Alien asked:


Description

Indigestion is a symptom that is caused by a number of stomach conditions, including hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori, heartburn, and dyspepsia. Because many of these conditions can pose serious health risks, it is important to visit your healthcare provider in order to properly diagnose the reason for your indigestion. The condition usually occurs after eating. People experience indigestion for a variety of reasons-after eating a specific food, after eating too much food, after drinking alcohol or carbonated beverages, or after smoking cigarettes. The frequency of occurrence also varies from person to person. Approximately one in ten adults experiences indigestion weekly, while approximately one in three experiences it monthly.

Heartburn, a problem affecting the esophagus, is perhaps the most common type of indigestion. Your esophagus is a 10-inch-long tube leading from the back of your mouth to your stomach. Food travels down the esophagus to the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acids from escaping from the stomach into the esophagus. Heartburn occurs when this lower esophageal sphincter is weak or dysfunctional, allowing stomach acid to escape.

People who are overweight are at increased risk for developing indigestion because excess weight can increase pressure on the abdomen which, in turn, can make it difficult for the lower esophageal sphincter to stay tightly shut. Pregnant women also experience a higher incidence of the condition because they, too, experience increased pressure on the abdomen. In addition, people who smoke are at increased risk because cigarettes relax the lower esophageal sphincter.

Signs and Symptoms

Abdominal tenderness and distention

Feeling of fullness and discomfort in the upper abdomen

Burning sensation in the chest, often originating in the upper abdomen and radiating to the neck

Regurgitation of bitter liquid into the throat or mouth, commonly when lying down

Nausea and vomiting

Conventional Medical Treatment

If you suffer from indigestion only occasionally, you may experience relief by taking over-the-Counter antacids, which neutralize gastric acids. You also can prevent future cases of indigestion by avoiding any food or drink that irritate your stomach.

If you experience indigestion frequently, see your doctor, who will try to determine when your indigestion occurs, what foods and drinks seem to trigger it, in what part of the abdomen the discomfort is strongest, and how long it typically last. Your physician also may want to run a series of tests to make sure that your indigestion is not being caused by a more serious condition, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, colon cancer, stomach ulcer, gastritis, pancreatic disease, or irritable bowel syndrome. A barium X-ray, endoscopic examination of the digestive tract, or stool sample may be necessary. In order to rule out disorders of the pancreas, liver, or gallbladder, your doctor also may recommend an ultrasound examination of those organs.

If over-the-counter products do not offer relief, your physician may prescribe cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), or omeprazole (Prilosec) to block acid production in the stomach. A medication that increases the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter, such as metocopramide or bethanechol, also may be prescribed.



Ramon

peterhutch asked:


Indigestion is a common problem. It may be triggered by eating particular foods, or drinking wine or carbonated drinks. It may also be caused by eating too fast or by overeating. Some people may find that spicy foods, high-fiber foods, fatty foods, or too much caffeine can all make this problem worse. Symptoms may be worsened by anxiety and depression.

“Indigestion” refers to any number of gastrointestinal complaints, which can include gas (belching, flatulence, or bloating) and upset stomach. “Heartburn” refers to a burning feeling that can be caused by stomach acid regurgitating into the esophagus from the stomach, by gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach), or by an ulcer of the stomach or duodenum (also called peptic ulcer). “Low stomach acidity” refers to the inability to produce adequate quantities of stomach acid that will affect digestion and absorption of nutrients.

A variety of disorders can cause symptoms of indigestion, including ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and less commonly, cancer. In about half of cases brought to a doctor’s attention, however, no identifiable underlying problem can be determined; doctors refer to such cases as “functional dyspepsia.” Many different medications are available to treat indigestion, even when the underlying causes cannot be identified.

Indigestion is the term used to describe pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen or chest after meals. The medical term for this is dyspepsia. Sometimes it is also used to describe a distinctive burning feeling in the chest, known as heartburn. Most people have suffered from indigestion after a large meal at some time, and up to one in four adults suffer from heartburn each year.

Causes

Indigestion might be caused by a disease or ulcer in the digestive tract. However, for many people, indigestion is caused by eating too much, eating too quickly, being tired, drinking too much caffeinated beverages, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using medications that irritate the stomach lining, can also cause indigestion or make it worse.

