stomach.
The coins were then carefully extracted by Head of Surgical Department, Mr. Kumar, using a non-invasive method, an endoscopy.
The program was also attended by Director of Duchess of Kent hospital (HDOK), Dr. Francis Paul, Director of Kinabatangan hospital, Dr. Aminudin Baki Mohamad, Telupid Health Clinic physician, Dr. Afiza Hanun bt Ahmad @ Hamid, Head of Department (Surgical) of HDOK, Mr. Mutyala Vinod Kumar ,specialist from Gastroenterology Unit of QEH, Dr. Ruben Raj and other medical team members.