Indigestion can have many causes, but the vast majority of stomach pains are due to trivial reasons. Such as a large meal or eaten too quickly. “Indigestion” is a general term that indicates a series of ailments. That occurs after a meal and can be burning, heaviness, nausea, widespread pain in the abdomen, bloating, meteorism, and so on. Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, is a set of symptoms that many different factors can trigger. In this article, we will give you full-on information about what does indigestion feel like.
It is generally divided into two types:
- occasional dyspepsia, when it occurs only once in a while.
- Recurrent or chronic dyspepsia when it occurs for several consecutive days or with a high frequency.
Functional dyspepsia is chronic but without specific causes, and the discomfort related to poor digestion occurs either immediately after a meal or an hour or two after eating. The frequency varies greatly from person to person. Even the same individual can present the symptoms differ according to the different moments and circumstances of life, including countless organic, psychological, and environmental factors.
Some people have to contend with heaviness, stomach acid, stomach pain, and sometimes even nausea, only once or twice a year. In contrast, others quite often suffer from these ailments, presenting themselves as mild discomfort or pain. Real. In the first case, in general, it is an annoying disorder, but substantially of a minor entity that can be managed with self-medication drugs and the pharmacist’s advice. On the other hand, in the second case, the symptoms are more serious and more frequent. It is always better to go to the doctor to check and choose the most appropriate therapy.
MAIN CAUSES OF INDIGESTION
The causes of indigestion are extremely varied and are sometimes easier to manage than you think. Pay attention to eating habits. A meal that is too abundant, especially if rich in fatty foods and proteins. And elaborate dishes that involve the simultaneous use of many ingredients, spices, or foods that you are not used to taking; a sandwich devoured, without chewing well and/or drinking ice water or soft drinks between bites; a lunch break, spent in front of the computer, talking excitedly with a colleague or on the phone, are all circumstances that make digestion very difficult and lead the stomach to produce an excess of gastric juices in an attempt to dispose of too heavy or ingested food too fast.
The more food we eat, the more the number of gastric acids that the stomach will have to secrete to digest it. Even more, if the foods introduced is particularly caloric, fatty, or of a protein nature, this results in a feeling of bloating because the volume of food causes the dilation of the stomach walls. Suppose the pressure exerted by the gastric juices is such as also irritate the sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach (cardia). In that case, it can cause it to partially open.
SYMPTOMS OF INDIGESTION: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
What does indigestion feel like usually manifest itself with abdominal swelling, heaviness, burning, up to belching, and nausea? Sometimes, however, the disorder is such that chills and a feeling of cold, sweating, and headache occur.
DIAGNOSIS: WHAT TO TELL THE DOCTOR AND WHICH EXAMINATIONS MAY BE NECESSARY
Occasional indigestion, clearly referable to specific triggers, does not normally require medical attention. On the other hand, when the disorder tends to recur. It is often advisable to investigate the situation and try to trace the cause that determines it to identify therapies that can eliminate or, at least, mitigate the discomfort. The doctor must be told how long digestive difficulties have been present, how often they appear. What occasions they occur and/or worsen, what symptoms characterize them, and how long they last.
It is also necessary to describe to the doctor one’s eating and living habits, the professional activity carried out, the times and methods of meals. Besides informing him of any medications, natural/alternative remedies, and supplements taken and the related reasons, it can always be useful to keep a food diary to note the direct reaction to certain foods. For a good diagnosis, it is also advisable to add some details about your psychological state and any significant events in your life, if they occurred in the same period of time in which the digestive disorders began, to allow the doctor to have a more precise picture and prescribe the right diagnostic tests on the abdomen.
