Dyspepsia

Further Information

• Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
• YourDigestiveHealth.ca
• The Canadian Society of Intestinal Research

Interactive Learning

Dyspepsia (sometimes called indigestion) is a symptom complex of pain in the upper abdomen or discomfort thought to originate in the upper alimentary tract. It may include any of the following symptoms: heartburn, regurgitation of food or acid, excessive burping/belching, increased abdominal bloating, nausea, feeling of abnormal or slow digestion, or early satiety. Dyspepsia is often used to describe these symptoms when the cause is not clear.

Some people can help to avoid dyspepsia by identifying and avoiding foods that disagree with them, by not eating too quickly and by avoiding stress where possible. Other people need medicines to control their condition, such as proton-pump inhibitors and H₂-receptor antagonists, which reduce the production of acid in the stomach.