Literally, "difficulty in digesting," or indigestion. Most
people experience dyspepsia at some time in their lives, since indigestion is
extremely common. It is
ordinarily not a serious
problem unless it is
either constant or prolonged for many weeks. It can be associated with
irregular meals, alcoholic excess, and eating foods to
which one is unaccustomed.
The symptoms include belching, a feeling of
distension in the upper part of the abdomen, an acidic taste in the mouth, stomach pains, and sometimes nausea. Common
causes include eating fatty
foods (especially when fried),
foods that contain sulfur (such as eggs, cucumbers, onions, and salads) or
strongly acid foods (fruit and wines). Dyspepsia is
sometimes associated with smoking on an empty stomach,
skipping meals, and chronic anxiety---with consequent excess secretions of gastric acid.
If dyspepsia is continual,
regularly causes disruption of sleep, or occurs after
every meal, it may be a symptom of a developing ulcer. Prompt
medical attention should be
sought to confirm the
diagnosis and permit early treatment.
In mild
cases the most effective
treatment is the use of oral antacids---particularly the
effervescent types---which usually will
relieve the discomfort.