Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is common in adults and can occur once in awhile or as often as every day.

Symptoms

Most people with indigestion experience more than one of the following symptoms:

• Fullness during a meal
• Bothersome fullness after a meal
• Epigastric pain
• Epigastric burning

Other, less frequent symptoms that may occur with indigestion are nausea and bloating. However, nausea and bloating could be due to other causes.

Sometimes the term indigestion is used to describe the symptom of heartburn, but these are two different conditions. Heartburn is a painful, burning feeling in the chest that radiates toward the neck or back. Heartburn is caused by stomach acid rising into the esophagus and may be a symptom of GERD. A person can have symptoms of both indigestion and heartburn.

Complications

Because indigestion can be a sign of a more serious condition, people should see a doctor right away if they experience:

• frequent vomiting
• blood in vomit
• weight loss or loss of appetite
• black tarry stools
• difficult or painful swallowing
• abdominal pain in a non-epigastric area
• indigestion accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that radiates to the jaw, neck or arm
• symptoms that persist for more than two weeks

What causes indigestion?

Indigestion can be caused by a condition in the digestive tract such as GERD, peptic ulcer disease, cancer, or abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts. If the condition improves or resolves, the symptoms of indigestion usually improve.

Sometimes a person has indigestion for which a cause cannot be found. This type of indigestion, called functional dyspepsia, is thought to occur in the area where the stomach meets the small intestine. The indigestion may be related to abnormal motility (the squeezing or relaxing action) of the stomach muscle as it receives, digests, and moves food into the small intestine.

Diagnosis

To diagnose indigestion, the doctor asks about the person’s current symptoms and medical history and performs a physical examination. The doctor may order x-rays of the stomach and small intestine. The doctor may also perform blood tests if the type of bacteria that causes peptic ulcer disease is suspected as the cause of indigestion.

The doctor may perform an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) to visually examine the lining of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum and to check for any abnormalities. The doctor may perform biopsies to look for possible damage from GERD or an infection.

Treatment

Some people may experience relief from symptoms of indigestion by eating several small, low-fat meals throughout the day at a slow pace, refraining from smoking, abstaining from coffee, carbonated beverages and alcohol and stopping the use of medication that may irritate the stomach lining. Symptoms may also be relieved by getting enough rest and decreasing emotional and physical stress.

The doctor may recommend over-the-counter antacids or over-the-counter acid reducers. Over-the-counter medications should only be used at the dose and for the length of time recommended on the label. Over-the-counter medications are not without risk and side effects so it is important to tell your doctor when starting a new over-the-counter medication.

If over-the-counter medications do not relieve symptoms, the doctor may prescribe an H2 receptor antagonist to reduce stomach acid, a proton pump inhibitor which also works to reduce stomach acid, or a prokinetic to help the stomach move food more quickly into the small intestine.

Points to Remember

• Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen.
• Indigestion can be caused by a condition in the digestive tract such as GERD, peptic ulcer disease, cancer, or abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts.
• Sometimes a person has indigestion for which a cause cannot be found. This type of indigestion is called functional dyspepsia.
• Indigestion and heartburn are different conditions, but a person can have symptoms of both at the same time.
• The doctor may order x-rays, blood tests, and an EGD to diagnose indigestion.
• Some people may experience relief from indigestion by making some lifestyle changes and decreasing stress.
• The doctor may prescribe antacids, H2 receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors or prokinetics to treat the symptoms of indigestion.

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site.