Dyspepsia

Overview

Dyspepsia is a common symptom and can include:

• Belly pain or discomfort.
• Bloating.
• Feeling uncomfortably full after eating.
• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Burping.

Most people will experience some symptoms of dyspepsia within their lifetimes.

What causes it?

The most common kind of dyspepsia is called functional dyspepsia. This is when you have dyspepsia symptoms, but there is no clear cause.

Sometimes other health problems cause dyspepsia symptoms. Some examples are:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or a hiatal hernia.
• Gastroparesis.
• A disorder that affects movement of food through the intestines, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
• Peptic (stomach) ulcer or duodenal ulcer.
• An inability to digest milk and dairy products (lactose intolerance).
• Gallbladder pain (biliary colic) or inflammation (cholecystitis).
• Anxiety or depression.
• Side effects of caffeine, alcohol, or medicines. Examples of medicines that may cause dyspepsia are aspirin and similar drugs, antibiotics, steroids, digoxin, and theophylline.
• Swallowed air.
• Stomach cancer.

How can you care for yourself when you have dyspepsia?

You can make changes to your lifestyle to help relieve your symptoms of dyspepsia. Here are some things to try:

• Try changing your eating habits.
  • Eat several small meals instead of two or three large meals if you can.
  • After you eat, wait 2 to 3 hours before you lie down. Late-night snacks might make your symptoms worse.
  • Avoid foods that make your symptoms worse. These may include chocolate, mint, alcohol, pepper, spicy foods, high-fat foods, or drinks with caffeine in them, such as tea, coffee, colas, or energy drinks.
• Try to quit smoking, or cut back as much as you can. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
• If you get dyspepsia at night, you can try raising the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches by putting the frame on blocks or placing a foam wedge under the head of your mattress. (Adding extra pillows usually won't help.)
• Try to avoid wearing tight clothing around your middle.
• Lose weight if you need to. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can help. Talk to your doctor if you need help with this.