Digestive Health Center Basics
Finding the Source of Your Indigestion
If you experience heartburn and upset stomach after almost every meal, what you're eating may not be the problem.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Print Email
You may recognize the signs of indigestion — heartburn, that uncomfortably full feeling, maybe even some nausea. And you probably know that cutting back on greasy and spicy foods, as well as sticking to healthy portion sizes, can do a lot to prevent indigestion. But what if you've made all those changes and you're still suffering from an upset stomach after almost every meal?
Indigestion: What Your Doctor Will Do First
Indigestion can mean different things to different people. That's why it's important to clearly explain your upset stomach symptoms to your doctor so that he will know the best way to tackle your indigestion problem.
"When someone says indigestion, they need to be specific about what the symptom is," says Francisco J. Marrero, MD, a gastroenterologist with the Digestive Disease Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. One person could be talking about acid reflux, while others could be referring to heartburn, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or other digestive health problems. "The most important thing is to figure out exactly what the patient is talking about," says Dr. Marrero.
Initially, your doctor will offer various treatment options to see if your indigestion gets any better before running a battery of tests, as long as there aren't any alarming symptoms, like weight loss. If this therapeutic trial is successful, you may not need any further tests. If it is not, what tests your doctor orders will depend on your specific symptoms.
"It all depends on what the initial presentation is. [For] almost everyone who comes in with any kind of vague upper abdominal discomfort, we're always going to run some baseline labs," which are basic blood tests to look for potential problems, says Marrero. From there, more extensive testing can be done to identify conditions like gastroparesis (slow emptying of the stomach), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), or a bacterial infection.
If you experience heartburn and upset stomach after almost every meal, what you're eating may not be the problem.
By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Print Email
You may recognize the signs of indigestion — heartburn, that uncomfortably full feeling, maybe even some nausea. And you probably know that cutting back on greasy and spicy foods, as well as sticking to healthy portion sizes, can do a lot to prevent indigestion. But what if you've made all those changes and you're still suffering from an upset stomach after almost every meal?
Indigestion: What Your Doctor Will Do First
Indigestion can mean different things to different people. That's why it's important to clearly explain your upset stomach symptoms to your doctor so that he will know the best way to tackle your indigestion problem.
"When someone says indigestion, they need to be specific about what the symptom is," says Francisco J. Marrero, MD, a gastroenterologist with the Digestive Disease Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. One person could be talking about acid reflux, while others could be referring to heartburn, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or other digestive health problems. "The most important thing is to figure out exactly what the patient is talking about," says Dr. Marrero.
Initially, your doctor will offer various treatment options to see if your indigestion gets any better before running a battery of tests, as long as there aren't any alarming symptoms, like weight loss. If this therapeutic trial is successful, you may not need any further tests. If it is not, what tests your doctor orders will depend on your specific symptoms.
"It all depends on what the initial presentation is. [For] almost everyone who comes in with any kind of vague upper abdominal discomfort, we're always going to run some baseline labs," which are basic blood tests to look for potential problems, says Marrero. From there, more extensive testing can be done to identify conditions like gastroparesis (slow emptying of the stomach), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), or a bacterial infection.
