Specialised tests are required for a definitive diagnosis of motility and functional bowel diseases, said gastroenterologists at a two-day national conference, which concluded here on Sunday.

The speakers observed that these disorders are usually chronic for many years and most of the investigations done in patients with functional bowel diseases are normal, which is often frustrating for both patients and doctors. "The panel felt that the disease requires specialized GI motility tests for a definitive diagnosis," said Nitesh Pratap, gastroenterologist at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospitals.

The 4th biennial conference of Indian Motility and Functional Disease Association was held at KIMS Hospitals. Over 200 gastroenterologists from all different parts of the country attended the event while experts from the US, South Korea and Australia spoke on the latest developments in the field. Motility is related to contraction of muscles of the gastrointestinal tract of the human digestive system. The conference theme was 'Frontiers and future perspectives in GI physiology and functional GI diseases'.

Bhaskar Rao, MD and CEO, KIMS Hospitals said that the conference provided the platform for young gastroenterologists to improve their understanding of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. There were also panel discussions on a typical chest pain which mimics the heart attack, and detailed discussions were held on diagnosis and differentiation of acidity from a heart attack. A symposium was also held on bloating, which is one of the common symptoms among Indians due to rich fiber content in the diet. There was a discussion on the dietary changes in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.