Indigestion Or Dyspepsia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

The word dyspepsia comes from Latin or from Greek duspepsia, from dys- + pepsis digestion.

What is indigestion? What are the symptoms?

Indigestion or dyspepsia is referred to nonspecific symptoms or discomfort characterized by features like:

Persistent or recurrent pain in the upper abdomen/ lower chest pain

Feeling of fullness soon after the meal starts. The individual can’t finish the meal.

Feel of excessive fullness following a meal, like the food is staying in the stomach too long

Bloating, belching, flatulence

Anorexia, nausea, vomiting


Indigestion is common in adults. It has to be understood that heartburn is distinct from dyspepsia. It is a painful and burning feel in the chest that radiates towards the neck or back. Heartburn is caused by stomach acid rising into the food pipe (the oesophagus) and this condition may be caused caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Both indigestion and heartburn can occur in the same individual and together.

The Splendid Stomach - Animation

The prevalence of indigestion or dyspepsia is about 25%.