Indigestion (also known as upset stomach or dyspepsia) is discomfort or a burning feeling in the upper abdomen, often accompanied by nausea, abdominal bloating, belching, and sometimes vomiting. Heartburn is another term some people use when describing indigestion. Nearly everyone has had indigestion at one time.*

 

Indigestion can be caused by a disease in the digestive tract such as ulcer or gastroesophageal reflux disease (also know as GERD), but for many people, it results from eating too much, eating too quickly, eating high-fat foods, or eating during stressful situations. That is why in order to prevent indigestion, it is recommended to eliminate the aforementioned activities.*

 

Since smoking, taking medications that irritate the stomach lining, drinking too much alcohol, being tired, and having ongoing stress can also cause indigestion or make it worse, these activities should be reduced for those concerned with indigestion.*

 

Some people have persistent indigestion that is not related to any of these factors. This type of indigestion—called functional or nonulcer dyspepsia—may be caused by a problem in the muscular squeezing action of the stomach (motility).*