Feb. 13, 2020 | Nearly everyone has had it at one point in their life, a feeling of discomfort or a burning sensation in your upper abdomen, that may be accompanied by nausea or an acid or sour taste in your mouth. Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, may cause you to belch, to feel bloated or even vomit. You might get indigestion from eating too much or too fast, eating high-fat foods or eating when you’re stressed. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using some medicines, being tired and having ongoing stress can also cause indigestion or make it worse. Sometimes the cause is a problem with the digestive tract, like an ulcer or GERD. For some individuals, indigestion occurs regularly and becomes a quality-of-life issue. Indigestion can be caused by a condition in the digestive tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, peptic ulcer disease, cancer, or abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts. If the condition resolves, the symptoms of indigestion usually improve.

Feb. 13, 2020 | Most people with indigestion experience a number of symptoms. In some cases, the person feels overly full soon after a meal starts and cannot finish the meal. In other cases, the person may feel a bothersome fullness after a meal, like the food is staying in the stomach too long. Pain in the epigastric area, between the lower end of the chest bone and the navel, can range from mild to severe and may be accompanied by an unpleasant sensation of heat in the area. Other, less frequent symptoms that may occur with indigestion are nausea and bloating, an unpleasant tightness in the stomach. Nausea and bloating could be due to causes other than indigestion. 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.

Feb. 13, 2020 | Indigestion can be caused by many things, but persistent indigestion may point to other digestive conditions. Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop on the lining of the stomach, upper small intestine or esophagus. They may cause burning pain anywhere from your navel to your breastbone. Many peptic ulcers are caused by the bacterium H. pylori or by the regular use of certain pain relievers, such as aspirin, naproxen or ibuprofen. Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of your stomach, which you may experience as a gnawing or burning pain in your stomach or upper abdomen. Regular use of aspirin or certain other pain relievers can irritate your stomach, as can drinking too much alcohol. Gallstones are solid deposits of cholesterol or calcium salts that form in your gallbladder or nearby bile ducts. They often cause no symptoms and require no treatment. Sometimes, however, gallstones cause chronic indigestion, abdominal pain and vomiting.

Feb. 13, 2020 | A mild case of indigestion is usually nothing to worry about. However, you should consult your doctor if the discomfort is persistent or accompanied by weight loss, vomiting, black, tarry stools or shortness of breath, sweating or pain radiating to the jaw, neck or arm. Your doctor will discuss any symptoms you are having and perform a physical examination. He or she may also order X-rays of your stomach and small intestine. The doctor may also perform blood, breath, or stool tests if the type of bacteria that causes peptic ulcer disease is suspected as the cause of indigestion. If necessary, the doctor may order a test called an upper endoscopy, which requires sedating the patient. The procedure involves passing a thin tube with a light and small camera on the end through the mouth and gently guiding it down the esophagus into the stomach. The doctor can look at the esophagus and stomach with the endoscope to check for any abnormalities.

Feb. 13, 2020 | There are a variety of options people can explore when seeking relief from indigestion. One is eating several small, low-fat meals throughout the day at a slow pace.  Refraining from smoking and abstaining from the consumption of coffee, carbonated beverages, and alcohol are others. Getting enough rest is advised, as is discontinuing the use of medications that may irritate the stomach lining, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs. Some people may experience relief from indigestion by making some lifestyle changes and decreasing stress. A doctor may recommend over-the-counter antacids or medications that reduce acid production or help the stomach move food more quickly into the small intestine. Many of these medications can be purchased without a prescription. Non-prescription medications should only be used at the dose and for the length of time recommended on the label unless advised differently by a doctor.