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Indigestion can be caused by disease, medication, lifestyle habits, pregnancy, or unknown factors. Ulcers, gallbladder disease, and GERD are common causes. Lifestyle choices such as overeating, consuming fatty foods, alcohol, and smoking can also contribute. Some cases are classified as functional or nonulcer dyspepsia.
Bloating, belching, a sour taste, burning in the upper abdomen, nausea or vomiting make up the constellation of symptoms known as indigestion. Constant indigestion may be caused by some disease, medication, lifestyle habits, pregnancy or the cause may be unknown. Ulcers, gallbladder disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are three common diseases in which indigestion is a symptom. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, oral contraceptives, and thyroid medications and steroids may also be responsible for the condition. Many times it is lifestyle choices that are at the root of the disorder.
The stomach lining is normally covered with a layer of mucous membrane. An ulcer forms when the layer of mucous membrane that protects stomach tissue is disrupted. When there is a break in the mucous layer, stomach acid can travel to the tissues and consume them. This can cause stomach pain and constant indigestion.
Gallbladder disease can be a cause of ongoing indigestion because bile doesn’t digest dietary fat properly. This could be due to gallstones, inflammation, or other gallbladder disease. When the gallbladder is the cause, most of the time indigestion gets worse after eating a high-fat meal.
GERD is a condition in which the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach leaks. This allows stomach acid to enter the esophagus. Stomach acid eats away at the esophagus and can cause burning sensations or pain that some people call severe heartburn.
Some medications can be responsible for feelings of constant indigestion. This is why doctors may recommend taking certain medications with food. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, as well as antibiotics, birth control pills and estrogen replacement, can contribute to chronic indigestion. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, and medications for thyroid disease could be other common culprits of drug-induced indigestion.
Lifestyle choices can play a huge role in constant indigestion. Fortunately, this is one of the areas that people have the most control over. Eating too much or too fast is a surefire way to get indigestion. Fatty foods, in particular, tend to promote symptoms. Consuming too much alcohol or smoking can also be the reason some people have chronic indigestion. Stress and fatigue can also play a role in this condition.
During the last two trimesters of pregnancy, some women experience constant indigestion. This is caused by pregnancy hormones relaxing the digestive tract. The pressure of the growing baby can also play a role in indigestion during pregnancy.
The causes of a person’s chronic indigestion sometimes cannot be seen under a microscope or with direct vision. Doctors refer to this as functional dyspepsia or nonulcer dyspepsia. This means that somewhere in the digestive tract, things aren’t working as they should, but doctors don’t know why or where this abnormality occurs. Sometimes, further testing can reveal the cause, but other times it can’t.
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