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The Causes of Indigestion

Indigestion, or dyspepsia, is a condition that can cause stomach upset. With indigestion, it may be common to experience bloating, nausea, burning sensations within your abdomen, feeling full and frequent belching. Indigestion is a broad term used to define a host of underlying issues that may result in your indigestion. This means that there may be a variety of causes resulting in your condition. Most common causes for indigestion are GERD and functional dyspepsia, but there are various other causes.

  1. GERD

    • Gastroesophageal reflux disease causes your stomach acid to reflux back into your esophagus, hence the name. The condition can cause irritation of your esophagus, as well as heartburn. You may also experience chest pain. Symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux can occur from time to time. However, if these symptoms occur more than twice a week, you may need to consult with a physician to reduce the severity of your symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is possible to develop a condition known as Barrett's esophagus, which is a precancerous occurrence of your esophagus.

    Functional Dyspepsia

    • Functional dyspepsia is a condition that is chronic. With functional dyspepsia, you will experience abdominal pain and discomfort. Other symptoms include feeling too full after meals or feeling full before finishing a meal. You can also experience a burning sensation in your abdomen, gas, bloating and belching. Treatments can vary with functional dyspepsia. Depending on the severity of your condition, you can be prescribed acid blockers, such as Zantac, to antibiotics. According to the Mayo Clinic, the prescribing of antibiotics can reduce symptoms of dyspepsia when you test positive for the bacteria H. pylori.

    Peptic Ulcer

    • A peptic ulcer can develop within your stomach, small intestine or esophagus. The presence of a peptic ulcer can cause a wide range of symptoms, such as a burning sensation within your stomach and pain that radiates through your stomach and chest. Pain from a peptic ulcer can become worse if you haven't eaten, and the pain may last up to several hours. If you begin to vomit blood, which can appear as black or red, have stools that are black or tarry, begin to lose weight, and experience nausea and vomiting, seek immediate medical attention, as this may be a sign of internal bleeding or infection.

    Stomach Cancer

    • The occurrence of stomach cancer can take many years to develop. According to the American Cancer Society, up to 95 percent of stomach cancers are adenocarcinomas, meaning they develop from the cells within your stomach lining. Symptoms of stomach cancer include feeling full immediately after eating, feeling full after eating only a little, heartburn, stomach pain, weight loss and nausea. If these symptoms become chronic, it is important to make an appointment with a specialist.

    Other Causes

    • Drinking carbonated liquids or overeating can be other common causes for indigestion. Fatty foods or greasy foods may cause indigestion as well. Other causes can include eating too fast, eating spicy foods, drinking caffeine, drinking alcohol, eating chocolate, smoking and inflammation of your stomach.

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