Due to all these reasons the food does not get digested even if it has been taken at proper time and wholesome as well as light to digest. The common symptoms of indigestion are stasis of food in the stomach, malaise, headache, fainting, giddiness, stiffness in back and waist, yawning, body ache, thirst, fever, vomiting, griping, anorexia and improper digestion of the food.

As the adage goes, prevention is better than cure, the occurrence of indigestion could easily be prevented when the food intake is monitored. Monitoring food does not only require a person to check the food contents or nutritional values of the food but even the time of eating and the amount of food. It is still better to avoid the foods or situations that can cause indigestion. Smokers can be relieved when smoking is minimized or quitted. Exercising just after eating is also not recommended as it also causes indigestion.

Precautions

Fasting till the agni is proper and then giving manda, peya, vilepi till it is restored back to normal should be done. The diet should consists of old rice and light vegetable soup of spinach with warm water. Avoid all heavy and fried foods and cold drinks. Excess sweet, milk and its products which are heavy for digestion and meat of animals.



William

Dr John Anne asked:


Do you eat too much, too quickly or stressed? What do you feel after eating? Do you have a sense of fullness after eating even if you only have eaten a small amount of food? These are only some of the questions a doctor may ask during consultation to determine if a person is suffering from indigestion.

Indigestion is different from constipation. This symptom is sometimes called dyspepsia, discomfort after meal or upset stomach. This kind of ailment is often accompanied by nausea, abdominal bloating, belching and vomiting.

Causes of Indigestion

Indigestion could be a symptom or a result of a currently occurring disease. It might be caused by a disease in the digestive system like ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux disease. However, the most common causes among many people are eating too much, eating too quickly, eating highly fatty foods or eating during stressful situations. These factors cause the stomach to not digest the food properly. Fatty foods are really difficult to digest especially those that contain insoluble fats.

Other causes include smoking, drinking too much alcohol, using medications that irate the stomach lining and being tired or stressed. However, there are other people that suffer indigestion that are not related to the previous factors mentioned. This type of indigestion is called functional or non-ulcer indigestion. It is a result of the malfunctioning of the stomach muscle while squeezing or digesting the food in take.

Treatment and Prevention of Indigestion

Other than the routinely physical diagnostic questions that a patient should honestly answer to determine if the patient is suffering from indigestion, there are other diagnosis that some physicians initiate to make sure of the occurrence of the ailment. Some of these require x-rays of the stomach and endoscopy of the small intestines.

As the adage goes, prevention is better than cure, the occurrence of indigestion could easily be prevented when the food intake is monitored. Monitoring food does not only require a person to check the food contents or nutritional values of the food but even the time of eating and the amount of food. It is still better to avoid the foods or situations that can cause indigestion. Smokers can be relieved when smoking is minimized or quitted. Exercising just after eating is also not recommended as it also causes indigestion.

When the problem is functional, consultation to doctors could provide the treatment. They could either give oral medication that may affect stomach motility or prescribe internal diagnosis.

Indigestion could be serious

Since indigestion could be a precursor to a more serious disease in the digestive tract, a person should see a doctor when the indigestion becomes recurrent or the symptoms have become worse or aggravating.

When indigestion already goes with vomiting, weight loss, appetite loss, black tarry stools or blood in vomit, heartburn or severe pain in the upper right of the abdomen, discomfort unrelated to eating, shortness of breathing and sweating, a person is already advised to see a doctor for consultation and diagnosis.

When the symptoms enumerated above last longer than two weeks, the indigestion could have already been elevated to serious disorder.



Melanie

Steven A Johnson asked:


Indigestion is often a sign that there are other problems in the body like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gallbladder disease, or ulcers, rather than it being a condition or disease of its own. Indigestion is a reoccurring pain that is persistent and in the middle of the abdomen.

Symptoms of indigestion include burning in the stomach, stomach growling, nausea, vomiting, belching, gas, acidic taste in mouth, bloating, and abdominal pain. Most often people get a burning feeling in the chest called heart burn. All of these symptoms may worsen when stress levels increase.

