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Dyspepsia is a chronic condition that causes a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, bloating, excessive burping, nausea, and a feeling of fullness after eating. It is not acid reflux disease, IBS, or caused by parasitic infection. Diagnosis involves ruling out other conditions, and treatment can include prescription strength antacids and changes in diet.
Dyspepsia is a chronic condition that is often confused with other disorders of the stomach, intestines and intestines. In general, dyspepsia is not acid reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or stomach upset due to a parasitic infection. The term means indigestion, which isn’t actually accurate, as the condition doesn’t involve the entire digestive system. It is often referred to as a functional disease because it indicates that a part of the digestive system is not working properly, often due to undetermined causes. The part of the digestive system most associated with this condition is the stomach and upper small intestine.
People with dyspepsia tend to feel a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, which may be more intense after eating. Many call this sensation heartburn, but usually heartburn is associated with a painful burning closer to the heart or throat. Other symptoms include bloating in the upper abdomen, excessive burping, nausea, and a feeling of fullness after eating only a small amount of food. Symptoms can vary but the condition can exist for years if not life. An estimated 20 percent of the U.S. population suffers from the condition, yet only about half of them seek treatment.
Diagnosis of dyspepsia consists in ruling out the presence of other conditions of the digestive tract. Sometimes dyspepsia is created by the presence of ulcers, which are caused by bacteria. This can make treating the condition very easy, as antibiotic treatment can kill off the bacteria that create ulcers, which will often heal gradually. Other times the condition defies explanation and no ulcers are present. It is not caused by reflux disease, in which stomach acid regurgitates into the esophagus, and it is not caused by bowel function or spastic colon. Identifying which conditions do not exist helps define the diagnosis.
While dyspepsia is not a reflux disease, many people with the condition, when ulcers aren’t causing it, tend to feel much better when they take prescription strength antacids. In fact, one method of diagnosis is to prescribe antacids to see if the condition clears up. If the pain subsides as it does in about 70% of cases, dyspepsia can be considered a probable cause. Other people find that eliminating certain foods in their diet, such as spicy foods, can help ease the condition. People are usually asked to keep a food diary when diagnosed and then to note symptoms after eating certain types of food.
Often people attribute dyspepsia to food allergies or celiac disease. This is very often not accurate, and people may mistakenly and unnecessarily eliminate many foods from their diets. Often people cut out dairy products, which provide a vital source of calcium. While there are certainly people with legitimate food allergies, dyspeptic conditions generally don’t result from allergies to milk. You may need to change your diet, but not to the extent that many think. A combination of healthy eating and antacids tends to help most people have fewer symptoms.
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