What is functional dyspepsia (FD)?
If you experience persistent and unpleasant symptoms such as indigestion even when you haven't overeaten, sharp pains in your upper abdomen, or feeling full very quickly after starting to eat, it could be functional dyspepsia (FD).
Even after examining the stomach with an endoscope or other methods, no particular abnormalities are found. However, symptoms such as pain and discomfort persist... These symptoms are collectively called functional dyspepsia.
In such cases, the main focus of treatment is to alleviate various distressing symptoms.
Be careful if you experience these symptoms!
- I feel bloated even though I haven't overeaten.
- I'm still experiencing pain in my upper abdomen.
- I get heartburn even though I haven't eaten anything oily.
- You may experience discomfort or nausea after eating.
- I always feel full.
- I'm going to burp.
- I feel bloated in my stomach.
The reason it sounds unfamiliar is because it's a new disease name.
Functional dyspepsia is a recently defined disorder.
Previously, patients with stomach pain or discomfort were often diagnosed with "chronic gastritis" or "nervous gastritis," but it has become clear that there are many cases where symptoms are present but there is no inflammation in the stomach.
Therefore, in recent years, when symptoms are present but no abnormalities are found in examinations, the condition is now diagnosed as "functional dyspepsia." Research into its causes and treatments is currently underway.
The symptoms can be broadly divided into two types.
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Symptoms that tend to appear after meals (Postprandial Discomfort Syndrome = PDS)
- ■ I feel bloated after eating, even though I haven't overeaten.
- ■ Feeling full very quickly after starting to eat (early satiety)
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Symptoms that occur not only after meals but also when hungry (epigastric pain syndrome = EPS)
- ■ Pain in the upper abdomen
- ■ I feel like my solar plexus is burning.
If these symptoms occur several times a week, you may have functional dyspepsia. However, stomach problems can also be a symptom of other serious illnesses, so self-diagnosis is not recommended.
To determine if there are any underlying conditions such as inflammation or tumors, a diagnosis requires a medical interview, blood tests, and endoscopic examinations.
The causes include an irregular lifestyle and stress; it's a disease about which much remains unknown.
![The cause is stress from an irregular lifestyle.]()
One of the symptoms of functional dyspepsia, such as stomach discomfort and early satiety, is caused by sluggish stomach motility, which prevents food from being properly sent to the duodenum. Additionally, epigastric pain is thought to be caused by excessive stomach acid, insufficient gastric mucus, or hypersensitivity of the stomach.
While irregular lifestyle, stress, and the effects of Helicobacter pylori are cited as underlying causes of stomach dysfunction, the exact cause has not yet been clearly identified.
The treatment involves improving symptoms with medication prescribed by a doctor.
To alleviate indigestion and early satiety, medications that stimulate gastrointestinal motility are used to promote stomach movement.
Additionally, if you experience pain or a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, medication to suppress stomach acid secretion may be prescribed.
If there is still no improvement, medication to relieve stress may be prescribed. If you are infected with H. pylori, eradication treatment may be performed.
![Pay attention to your diet and lifestyle to reduce the burden on your stomach.]()
Pay attention to your diet and lifestyle to reduce the burden on your stomach.
Being able to enjoy delicious food is fundamental to good health. Whether you've been diagnosed with functional dyspepsia or not, we'll share some tips on diet and lifestyle habits to avoid putting a strain on your stomach.
Let's rethink our eating habits!
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Chew your food thoroughly.
Aim to chew each bite about 30 times. This not only breaks down the food into smaller pieces, but also stimulates the secretion of more saliva containing digestive enzymes, which aids digestion and reduces the burden on your stomach.
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Avoid eating too much spicy or greasy food.
Spicy foods can cause stomach hypersensitivity. Also, fats take a long time to digest and absorb, which puts a greater burden on the stomach.
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Eat only until you are 80% full.
Eating more than your stomach can digest can slow down its function. This can cause food to linger in your stomach, leading to indigestion and excessive stomach acid production. Make it a habit to eat a little less than you normally would, rather than eating until you're completely full.
Let's re-evaluate our lifestyle habits!
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Don't let stress build up.
The stomach is an organ that is strongly affected by stress. Stress hormones, which are secreted when you are stressed, weaken the function of the stomach. Also, tension causes blood vessels to constrict and blood flow to worsen, which can impair the production of gastric mucus that is supposed to protect the stomach, and also increases the secretion of gastric acid.
To avoid putting strain on your stomach, it's important to manage daily stress through hobbies and light exercise.
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Get plenty of sleep
Many people diagnosed with functional dyspepsia suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep disrupts the balance of the autonomic nervous system, weakening gastrointestinal function.
Furthermore, quality sleep is important for restoring physical and mental fatigue, and therefore also for reducing stress.
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Meal times should be regular.
Furthermore, irregular meal times prevent your stomach from getting a rest. In particular, eating late at night and going to sleep with food still in your stomach can cause stomach upset.
Try to eat at regular times, and in particular, finish dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed.
Functional dyspepsia requires individuals to deal with distressing symptoms such as pain and discomfort on a daily basis, significantly reducing their quality of life (QOL).
To enjoy life to the fullest by eating delicious food, don't underestimate stomach problems and make sure to take care of them early.