Functional dyspepsia is a fairly common condition. The symptoms caused by this condition can be similar to those caused by ulcers or peptic ulcers. However, as the name implies, this condition is not caused by an ulcer. Women are considered more at risk of experiencing functional dyspepsia than men.
Various Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia
People who experience functional dyspepsia will generally feel symptoms of upper abdominal pain (solar plexus) accompanied by feelings of bloating, belching, and nausea.
Apart from that, several other functional dyspepsia symptoms may appear, including:
- Quickly feel full when eating
- Can't finish eating normal portions
- Stomach feels very full after eating
- Mouth tastes sour or bitter
- Vomit
- Weight loss
Causes of Functional Dyspepsia
The cause of the appearance of symptoms of functional dyspepsia is not clearly known. However, some experts consider that this condition is related to acute inflammatory conditions in the intestine. In addition, there are certain diseases or conditions that can also increase the risk of functional dyspepsia, namely:
- Changes in the balance of gut bacteria
- Helicobacter pylori bacterial infection
- Gastrointestinal disease
- Impaired gastric function in processing food
- Inflammation in the upper digestive tract
- Side effects of drugs, such as NSAID class drugs
Apart from the things above, functional dyspepsia can also be affected by an unhealthy lifestyle, such as an irregular eating schedule, consuming too much spicy food and sweet food, consuming too much caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages, and smoking habits.
Psychological stress, such as anxiety, stress, or depression, can also trigger functional dyspepsia symptoms. These factors can also exacerbate the symptoms that appear.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia
How to deal with functional dyspepsia needs to be adjusted to the cause and severity of the symptoms. Therefore, before carrying out treatment, the doctor will conduct a search for patient complaints and a physical examination first.
To ensure that complaints are not caused by other conditions, it is likely that the doctor will also carry out several supporting examinations which include:
- Blood tests, to help detect diseases that trigger symptoms
- Bacterial test, to look for signs of pylori infection
- Endoscopy, to examine the condition of the stomach directly
After functional dyspepsia has been confirmed, then the doctor can provide appropriate treatment. The following are some medical treatments that can help treat functional dyspepsia:
1. Simethicone
Medicines containing simethicone can help reduce gas in the intestines so that they are effective for treating flatulence due to functional dyspepsia,
2. H2 antagonists
H2 antagonists can be used to reduce stomach acid production. These types of drugs include famotidine and ranitidine.
3. Proton pump inhibitor
Proton pump inhibitors work by blocking the enzyme systems that produce and release stomach acid. These types of drugs include omeprazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole.
4. Prokinetic agents
Prokinetic agents can help empty the stomach more quickly and also tighten the valve between the stomach and esophagus, so that the stomach doesn't feel full and stomach acid doesn't rise up. An example of this drug is metoclopramide.
5. Low-dose antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants in low doses can also help reduce complaints of heartburn in functional dyspepsia, especially those that are strongly suspected of being related to psychological distress. An example of this drug is amitriptyline.
6. Antibiotics
Antibiotics can be consumed if the symptoms of functional dyspepsia that appear are triggered by an infection with the H. pylori bacteria. In this case, you are required to finish the antibiotic to ensure that the bacteria in the stomach have been completely destroyed.
Apart from using medical treatment, the doctor may suggest psychological therapy to treat functional dyspepsia. The doctor will also recommend adopting a healthy diet, namely by eating balanced nutritious foods and stomach-friendly foods.
In addition, maintaining an ideal body weight, managing stress well, not smoking, and not consuming excessive alcoholic beverages can also have a big effect on improving symptoms of functional dyspepsia.
If you have functional dyspepsia and the symptoms are getting worse, for example causing vomiting, black bowel movements, and weakness, consult a doctor immediately to get further tests, because these symptoms could be caused by a more serious disease .
