About 30 per cent of people living in Chennai suffer from constipation, informed Prof Dr TS Chandrasekar, chairman, MedIndia Hospitals, here on Sunday.
He was speaking on the sidelines of Surgecon-2013, a surgical gastroenterology conference and launch of Constipation Relief Lab organised by MedIndia Hospitals and MedIndia Institute of Medical Specialities.
Chandrasekar said that the main cause for constipation was lack of toilet training and physical exercise.
“A small percentage is due to rectal cancer. Even patients with diabetes and thyroid suffer from constipation. People with faulty dietary habits too suffer,” he said.
Chandrasekar said that coordination was needed between the brain, muscles and pelvis for a person to relieve himself and that if anything disturbed the mind, it could lead to constipation. “If there is a fear or unhygienic toilet, or if drugs affect the brain or if a person is under depression, it could cause constipation,” he added.
He said that children suffered from constipation due to lack of toilet training and unhygenic toilets in schools and public places.
The doctor explained that the Constipation Relief Lab that was launched on Sunday offered six tests to analyse a patient’s problem in detail and suggest a treatment.
The six tests involve blood tests, colonoscopy, ano-rectal manometry, colonic transit time, defaecography and biofeedback therapy.
While the tests are being done individually in other hospitals, Chandrasekar said his relief lab provides a package of six to give a proper and complete solution to the problem.
Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan, who inaugurated the conference said that generally those having the problem do not speak about it. “People don’t say it. They think it’s a way of life. They don’t know it could lead to other diseases,” he said.
Three senior surgical gastroenterologists — Prof Dr M Ahmed Ali, Prof Dr RP Shanmugam and Prof Dr Srikumari Damodaran — were honoured with MedIndia Surgical Excellence Awards on the occasion.