north east mississippi medical center
Description

Indigestion is a symptom characterized by a number of gastric conditions, including hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori, heartburn and dyspepsia. Since many of these conditions can cause serious health risks, it is important that your doctor visit, in order to properly diagnose the cause of your digestive disorder. The condition usually occurs after meals. People experience indigestion for a variety of reasons after eating a particular food, after eating too much food, after drinking alcohol or carbonated beverages, cigarettes, or after smoking. The frequency of occurrence also varies from person to person. Approximately one in ten adults experience indigestion weekly, while approximately one third of the experience it monthly.

Heartburn, a problem which the esophagus, is perhaps the most common form of indigestion. Your esophagus is a 10-inch-long pipe from the back of your mouth to your stomach. Food travels the esophagus into the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that opens to food to the stomach and closes to prevent food and acids from escaping from the stomach into the esophagus. Heartburn occurs when lower esophageal sphincter is weak or dysfunctional, the stomach acid to escape.

People who are overweight with an increased risk for the development of digestive disorders, because obesity can increase the pressure on the abdomen, which in turn can make it difficult for the lower esophageal sphincter to remain tightly closed. Pregnant women also have higher incidence of the disease because they also 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

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

Regurgitation of bitter liquid into the mouth or throat, in general, when lying

Nausea and vomiting

Conventional medical treatment

If you suffer from indigestion only occasionally, the liberation of "over-the-counter antacids, which neutralize stomach acids. It can also prevent future cases of indigestion by avoiding any food or drink that irritate your stomach .

If you frequent digestive disorder, see your doctor, trying to determine when your indigestion occurs, what foods and beverages, it seems, in which part of the abdomen the discomfort is strongest, and how long they will last. Your doctor may also want to create a series of tests to make sure that your indigestion is not a serious disease, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, colon cancer, gastric ulcer, gastritis, diseases of the pancreas, or irritable bowel syndrome. A barium X-ray, endoscopic examination of stomach and intestinal contents, or stool sample may be necessary. To unsubscribe from diseases of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder, or the doctor may also recommend an ultrasound examination of the organs.

If over-the-counter products do not help, your doctor may cimetidine (Tagamet), Ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid) or omeprazole (Prilosec) to block acid production in the stomach. A drug that increases the strength of the lower esophageal sphincter, as metocopramide or bethanechol, can also be prescribed.

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