Dyspepsia (cont.)
What are the symptoms of dyspepsia (indigestion)?
We usually think of symptoms of dyspepsia as originating from the upper
gastrointestinal tract, primarily the stomach and first part of the small
intestine. These symptoms include:
- upper abdominal pain (above the navel),
- belching,
- nausea (with or without
vomiting),
- abdominal bloating (the sensation
of abdominal fullness without objective distention),
- early satiety (the
sensation of fullness after a very small amount of food), and,
- possibly, abdominal distention (swelling as
opposed to bloating).
The symptoms most often are provoked by eating,
which is a time when many different gastrointestinal functions are called upon
to work in concert. This tendency to occur after meals is what gave rise to the notion that dyspepsia might be caused by an abnormality in the digestion of food.
It is appropriate to discuss belching in detail since it is a commonly
misunderstood symptom associated with dyspepsia. The ability to belch is almost
universal. Belching, also known as burping or eructating, is the act of
expelling gas from the stomach out through the mouth. The usual cause of
belching is a distended (inflated) stomach that is caused by swallowed air or
gas. The distention of the stomach causes abdominal discomfort, and the belching
expels the air and relieves the discomfort. The common reasons for swallowing
large amounts of air (aerophagia) or gas are gulping food or drink too rapidly,
anxiety, and carbonated beverages. People often are unaware that they are
swallowing air. Moreover, if there is not excess air in the stomach, the act of
belching actually may cause more air to be swallowed. "Burping" infants
during bottle or breastfeeding is important in order to expel air in the
stomach that has been swallowed with the formula or milk.
Excessive air in the stomach is not the only cause of belching. For some
people, belching becomes a habit and does not reflect the amount of air in their
stomachs. For others, belching is a response to any type of abdominal discomfort
and not just to discomfort due to increased gas. Everyone knows that when they
have mild abdominal discomfort, belching often relieves the problem. This is because excessive air in the stomach is often the cause of mild abdominal
discomfort. As a result, people belch whenever mild abdominal discomfort is felt-whatever
the cause.
If the problem causing the discomfort is not excessive air in the stomach, then
belching does not provide relief. As mentioned previously, it even may make the
situation worse by increasing air in the stomach. When belching does not ease the
discomfort, the belching should be taken as a sign that something may be wrong
within the abdomen and that the cause of the discomfort should be sought.
Belching by itself, however, does not help the physician determine what may be
wrong because belching can occur in virtually any abdominal disease or condition that causes discomfort.
Next: What causes dyspepsia (indigestion)? »
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