Types of Indigestion

Indigestion is a term that covers the symptoms of fullness, nausea, heartburn or discomfort due to gasiness that occurs in a person's digestive tract. Indigestion occurs when a person is eating or right after a meal, a problem that usually clears up on its own after a little time. Indigestion is common, with a quarter of the American population experiencing it frequently. Very few people actually seek medical help for their indigestion, of which there are three major types.

Effects

• One type of indigestion is esophagitis, which is an inflammation of the esophagus, the long tube like organ that carries food to the stomach. Stomach acid sometimes backs up into the esophagus, which lacks the protective coating of mucous that the stomach has. This digestive acid will irritate the lower portion of the esophagus and cause what is known as heartburn, a common form of indigestion.

Misconceptions

• Smokers that are older than 45 years old are liable to develop a type of indigestion known as peptic ulcer indigestion. In this instance the tissues that line the stomach are infected with a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, more commonly referred to as H. pylori. This bacterium irritates the lining of mucous in the stomach wall and results in the symptoms of indigestion. The widespread belief that ulcers of this type were brought about by too much stress or by ingesting spicy foods is still held despite the medical evidence to the contrary that focuses the blame on bacterial infection.

Theories/Speculation

• Almost two-thirds of indigestion is caused by what is called non-ulcer indigestion. Often called functional dyspepsia, this type of indigestion seems to result from how the stomach empties into the small intestine in an abnormal manner. The stomach may empty slowly or too quickly, or it may endure irregular contractions that cause this condition. Sensitive nerves ending located in the tissues of the stomach are thought to have something to do with this problem, with many people who suffer from this type of indigestion under the age of 45.

Identification

• It is difficult in quite a few instances to pinpoint which type of indigestion a person may be suffering from, since the symptoms are often the same in each type. Such factors as where pain is located, when it occurs, how often it comes back and how severe it feels are all taken into account before a doctor orders further tests to determine the problem.

Prevention/Solution

• An endoscopy can be a useful tool in determining what is responsible for indigestion. It involves snaking a slender tube with a light and camera mounted on the end into a person's stomach through the esophagus. If the indigestion is of the esophagitis or non-ulcer type, then there will be nothing wrong with the stomach lining. However, if peptic ulcer indigestion is the culprit, then there will be evidence in the tissue lining the stomach of this.