TREATMENT OF INDIGESTION
Chamomile or an infusion of lemon balm with a little lemon juice, or even just water and lemon, very hot; a digestive herbal tea made from fennel seeds, anise, licorice, artichoke, milk thistle, and ginger; lozenges of licorice or ginger to be allowed to dissolve slowly in the mouth. These simple natural remedies can offer significant relief for stomach pain from what indigestion feels like. When, in addition to heaviness and swelling, acidity and nausea are also present, it is useful to resort to drugs. Including self-medication, to be requested directly from the pharmacist.
To reduce swelling and heaviness in a targeted way. It is necessary to focus on compounds capable of promoting gastric emptying. For this purpose, there are prokinetic substances that favour gastric movements and help to empty. They also have an important action on nausea. The most suitable substances can absorb excess gases such as dimethicone, simethicone, or vegetable carbon, which have a soothing action on the phenomena of belching, flatulence caused by an excess of air in the stomach. On the other hand, acidity can be tackled with bicarbonate-based salts, such as sodium or magnesium bicarbonate. If an older adult or a person suffering from one or more specific diseases and/or already being treated with other medicines is experiencing indigestion, it is good to ask your doctor for advice before taking antacids and prokinetics.
PREVENTION: HOW TO AVOID INDIGESTION
It is important to eat healthy and balanced to prevent indigestion episodes, avoiding the foods you know tolerate less. But above all, it is advisable to take the time to consume the meal in peace. Taking care to chew well and slowly. On dairy products and legumes, there are controversial opinions. It is always good to take them in moderation and evaluate these foods’ personal reactions. To consume them reasonably based on personal tolerance levels. Foods that it would be better not to keep in the kitchen and consume only on special occasions are foods notoriously difficult to digest for any stomach. Such as fried foods, dips, sausages, aged cheeses, complex culinary preparations, especially if accompanied by drinks. Alcoholic.
Whatever food you choose, to digest it well, it is essential to chew. It thoroughly chops it up as much as possible and mixes it with saliva. Thus reducing the stomach’s subsequent work. Therefore, to reduce the risk of post-prandial illness. It is essential to avoid eating too quickly and try to do it without being disturbed and without stress. Turning off the phone for a few minutes could also help. Another useful and often reiterated but little followed advice is to avoid concentrating food intake on one or two main meals. But expect at least 4-5 lighter ones.
Triggers of indigestion: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
- Excessive alcohol consumption.
- Highly seasoned or fatty foods.
- Eating too much.
- Eating too fast.
- Nervousness and stress.
- Too much caffeine.
- Tobacco.
As a result, the increasing burning sensation makes the normal functioning of our system nearly impossible. However, it can be easy to cure what indigestion feels like quickly, so we show you the most suitable ways to do it.
Chamomile: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
This plant has powerful properties that help improve digestion, relieve nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and the various ailments in this area. It has a fairly fast effect; add a sachet of chamomile to a cup of hot water, wait 5 minutes and drink slowly.
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Cinnamon tea
Ideal for relieving the heaviness and annoyance typical of fullness. You only have to drink a cup of this herbal tea. As soon as you feel indigestion symptoms, you will see that they will disappear.
Fresh coriander: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
Thanks to its properties, this plant is an excellent ally to relieve indigestion. Boil a sprig of coriander for 10 minutes, then let the herbal tea rest and drink it.
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Herbal tea
After a heavy meal, drinking herbal tea controls indigestion well. Take a tea bag and dip it in a cup of hot water. Let it rest for 5 minutes and then drink it while it is still hot.
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Orange: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
It is a fruit that helps you get quick relief, as it contains citric and ascorbic acid. The ideal is to drink freshly squeezed orange juice before eating, as it will help control gastric juices and improve digestion.
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Sodium bicarbonate
The problem of indigestion can be easily controlled by baking soda. Making a homemade anti-acid is very easy; you need to add half a teaspoon of baking soda to half a glass of water. This solution neutralizes the acid that forms in the stomach and gives considerable relief.
