Dyspepsia is another word for the common condition known as indigestion. People with dyspepsia can experience stomach pain, bloating, gas, and a feeling of fullness, often for long periods of time. Frequent dyspepsia can also be a symptom of a more serious digestive disorder including gastrointestinal reflux disease, gastroparesis, peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and functional dyspepsia.
People experience dyspepsia when the functionality of the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract or the nerve cells controlling the organs acting abnormally as a result of your eating habits and diet. The condition may also be triggered by bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine. Anxiety or depression can aggravate symptoms of dyspepsia as can stress.
Dyspepsia is a disease that can last for years or for a lifetime. A person suffering with dyspepsia will not always experience pain or discomfort until the symptoms become more serious. The symptoms may appear intermittently and can last for days, weeks, or months. It is important to have a medical evaluation so your condition can be monitored over time and symptoms can be treated appropriately. There are over the counter remedies but chronic heart burn and indigestion may require prescription medicine treatment.
A colonoscopy, x-ray, or endoscopic procedures may be used to diagnose other issues triggering chronic upset stomach. If other conditions or diseases are present which trigger the indigestion, more complex testing may be required for a proper diagnosis. For instance, an intolerance to lactose may to be blame for chronic indigestion and must be treated accordingly to reduce the symptoms and discomfort of dyspepsia.