This is because they can hide some of the problems that could otherwise be spotted during the endoscopy. If your indigestion symptoms are caused by an infection with H pylori bacteria, you will need to have treatment to clear the infection from your stomach. This should help relieve your indigestion, because the H pylori bacteria will no longer be increasing the amount of acid in your stomach. H pylori infection is usually treated using triple therapy treatment with three different medications.
Your GP will prescribe a course of treatment containing:. You will need to take these medicines twice a day for seven days. You must follow the dosage instructions closely to ensure that the triple therapy is effective. However, you may need to have more than one course of treatment if it does not clear the infection the first time. In most cases, indigestion dyspepsia is mild and only occurs occasionally. However, severe indigestion can cause complications, some of which are outlined below.
Indigestion is often caused by acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid leaks back up into your gullet oesophagus and irritates its lining. If this irritation builds up over time, it can cause your oesophagus to become scarred. The scarring can eventually lead to your oesophagus becoming narrow and constricted known as oesophageal stricture.
Like oesophageal stricture, pyloric stenosis is caused by long-term irritation of the lining of your digestive system from stomach acid.
Pyloric stenosis occurs when the passage between your stomach and your small intestine known as the pylorus becomes scarred and narrowed. This causes vomiting and prevents any food you eat from being properly digested.
In most cases, pyloric stenosis is treated using surgery to return the pylorus to its proper width. Repeated episodes of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD can lead to changes in the cells lining your lower oesophagus. The average age at diagnosis is This means that while changes in the cells are not cancerous, there is a small risk they could develop into "full blown" cancer in the future. This would then trigger the onset of oesophageal cancer. Home Illnesses and conditions Stomach, liver and gastrointestinal tract Indigestion.
Indigestion See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About indigestion 2. Symptoms of indigestion 3. Causes of indigestion 4. Diagnosing indigestion 5. Treating indigestion 6. Complications of indigestion. About indigestion Indigestion can be pain or discomfort in your upper abdomen dyspepsia or burning pain behind the breastbone heartburn. Common associated symptoms include: feeling full or bloated feeling sick nausea belching bringing up regurgitating fluid or food into the gullet oesophagus Indigestion is a common problem that affects many people, but in most cases it's mild and only occurs occasionally.
Why it happens Indigestion may be caused by stomach acid coming into contact with the sensitive, protective lining of the digestive system mucosa.
Treating indigestion at home Most people are able to treat indigestion with simple changes to their diet and lifestyle, or with a number of different medications, such as antacids. Pharmacy First Scotland: Indigestion treatment from your pharmacy If you have symptoms of indigestion you can get treatment directly from a pharmacy. Find your local pharmacy on Scotland's Service Directory.
However, your pharmacist may advise you see your GP if you have recurring indigestion and any of the following apply: you are 55 years old or over you have lost a lot of weight without meaning to you have increasing difficulty swallowing dysphagia you have persistent vomiting you have iron deficiency anaemia you have a lump in your stomach you have blood in your vomit or blood in your stools This is because these symptoms may be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as a stomach ulcer or stomach cancer.
Symptoms of indigestion The main symptom of indigestion is pain or a feeling of discomfort in your upper abdomen dyspepsia. If you have indigestion, you may also have symptoms such as: feeling uncomfortably full or heavy belching or flatulence passing wind bringing food or fluid back up from your stomach reflux bloating feeling sick nausea vomiting.
Causes of indigestion Indigestion has a number of different causes, but it's rarely due to a serious, underlying condition. Medications You may have indigestion if you take certain types of medication.
Obesity If you are very overweight, you are more likely to experience indigestion because of increased pressure inside your stomach abdomen. Stress or anxiety If you regularly experience feelings of stress or anxiety, this can contribute to symptoms of indigestion.
Hiatus hernia A hernia occurs when an internal part of the body, such as an organ, pushes through a weakness in the surrounding muscle or tissue wall. Helicobacter pylori infection Helicobacter infection is very common.
Stomach ulcers A stomach ulcer is an open sore that develops on the inside lining of your stomach a gastric ulcer or small intestine a duodenal ulcer. Stomach cancer In rare cases, recurring bouts of indigestion can be a symptom of stomach cancer. Diagnosing indigestion For most people, indigestion dyspepsia is mild and infrequent, and does not require treatment from a healthcare professional. They will ask about your indigestion symptoms, as well as: any other symptoms you have — which may indicate an underlying health condition any medication you are taking — as some medications can cause indigestion your lifestyle — as some lifestyle factors, such as smoking, drinking alcohol or being overweight, can cause indigestion Depending on the type of indigestion symptoms you have, your pharmacist may recommend you see your GP to investigate your condition further.
Details of some of the further investigations you may have are outlined below. Further investigations Endoscopy You may be referred to hospital to have an endoscopy. An endoscopy is not often needed to diagnose indigestion, but your GP may suggest that you have one if: they need to examine the inside of your abdomen in more detail you have had treatment for indigestion that has not worked you have any serious symptoms of indigestion Read more about having an endoscopy.
Diagnosing H pylori infection If your GP thinks that your symptoms may be due to an infection with H pylori bacteria, you may need to have a test for it, such as: a stool antigen test — a pea-sized stool faeces sample will be tested for H pylori bacteria a breath test a blood test — a blood sample will be tested for antibodies to H pylori bacteria antibodies are proteins produced by the body to fight infection Antibiotics and PPIs can affect the results of a urea breath test or a stool antigen test.
Diagnosing other conditions If your GP thinks that your indigestion symptoms may be caused by another underlying medical condition, you may need to have some further tests to rule this out. Treating indigestion Treatment for indigestion dyspepsia will vary, depending on what is causing it and how severe your symptoms are. If you have been diagnosed with an underlying health condition, you may want to read our information on: treating gastro-oesophageal reflux disease GORD treating a stomach ulcer Diet and lifestyle changes If you only have indigestion occasionally, you may not need to see your pharmacist or GP for treatment.
Healthy weight Being overweight puts more pressure on your stomach, making it easier for stomach acid to be pushed back up into your gullet oesophagus. Stop smoking If you smoke, the chemicals you inhale in cigarette smoke may contribute to your indigestion.
Lying down after eating may cause indigestion due to the rise of stomach acid. This is more likely if you have acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux….
Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Why Do I Have Indigestion? Medically reviewed by Michele Cho-Dorado, M. What is indigestion? Causes of indigestion. Diagnosing indigestion. Treatment options for indigestion. Read this next.
How to Treat Indigestion at Home. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Medically reviewed by Femi Aremu, PharmD. Accessed April 20, Merck Manual Professional Version. Wilkinson JM, et al. Gas, bloating, and belching: Approach to evaluation and management.
American Family Physician. Accessed May 3, Zhang J, et al. Efficacy comparison of different acupuncture treatments for functional dyspepsia: A systematic review with network meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Kim YS, et al. Herbal therapies in functional gastrointestinal disorders: A narrative review and clinical application. Frontiers in Psychiatry. Sometimes when you have indigestion, you may also have heartburn.
However, heartburn and indigestion are two separate conditions. If you have indigestion and any of the following symptoms, you may have a more serious condition and should see a doctor right away:.
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