Next to the common cold, indigestion is the most common excuse to take a sick-day. Indigestion is actually a blanket term for any number of gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and gas, which can be embarrassing and annoying but symptoms such as these should not be ignored. This ailment has a wide range of causes and the right food choices and good digestion is the key to obtaining and maintaining over-all health and well-being. See your doctor if discomfort and pain is chronic and persistent or if symptoms are extreme.
Causes of Indigestion
Reflux
Dyspepsia is a common disorder of the digestive tract. Heartburn, regurgitation of food or acid, excessive burping or belching, bloating, nausea, feeling of abnormal or slow digestion, or feeling full very quickly are among the symptoms.
GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disorder) occurs when stomach acid washes back in the esophagus causing a burning sensation in the chest. Dyspepsia is a pain or discomfort in the upper or middle part of the stomach often caused by excess production of stomach acid, which may erode the stomach’s own lining causing an ulcer.
Ulcers
An imbalance in stomach acid or damage to the lining of the stomach and intestines are the likely cause of ulcers. A peptic ulcer is a sore or lesion that develops in the mucous lining and underlying tissue of the digestive tract. Pain from an ulcer is generally felt in the abdomen, between the sternum, the chest bone, and the navel.
Food Intolerance and Allergies
In some cases, symptoms of indigestion are from specific causes and require specific treatments. A food intolerance or allergy is a frequent cause of pain, diarrhea and gas. An ample quantity and quality of digestive enzymes are needed to break down, process and deliver food to maintain good health. An overabundance of processed, fatty food, lack of a balanced diet particularly not enough protein, and high stress levels often decrease our body’s ability to produce enough of the enzymes and hormones we need. When these enzyme levels dip, chronic digestive disorders may be experienced. When the digestive system is unable to break down and absorb certain foods, your body reacts to give you the alarm with indigestion.
Emotional Stress
That knot in your stomach is not just your imagination. Stress can cause physical symptoms in the body including severe abdominal cramps. Doctors advise that stress is not the situation we face but rather in how we respond to it. As our stresses pile up, tension mounts and more stress hormones are produced, eventually resulting in a physiological breakdown of our body systems. This can cause painful indigestion symptoms such as spasms in the muscular walls of the stomach and intestinal walls.
When to See a Doctor
Though indigestion is a common ailment, it is important to listen to your gut and be aware of changes that persist or are extreme. It is critical to see your doctor if you experience recurring symptoms that last longer than a few hours to a day without obvious reasons. These include abdominal pain or cramping before or after meals, feelings of fullness, bloating or gassiness, nausea or vomiting, pain or difficulty in swallowing, loss of appetite, drastic unexplained weight loss, indigestion, bleeding or pain when passing waste, feeling that the bowels are not emptying completely, diarrhea and constipation. A physician can also determine whether your indigestion is linked to a disorder such as diabetes, allergies, thyroid conditions, cancer or neurological disease.
