What is Indigestion? And What Causes this Condition?

Approximately 41% of the American population has experienced indigestion at some point in their lives.

What is indigestion? Several individuals find it hard to distinguish indigestion from a simple stomach upset. Indigestion is a digestive system problem that brings discomfort and pain to the upper abdomen. People who have had this condition describe it as a “feeling of fullness” after meals, like as if the stomach has not digested its contents.

Clinically called as dyspepsia, indigestion is not just a condition by itself. It is said to be significantly a manifestation of underlying, more serious disease processes such as Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ulcers.

What is indigestion and what are its clinical symptoms?

The symptoms of indigestion include, but are not limited to:

Feeling of fullness, bloating
Flatulence, passing out of gas
Nausea and vomiting
Growling stomach
Burning sensation at the level of the stomach or upper abdomen
Acidic taste
Abdominal pain

Causes of indigestion

Indigestion may be caused by several factors: an underlying gastro-intestinal disease, medication, lifestyle, and pregnancy. These causative factors are briefly discussed as follows:

Underlying diseases that can cause indigestion

Diseases associated with indigestion include: GERD, Ulcers, Gastroparesis (delayed emptying of the stomach, prevalent in diabetic persons), Gastritis, Irritable bowel syndrome or spastic colon, Pancreatitis (Chronic), and thyroid problems. Stomach cancer also causes indigestion in rare cases.

On the other hand, there are some confused individuals who would want to really know what is indigestion’s underlying cause. There are a lot of information and facts, which point out GERD or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (but is commonly known as heartburn), as the major contributing factor to indigestion.

When one has heartburn, the acid in the stomach goes up to the esophagus because the cardiac sphincter, or the valve that prevents stomach contents to flow back to the esophagus, malfunctions (is either too loose or too narrow). When the acid rises up to the esophagus, the patient experiences pain and inflammation because the stomach’s acid is in contact with the lining of the digestive tract (mucosa).

Since the stomach couldn’t properly digest the food eaten due to the condition, indigestion occurs. On the other hand, stomach ulcer is also associated with this condition, since the stomach lining is denuded; the acid causes pain when it comes in contact with the tissues of the stomach. This is another manifestation of indigestion.

What is indigestion’s relation with pregnancy?

Indigestion is one of a woman’s discomforts in pregnancy during which time; the hormones estrogen and progesterone are secreted in significant amounts. It is said that these two hormones cause the relaxation of the cardiac sphincter, leading to GERD and indigestion. The pressure of the fetus to the stomach also contributes to the upward rise of the food towards the esophagus.

Medications

Certain medications are gastric irritants, and therefore they can stimulate the stomach’s acid and cause pain and inflammation. NSAIDs, aspirin, estrogen or oral contraceptives, steroids, some antibiotics and thyroid medicines can cause indigestion.

Lifestyle

Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, eating too much or eating too fast, an imbalanced diet of too much fat, stress, and fatigue are the lifestyle causes of indigestion.

Amidst the sea of information found in books and on the web, still, there are many people who are confused and clueless about what is indigestion. They often associate the condition as just merely a stomachache or a minor pain. Perhaps they don’t know that having symptoms of indigestion is a warning that something more serious may be happening to one’s body.

On the other hand, if these causes of indigestion are to be reviewed, it is evident that the factors that contribute to its development are highly modifiable, especially the lifestyle factor. Indigestion is a condition that needs proper treatment and attention. The first step in assuring that this condition wouldn’t go unnoticed is to educate the public about what is indigestion.

Our website has a world of information on herbal remedies for indigestion and heartburn. You may want to read more of our articles on the subject. We are also always adding more information.