Dyspepsia: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Dyspepsia, commonly referred to as indigestion, is a frequent gastrointestinal complaint that affects people of all ages. It is characterized by discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen, often occurring after meals. While dyspepsia is usually not a serious condition, persistent symptoms may indicate an underlying digestive disorder that requires medical attention.
What Is Dyspepsia?
Dyspepsia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms related to impaired digestion. Rather than being a single disease, it represents a collection of digestive complaints that typically originate in the upper gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach and the first part of the small intestine.
Dyspepsia can be classified into two main types:
Functional dyspepsia: Indigestion with no identifiable structural or biochemical cause.
Organic dyspepsia: Indigestion caused by an underlying condition such as peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or gastritis.