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Apple
Being a food rich in fibre, it is particularly recommended for when you happen to have indigestion. The ideal would be to eat it with the peel because it brings excellent benefits to our body. It must be taken into account that when the apple enters the digestive system. It clears the obstructions, and therefore, after a few minutes, it calms the discomfort of stomach pain.
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Ginger: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
When you eat too much, the idea is to take two slices of fresh ginger, add a little salt and chew them well before swallowing them. This remedy will help you to stimulate gastric juices. You can also make ginger tea to relieve stinging, gas, stomach aches, and spasms.
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The vitamins and nutrients in the peel can help relieve the heat and irritation that causes indigestion. With the help of the grater, grate a piece of peel, let it dry in the sun for a couple of hours. And then, take a teaspoon of dry cedar peel whenever you feel stomach pain.
Pineapple: What Does Indigestion Feel Like
Before eating, we recommend that you consume a few pieces of pineapple. This fruit contains proteolytic enzymes, which help digest quickly.
Hot water
Drinking hot water can be one of the best remedies to relieve indigestion due to its relaxing effect. We recommend not going to sleep immediately afterwards, which could make the situation worse, causing reflux. Although there are many remedies for indigestion, the best thing is to prevent and, above all, listen to the signals that our body sends us. You don’t have to keep eating if you feel full. And avoid foods that have made you feel bad in the past.
What to do after an excessive meal?
It is always advisable not to go to bed immediately after a meal, especially if it was particularly abundant. The lying position, in fact, could trigger episodes of gastroesophageal regurgitation and reflux. So, if you experience unpleasant sensations of heaviness or heartburn after a meal, it is advisable to take a walk in the cool. If you don’t have a chance to find some shade or a refreshing breeze, it’s best to avoid the hottest hours. It is also advisable to avoid sour fruit, such as citrus fruits or fruit juices that contain them. A lemon juice taken in the morning instead of coffee can be an excellent remedy for those who have raised their elbow too much the previous evening.
And then drink lots of water. When overindulging with food and alcohol, the urge to thirst is reduced. This is why we tend not to drink. Simultaneously, the ideal would be to drink at least a litre of it in the early hours of the morning. Paying attention to choose mineral and non-trace mineral waters. In fact, the former promotes metabolism while the trace minerals, which can have diuretic effects, reduce liquids.
There are also remedies that nature gives us. Starting with chamomile. Or, better still, a decoction of chamomile and lemon balm prepared by boiling 25 grams of dried chamomile flowers and 25 grams of chopped lemon balm leaves for a quarter of an hour in a litre of water. Filter and drink two, three cups a day. Then, the fennel infusion or the licorice decoction (not be used if you have high blood pressure ). To help digestion, “bitter” plants are also useful, such as gentian, artichoke, yarrow, ginger, or peppermint.
And if the annoyance doesn’t go away …
If, over time, you still experience stomach discomforts, such as heartburn, regurgitation, and even headaches. It is advisable to take some more effective measures. For example, taking antacids. In pharmacy, products are available, typically made of sodium bicarbonate or carbonate of calcium or magnesium, can be purchased without a prescription.
Since the onset of headaches after a heavy meal (especially if washed down with copious amounts of wine) is not uncommon. Pay attention to the painkillers you take, which could worsen stomach upset. Therefore, it is advisable to wait for the effect of antacids before possibly taking an analgesic or relying on products. That has a specially studied composition. Such as those based on sodium bicarbonate and acetylsalicylic acid. Not infrequently, however, the resolution of the digestive disorder also follows the disappearance of the headache.
We leave a few days of rest in the stomach.
Naturally, after an ailment of this kind, eating habits must be assumed a little more consonant and balanced, at least immediately. For example, the next day, it is advisable to consume mostly raw fruit and vegetables and avoid “more demanding” foods, such as meat. Some experts recommend a 12-hour fast (but don’t forget to drink a lot). Those who do not feel like it must still reduce their calorie intake and avoid the fattest desserts instead of fresh and light ones, such as ice cream and sorbets.
