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 e
