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Along with other diseases, digestive disorders are a condition that affects people of all ages and causes troubles for patients. This article deals with digestive disorders in the elderly and why the elderly have digestive disorders.
1. Digestive disorders in the elderly
1.1 What is a digestive disorder? Dyspepsia is a condition that occurs due to abnormal contractions of the sphincter muscles of the digestive system causing abdominal pain and changes in bowel movements. Gastrointestinal disorders are not dangerous to the point of death but cause unpleasant annoyances for the patient, if not treated early, the disease will also cause some dangerous complications.
1.2 What are the types of digestive disorders in the elderly Digestive disorders in the elderly have many forms, typically:
Fatigue, anorexia, sometimes leading to skipping meals. More dangerous is that many elderly people suffer from digestive disorders to the point of losing their appetite and hunger. The second form of digestive disorders in the elderly is bloating, gas, bloating, loose or unformed stools when passing stools when eating foods high in protein or fat. This is the reason why people are afraid to eat nutritious foods such as meat, fish, milk... In addition, digestive disorders in the elderly can also be frequent constipation, this condition occurs. caused by improper habits and diets (eating less vegetables, less water,...).
Mệt mỏi là một trong những dạng điển hình của rối loạn tiêu hóa ở người già
2. Why do the elderly have digestive disorders?
There are many causes of digestive disorders in the elderly, below is one of the most common causes:
2.1 Digestive disorders due to the deterioration of the digestive system over time
In the elderly, along with In other organs, the digestive system is gradually degraded leading to digestive disorders, manifestations of this condition are:
Weak teeth, food is not chewed properly Weak esophageal motility makes it difficult to eat food hard and dry due to easy choking. Peristalsis of the intestines and stomach are weak, making the digestion of food slower and more difficult. This is the reason why elderly people with digestive disorders do not feel hungry and lose their appetite. Over time, both the quantity and quality of saliva, bile or intestinal juices, etc. decrease, this is one of the causes of digestive disorders in the elderly. Not only that, the mucosal layers in the digestive tract weaken over time, the blood vessels where the digestive organs of the elderly are often atherosclerotic, causing the amount of blood to these organs to decrease, meaning the ability to absorb The body's absorption of nutrients is reduced. 2.2 Digestive disorders due to diseases and effects from some other organs Organs such as endocrine system, nervous system, thyroid gland have a great influence on digestive disorders in the elderly. The cause of this problem is organ dysfunction, which affects absorption and intestinal motility.
In addition, some chronic diseases in the elderly such as cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis of the liver, lung disease, colon disease, stomach ... also cause troubles and pain, making the patient always in a state of fatigue, loss of appetite , constipation , diarrhea , ... or in short, digestive disorders .
Rối loạn tiêu hóa gây nên tình trạng chán ăn
3. Overcoming digestive disorders in the elderly
Digestive disorders in the elderly will usually not cause serious complications if they only occur in a short time from 2-3 days and are treated definitively. However, if the digestive disorder lasts too long, in addition to the annoying pain, the patient also encounters many dangerous complications such as respiratory infections, urinary diseases, ... moreover the condition Malnutrition due to digestive disorders also adversely affects the underlying diseases that the elderly are suffering from.
Actively prevent digestive disorders is considered the best option for the elderly, here are some tips from experts:
Elderly people should have a reasonable diet to prevent disorders Digestive disorders: should eat vegetable oils instead of animal fats, eat a moderate amount of indigestible red meat such as beef, lamb, increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, limit the many stimulants such as alcohol, beer, tobacco, coffee,... Note when processing food: for the elderly, food should be cooked to the required degree of maturity, should not be eaten , salad, ... to avoid bloating, flatulence causing digestive disorders. Allocate eating time to avoid digestive disorders: should be divided into many small and regular meals every day, should not eat too quickly at the same time, nor skip meals when you do not want to eat. When eating, you should avoid watching TV or engrossed in talking, should focus to avoid being distracted easily causing choking or choking. Ensuring the origin and quality of food When there are signs of prolonged digestive disorders, family members should take their parents and grandparents to reputable medical facilities for medical examination and treatment advice. In addition, gentle exercise and daily exercise is a measure that not only helps to limit digestive disorders but also helps exercise, increase flexibility, and limit many other diseases.
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