Everyone can get affected by indigestion, even children and elderly. It’s a very common problem; it is mostly common among alcoholics and drug users. There are many causes of indigestion though, not just substance abusers get indigestion. Ulcers, stomach cancer, stomach infections, IBS, and thyroid disease can all cause indigestion as well. Even certain medications can cause indigestion, some of these include, aspirin, estrogen and birth control, steroid medications, antibiotics, and thyroid medications can all contribute to causing indigestion.

Eating to much food can factor in indigestion. Stress levels and fatigue can cause it as well. Swallowing excessive air while eating and drinking and pregnancy can be causes as well. Indigestion is not caused by to much stomach acid in the body and not every can find a known cause for there indigestion.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, other wise known as acid reflux or GERD, is a condition where the liquid content in the stomach backs up into the esophagus. It is a chronic condition and it normally lasts the entire life of the person. Most often the reflux occurs in the middle of the day when the person is standing or sitting upright.

Gravity, swallowing, and saliva are protective to the esophagus but this only works if the person is in the upright position. When lying down say at night sleeping gravity is not in effect, people don’t swallow while they are sleeping, and the amount of saliva produced is decreased. So at night when the reflux occurs the acid and contents are going to stay in the esophagus longer causing more damage to it.

Causes of acid reflux are complex and in most cases has many causes put together to cause the disease. Most people that have acid reflux however, produce large amounts of stomach acid. Some things that can contribute to it are the lower esophageal sphincter, hiatal hernias, esophageal contractions, and emptying of the stomach. Symptoms of acid reflux are heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. More severe complications can arise from not treating acid reflux. Ulcer, strictures, barrett’s esophagus, asthma, inflammation of the throat and infection in the lungs can all happen.

Changing eating habits can help to treat GERD. Avoiding things like peppermint, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeine can all help. Fatty foods are not good either. However, chewing gum can actually help treat acid reflux, the chewing of gum can stimulate production of saliva and increase swallowing. After swallowing saliva it neutralizes in the esophagus. Antacids can help as well; they neutralize acid in the stomach so that there isn’t any acid to reflux. There is also foam barriers and surgeries that can help in really severe cases.

Another thing that can help to treat acid reflux and indigestion is Acid Reflux and Indigestion Tea by Bell. It makes a soothing and relaxing action in the stomach that promotes good digestion and relieves abdominal pain as well as gastrointestinal tract spasms. It is also an antacid. It can also prevent bloating, promotes digestive enzymes, prevents cramping, stomach pain, and reduces inflammation in the digestive system.

Acid reflux and Indigestion Tea is all natural and safe to use, some of the ingredients in it are anise seeds, fennel, chamomile, dill, cumin, peppermint, ginger, sage, and orange peel. Acid Reflux an Indigestion Tea can be found at Alterative Health Supplements.



Jill

Alvin Hopkinson asked:


Acid Reflux and indigestion is often mistaken as one and the same. Both disorder stem from too much acid production but differ in several ways. The main difference lies in the manner by which acid was prompted to cause disorder. Indigestion and its acid irregularity may lead to acid reflux but the latter will not develop any further into indigestion.

Acid reflux and digestion can be further differentiated by simply defining the inherent characteristics of the two disorders. Acid reflux or also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the result of eating too much and not providing the stomach enough gravitational pull to hold the food down. Hence, the acid in the stomach regurgitates upward and gets trapped in the esophagus.

Indigestion on the other hand is a result of eating too many and too fast. The rapidity by which the stomach is filled with food promotes the production of too much acid which can cause the heartburn or chest pain.

The chest pain is a result of being unable to pass air through the mouth or what we commonly know as belching. Once we are able to pass air by belching, the chest pain discomfort of indigestion becomes relieved. If not, we can then resort to taking in antacids.   



Symptomatic Differences Between Acid Reflux and Indigestion

In acid reflux, the trapped acid in the esophagus causes the burning sensation in the mid-chest, at the back of the ****** bone and in the middle of the abdomen. One may even experience dry cough, difficulty swallowing and symptoms of asthma. Smoking, having hernia, being overweight and other intestinal problems may cause acid reflux or heartburn.  

Furthermore, acid reflux if it often occurs and improperly treated may lead to cancer of the esophagus. The cancer disorder is life threatening hence, the need for proper medication should be addressed.

