According to Guts UK1, 43% of the UK adult population suffer from digestive discomfort. Yet 58% say they’re embarrassed to talk about their symptoms, so much so that 51% put off seeking advice for 6 months or more.
For the vast majority of people, tummy troubles probably aren’t anything serious, and can possibly be managed with a combination of diet, exercise, stress control and medicine from their pharmacy or GP. But sometimes digestive symptoms could indicate something more serious - including things like Chrohn’s Disease or bowel cancer.
Despite brilliant and brave ambassadors like ‘bowel babe’ Dame Deborah James2 campaigning for awareness, we still aren’t talking enough about burps, trumps, bellies and bowel movements.
So let’s talk about digestive health here, and how Equipsme can help.
What counts as digestive health?
Digestive health refers to the health of both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tracts, from the mouth, oesophagus and stomach through to the small intestine, large intestine or colon, right out to the anus. So any problems with this system count as digestive health issues.
What are some of the common symptoms?
Digestive health issues can include things like acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, heartburn, indigestion, excessive wind, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, stomach cramps and pain.
What are some of the most common diagnoses?
According to Guts UK3, some of the most commonly diagnosed conditions are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), gastritis, gall stones, diverticulitis and peptic ulceration (stomach ulcers).
Why is getting to grips with our guts so important?
No one wants to be running to the loo every five minutes, or doubled over in pain trying to pass a poo. Good digestive health is important for your overall wellbeing. Getting the right support can improve quality of life, but it can also catch issues early – before they get worse.
As an example, bowel cancer is the fourth most common4 type of cancer in the UK. If it’s caught at stage 1, around 90%5 of people will survive for 5 years or more after their diagnosis. At stage 4, that drops to 10%.
Early diagnosis is crucial, which is why we should all be talking about digestive health with each other, and with our doctors.
What are the symptoms to take most seriously?
It’s really important to see your GP if you notice changes to your bowel movements, blood in your poo, or if you’re particularly tired or losing weight without trying to. These are some of the key symptoms of bowel cancer6.
How can Equipsme help?
1. Health Support Line
If your household is being plagued by a tummy bug and you need advice on how to manage it - or if you’re taking a medication that’s upsetting your insides - the nurses and pharmacists on our helpline are a great first port of call for expert advice and guidance.
Find out more about the AXA Health at Hand helpline
2. GP Service
The trouble with vague digestive issues is that they can be hard to diagnose, and then to find an effective treatment. One of the great things about Equipsme is that our 24/7 GP can act as a second opinion service, so if you’re struggling to get answers from your community GP, you can talk to someone virtually by phone or video through your Equipsme plan. (For some that could also make having an ‘embarrassing’ conversation easier). If diagnosis is part of your plan, our GP may also provide an open referral letter if they think you should see a specialist and you can refer that open referral to the claims team at AXA Health to assess if covered.
Find out more about how to get a GP appointment
3. AXA’s Digestive Health Pathway
For those with diagnosis or treatment as part of their Equipsme plan, our partners at AXA Health have a specialist Digestive Health Pathway to help get you support for digestive concerns or symptoms within a matter of days.
Once you have a GP referral, contact AXA Health who will assess if your claim is covered and if so, can arrange for a specialist consultant to complete an online assessment within three working days (this can really help if you find it tricky talking about digestive symptoms and what’s worrying you). After you’ve received the results of your assessment, if you need a further consultation, or have any further questions, you can have a phone or video call from the comfort and privacy of home.
If you need further tests, these can be arranged quickly too – including home test kits to collect things like stool samples if appropriate. If you then need a camera test, such as a colonoscopy, or if you need to see a specialist face-to-face, you’re on the fast-track to book these appointments online through your Equipsme plan.
Find out more about how to use our diagnostic services
Out of scope
Please remember that your Equipsme plan cannot be used for any issue you’ve had symptoms or any other medical attention for in the last three years. We also exclude some chronic conditions, including ongoing Chrohn’s disease treatment.
Sources:
- gutscharity.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gut-Health-Hints-Tips.pdf
- Bowelbabe Fund | Deborah James Bowel Cancer Research
- gutscharity.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DigestingTheFactsReport.pdf
- www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/bowel-cancer#heading-Zero
- www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bowel-cancer/survival
- www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/symptoms/
All our information is desk-based research from credible sources only, including the NHS and medical/disease charities.
Date created: July 2024
