What causes dyspepsia?

Posted by editor2 on Monday 06 Apr 2009

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Dyspepsia is a disorder of digestive function affecting the intestines characterized by nausea, discomfort and heartburn. People of any age can get this disorder. Both men and women are prone to this disorder. Depression and anxiety also could be cause for dyspepsia. Drinking excess alcohol and smoking can also cause dyspepsia.

Acid Reflux disease and stomach ulcers are causative for dyspepsia. When a person suffers from acid reflux disease, stomach acid enters into the esophagus and causes pain in the chest. Individuals with a dysfunctional gastrointestinal system are more prone to originating dyspepsia. Missed meals and not eating regular meals can build up high acid levels; this is also a cause for dyspepsia.

Hyperparathyroidism, which develop from overactive parathyroid glands, can cause dyspepsia. Thyroid disease, diabetes, and severe kidney disease, are also potential causes for dyspepsia.

Certain medicines, such as aspirin and anti-inflammatory medicines used to treat arthritis can cause dyspepsia. Most drugs, however, cause dyspepsia in at least a very small portion of users. Sometimes no specific cause of dyspepsia can be found. On rare occasions, stomach cancer causes dyspepsia.

In certain cases, in some people Hiatus hernia may cause heartburn due to reflux of stomach acid.

A woman’s menstrual period also tends to worsen dyspepsia, as it increases the amount of estrogen and progesterone in her body. Many women suffer from dyspepsia during pregnancy.

Dysfunction of the organs within the gastrointestinal tract or by the nerves that control these organs causes the majority of dyspepsia cases. Since the nerves involved with the gastrointestinal tract go to the brain and run inside the spinal cord, the dysfunction causing dyspepsia may also be within the spinal cord or the brain. Most dyspepsia is considered to be due to abnormal function of the muscles of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the nerves controlling the organs.