On the other hand, indigestion or medically known as dyspepsia which is mainly caused by over-eating at a rapid pace causes the digestive system to work double-time. Hence, too much acid is produced but remains in the stomach as it tries hard to dissolve all the food stored. .

Discomforts will come in the form of chest pains, gassy episodes and shoulder pains due to the trapped gasses which you couldn’t manage to release by simply  burping. These conditions in indigestion can lead to acid reflux heartburn.   

Acid Reflux and Indigestion – Differences in Treatment

Acid reflux as a form of a disorder is medically declared as incurable. Intakes of antacid merely provide temporary relief but the persistence of your poor diet and improper lifestyle promotes recurrence. If bouts of heartburn or chest pains persist despite the intake of antacids, chances are the sufferer is on the verge of a heart attack. Immediate medical attention is therefore a must.

If acid reflux becomes a constant occurrence during and after every meal, the esophagus is highly threatened of being eroded by the constant presence of acid in its lining. The treatment therefore now requires a more intent and complex form of medication with the possibility of surgery as a last resort.        

Indigestion on the other hand can be cured by simple antacids. If no immediate relief is achieved, the doctor may prescribe an antacid that has stronger dosage or composition. However, if both of these remedies do not provide relief from chest pains, your indigestion or dyspepsia may have already developed into an acid reflux disorder.

In which case, proper medical attention is now called for as the chest pains may also indicate more than just an acid reflux disorder. Persistence in chest pains despite intakes of antacid may indicate the onset of a heart attack.

The efficiency of the treatments in both acid reflux and indigestion can only be achieved if the foremost requirement of changing your diet and your lifestyle takes place.

Alvin Hopkinson is a leading health researcher in the area of natural remedies and acid reflux treatment. Discover how you can get rid of your heartburn for good using proven and effective acid reflux natural remedies, all without using harmful medications or drugs. Visit his site now at http://www.refluxremoval.com



Daniel

John Adison asked:


Indigestion is a symptom that is caused by a number of stomach conditions, including hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori, heartburn, and dyspepsia. Because many of these conditions can pose serious health risks, it is important to visit your healthcare provider in order to properly diagnose the reason for your indigestion. The condition usually occurs after eating.

Indigestion could be a symptom or a result of a currently occurring disease. It might be caused by a disease in the digestive system like ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux disease. However, the most common causes among many people are eating too much, eating too quickly, eating highly fatty foods or eating during stressful situations. These factors cause the stomach to not digest the food properly. Fatty foods are really difficult to digest especially those that contain insoluble fats.

Essentially this yeast as it overgrows in your body certain symptoms will become more apparent, anything from mood swings and mental problems such as difficulty concentrating. Acid relux can occur in some people due to candida actually interfering with the production of stomach acid. If you were not aware acid reflux occurs commonly as a result of too little stomach acid where you stomach realizing the problem acts as a churn to try and physically mash up food, something it is not accustomed to

Licorice. A form of licorice called deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), a chewable form of the herb, is a natural antacid. Unlike a regular licorice, DGL does not have hormonal side effects. This makes DGL more effective and will not contribute to elevated blood pressures, which can be a side effect of other forms. Licorice helps fight ulcerations caused by hyperacidity.

Common home remedies for indigestion are peppermint and ginger. These are also popular in treating other digestion problems. Apple and tea are also used, as are Epsom salts. Another effective way to relieve indigestion is drinking the juice of a raw potato or an egg white. Cloves are also considered treatment for indigestion. Other herbs that help relieve the discomfort that comes with indigestion are meadowsweet and lavender. In traditional medicine, the use of feverfew, fennel and dill as cures for indigestion is common, as well as thyme and speedwell.

The cardinal remedy for dyspepsia is light food; it would be matter if the patient takes to fasting for 24 hours and then takes to easily digestible, natural food. Fats and condiments must be avoided. Bland food, mostly vegetables cooked in water, juicy fruits and buttermilk (churned curd with water added) should be taken. Condiments and seasonings make food more palatable and there is the ever-present risk of over eating, which has, in the first instance, given birth to dyspepsia.



Wanda