What are the complications of indigestion?
Dyspepsia in most cases is not a serious condition but it does lead to much discomfort and it affects feelings of well-being. If it persists, it should be checked out to make sure there are no serious problems, which might need special treatment.
Persistent pain lasts for 4 weeks or more, but dyspepsia comes and goes for months at a time. Many people therefore don't seek medical advice and tend to use retail medicines from the chemist shop, like antacids, rather than seek the benefit of other medicines from the doctor.
The complications of functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are relatively limited. Since symptoms are most often provoked by eating, patients who alter their diets and reduce their intake of calories may lose weight. However, loss of weight is unusual in functional diseases. In fact, loss of weight should suggest the presence of non-functional diseases. Symptoms that awaken patients from sleep also are more likely to be due to non-functional than functional disease.
Most commonly, functional diseases interfere with patients' comfort and daily activities. Persons who develop nausea or pain after eating may skip breakfast or lunch. Patients also commonly associate symptoms with specific foods (e.g., milk, fat, vegetables). Whether or not the associations are real, these patients will restrict their diets accordingly. Milk is the most common food that is eliminated, often unnecessarily and to the detriment of adequate calcium intake. The interference with daily activities also can lead to problems with interpersonal relationships, especially with spouses. Most patients with functional disease live with their symptoms and infrequently visit physicians for diagnosis and treatment. |
More information on indigestion (dyspepsia)
What is indigestion (dyspepsia)? - Indigestion (dyspepsia) is a non specific term for a variety of symptoms resulting from a failure of proper breakdown and absorption of food in the alimentary canal.
What causes indigestion (dyspepsia)? - A disease or an ulcer in the digestive tract might cause indigestion. Being tired or stressed, smoking, or drinking too much alcohol or caffeinated beverages can cause indigestion.
What are the symptoms of indigestion? - Symptoms of indigestion are burning in the stomach or upper abdomen, heartburn, abdominal pain, bloating, belching and gas, nausea, vomiting, acidic taste.
How is indigestion (dyspepsia) diagnosed? - Indigestion is a nonspecific set of symptoms, patients who feel sick enough to seek medical attention are likely to go to their primary care doctor.
What are the complications of indigestion? - Dyspepsia in most cases is not a serious condition but it does lead to much discomfort and it affects feelings of well-being.
What're the treatments for indigestion? - The treatment of indigestion is based on assessment of symptoms and suspected causative factors. A range of indigestion treatments can be bought from the pharmacy.
How to prevent indigestion? - The best way to treat indigestion is to prevent it by avoiding the foods and situations that seem to cause indigestion. |
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