As humans, we go about our day without thinking about the amazing things our internal organs need to do to keep us on our feet, functioning and digesting the food we eat to provide us with the energy to do all of these things. Until, something goes terribly wrong. Gastrointestinal issues are more common than you might think and can be quite debilitating, eroding your quality of life and making the most mundane tasks feel quite challenging.
This is where Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr. Yaqoub Al Awadh comes in. After completing his degree in medicine at Kuwait University he went on to complete his Internal medicine residency and Gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. Later, he received his Advanced Fellowship in Gastrointestinal Motility from the University of Calgary.
Dr. Al Awadh was interested in the field because it was a combination of procedures and dealing with complex medical cases that he found fascinating. You might be unfamiliar with the term gastroenterologist and assume it is a branch of the digestive system surgery. However, a gastroenterologist focuses on internal medicine at the beginning of their career and must complete at least three years of residency before they can even think of sitting for a certification in internal medicine.
After that they need to pursue a gastroenterology fellowship which takes two to three years. Their training allows them to understand everything about the function of the digestive system including organs like the liver and pancreas. Their training offers them depth and breadth to better treat their patients as well as a more holistic approach to the body’s system.
Dr. Al Awadh has been at Taiba Hospital’s dedicated Gastroenterology Clinic for the last two years helping diagnose and treat patients who suffer from a wide range of medical conditions. The three most common cases that he sees are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Heartburn and dyspepsia. The prevalence of each disease is around 20% of the population, making them quite common in any community. Throw in our not-so ideal lifestyle habits in Kuwait and they can become problematic.
IBS is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and a change in bowel habits. Heartburn occurs when some of the stomach contents are forced back up into the esophagus, also known as acid reflux. If it is persistent, it is diagnosed as gastroesophageal reflux disease. Finally, dyspepsia is the medical term for indigestion and symptoms are discomfort or pain that occurs in the upper abdomen, often after eating or drinking. Sadly, these can be chronic conditions that need long term management and lifestyle changes.
Diagnosing a patient is a skill that doctors acquire after years of studying, practicing and checking for different symptoms. A physician can usually diagnose a patient clinically, i.e. by asking for the patient’s medical history, then they can confirm or investigate further using different tests. Doctor’s now have access to endoscopy, which allows them to examine the gastrointestinal tract up close and personal and helps with diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal problems. The procedure is minimally invasive and can be used for imaging and not just diagnosis.
Taiba Hospital has just added the Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) to their arsenal of procedures. POEM is a therapeutic procedure to treat issues related to difficulty swallowing (achalasia). It can also be used treat spastic disorder of the esophageous such as esophageal spasms and jack hammer esophageous.
The procedure can be completed in 2 – 3 hours and a patient is expected to go home after a two day hospital stay. The hospital is committed to equipping the Gastroenterology Clinic with the state of the art equipment and the best trained staff to make sure that patients get the best treatment possible.
They are the only hospital in Kuwait that offers 24 hours esophageal PH monitoring which allows specialists to monitor patients who are suffering from conditions like refractory heartburn or heartburn patients who are considering surgery. Taiba Hospital also offers Esophageal manometry that is used for patients suffering from swallowing problems, chest pain or heart burn and are considering surgery. The GI clinic will also be adding rectal manometry to their arsenal of tools very soon.
Dr. Al Awadh attributes the clinic’s success to the amazing teamwork, collegial attitudes and friendly environment that helps them provide quick and impeccable medical services to everyone. There’s also a lot we can do to make sure that we stay healthy, the doctor advises us to not smoke (and quit if you do), eat healthy and exercise regularly. But he also mentioned that we should be on the lookout for persistent symptoms and to seek the help of a medical professional if we do notice things like intense vomiting or difficulty swallowing.
Taiba Hospital is located in Sabah Al Salem, off of route 30 on Road 3. Call them 24 hours at 180 80 88. For updates and information, visit the website taibahospital.com, and follow them on Instagram @taibahospital.
