The Functional dyspepsia It is a digestive disorder that causes recurring discomfort in the upper abdomen, without identifying any disease or injury that explains the symptoms. It is related to alterations in the functioning of the stomach and in the way it responds to food.
This causes a person to experience discomfort after eating, a feeling of heaviness or satiety before finishing a meal, even when they have ingested small amounts.
It can manifest with:
- Pain or burning sensation in the upper abdomen: especially in the stomach area.
- Feeling of fullness: weightiness or discomfort after eating, even with normal amounts.
- Early Civilization: The feeling of being full after eating little food.
- Swelling or nausea: Discomforts that may accompany the main symptoms.
Practical example: feeling of heaviness after eating
A person may begin to notice that, after eating, they feel their stomach excessively full, even though they have ingested a usual amount of food. On other occasions, they may experience nuisance o burning sensation in the upper abdomen without an apparent cause.
In addition, they may feel full after a few bites and have difficulty finishing their meals. When these discomforts recur and affect eating or daily activities, they may be related to Functional dyspepsia and require a specific assessment.
Functional dyspepsia and disorders of the gut-brain interaction
Functional dyspepsia is part of the so-called Disorders of the gut-brain interaction, In these cases, the digestive symptoms may be related to changes in the sensitivity and function of the digestive system, without necessarily involving a visible injury.
This can cause the stomach to become more sensitive to distension or to not adapt properly to the arrival of food, causing discomfort even after small meals.
The diagnosis is based on the evaluation of the symptoms, their duration, and the medical history. In certain cases, additional tests may be performed, such as: Gastroscopy or the study of Helicobacter pylori, To rule out other diseases that may cause similar discomforts.
A common misconception is that if the digestive tests are normal, the discomfort does not have a real cause. However, the Functional dyspepsia It is a recognized disorder that can significantly affect quality of life and requires proper evaluation.