Signs you may be suffering from indigestion
The most common signs include: belching, heartburn, bloating and nausea, acid reflux, abdominal pain, acid taste in the mouth, growling stomach discomfort, constipation or diarrhea and decreased appetite.
What causes indigestion?
The causes of indigestion can be categorised into 3 parts: underlying disease, medication and lifestyle.
Underlying Diseases
According to webmd.com, the following illnesses can be associated with indigestion: Ulcers, GERD, stomach cancer, gastroparesis (a condition where the stomach doesn't empty properly, a common condition among people with diabetes), stomach infections, irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas), and thyroid disease.
Medication
According to emedicinehealth.com, the following medication can lead to indigestion:
Aspirin and many other painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); steroids such as prednisone, methylprednisolone [Medrol, Medrol Dosepak], and Decadron; estrogen and oral contraceptives; antibiotics (such as erythromycin and tetracycline); thyroid medication; blood pressure medication; cholesterol medications (statin drugs); and pain medications (codeine and other narcotics)
Lifestyle
emedicinehealth.com suggests that the following lifestyle conditions can lead to indigestion: Eating too much, eating too fast; eating fatty, greasy or spicy foods; excessive alcohol intake; smoking; stress, fatigue and anxiety; caffeine; and moderate to intense exercise immediately after eating.
What are the treatment options?
Depending on what the main cause of your indigestion is, a corresponding treatment is also necessary.
Treating the underlying condition is necessary to help ease the discomfort associated with indigestion. Proper medication will be prescribed by your healthcare professional to deal with the specific condition.
If the cause is medication, it is best to inform your healthcare practitioner so a replacement can be prescribed. It is also wise to avoid taking over the counter pain killers as this often cause indigestion.
For lifestyle causing indigestion, simply changing your lifestyle pertaining to the specific cause can definitely help.
How to prevent?
- More often than not, prevention is better than cure. By preventing the cause of indigestion, treatment may no longer be required. Here are some useful tips from emedicinehealth.com:
- Do not chew with your mouth open, talk while chewing, or eat quickly. This causes you to swallow air, which can aggravate indigestion.
- Chew food completely and eat slowly.
- Drink fluids after meals, rather than during.
- Avoid late-night eating.
- Avoid spicy, greasy foods.
- Quit smoking.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages.
- Avoid caffeine.
- Wait at least one hour after eating to exercise.
- Always take aspirin and NSAIDs with food.
- If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to a food, avoid the aggravating foods.
- Meditation may help if indigestion is caused by stress or anxiety.
Page updated 06/04/18 12:47:36 p.m.
