Functional dyspepsia is the most common functional disorder of the digestive system that originates from one or a group of dyspeptic symptoms in the gastroduodenal region and lacks organic or metabolic disorders that could explain these symptoms. The main symptoms:include postprandial fullness, epigastric distention, early satiety, epigastric pain, epigastric burning, belching, nausea, and vomiting. Many people have the experience that they often experience upper abdominal discomfort or feel full after eating a little, some with belching, and they have been to the hospital many times and have done some tests such as abdominal ultrasound, gastroscopy, blood tests, etc., and have been told that there is no abnormality. People usually feel confused: I am so uncomfortable, why can’t I find out the cause? In fact, the disease that troubles these “healthy people” is functional dyspepsia.
Classification of functional dyspepsia
1, ulcer-like dyspepsia type, it is characterized by the symptoms of peptic ulcer, but without the presence of ulcers, new research has found that patients who often face stress can appear stress response, there is an intermittent increase in gastric acid discharge, coupled with power disorders to prolong and increase the effect of gastric acid on mucosal damage. Therefore, this type of patients can be improved by eating or taking drugs to control gastric acid.
2.Dynamic disorder-like dyspepsia type, which is characterized by gastric storage symptoms as the main clinical manifestation, patients have epigastric pain or discomfort that is difficult to locate, often caused by eating or aggravated after meals, along with postprandial epigastric distention, early satiety, nausea or vomiting, poor appetite, etc.
3.Specific dyspepsia type, patients who have symptoms of functional dyspepsia but do not meet the two groups of characteristic dyspepsia mentioned above.
What causes functional dyspepsia?
About the pathogenesis of this syndrome is not fully understood, it may be related to the following factors
1, gastric and duodenal inflammation: It has been found that 100% of patients with this disease have gastritis, of which 22.2% have duodenal bullae at the same time, and the symptoms of this disease have a certain relationship with the degree of inflammation.
2, gastric motility dysfunction: mainly abnormal gastric sinus function, slowed gastric emptying, delayed emptying is associated with low vagal tone, vagal nerve dysfunction, abnormalities in the gastrointestinal interosseous plexus.
3, Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection: its relationship with functional dyspepsia is not yet certain, some believe that HP infection is related to bloating and belching. The bacteria produce urease to break down the urea in the gastric mucosa, producing ammonia and CO2 related.
4, emotional, psychological factors: functional dyspepsia patients are often accompanied by tension, anxiety, depression, hypochondria and other manifestations. With the accelerated pace of urban life and work, there are more and more patients with functional dyspepsia in the population at home and abroad.
5, the application of NSAIDS and other drugs: the current cold medicine, painkillers and aspirin are widely used, may damage the gastric mucosa, causing functional dyspepsia.
Is it functional dyspepsia to feel bloated, full early and belching?
Bloating, early satiety and belching are symptoms of dyspepsia, and these symptoms are more commonly seen in functional dyspepsia because it is the most common type of functional gastrointestinal disease. Patients with functional dyspepsia sometimes have severe abdominal distension, early satiety, belching and other symptoms, or recurrent episodes, but usually do not have symptoms such as wasting and anemia. However, it is worth noting that some organic diseases such as gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gallbladder and pancreatic diseases can also have the above symptoms. Therefore, in order to clarify the diagnosis of functional dyspepsia, the doctor will recommend the patient to undergo some tests such as gastroscopy, ultrasound, etc. to help the diagnosis. If all the relevant tests are fine and the symptoms of postprandial fullness, early satiety, epigastric pain and burning sensation in the epigastrium (at least one of the four symptoms) have been present for at least several months, with frequent episodes in the last 3 months, then functional dyspepsia can be said to be present.
How can functional dyspepsia be treated?
Motility drugs and acid suppressants are the main drugs used to treat functional dyspepsia. Since functional dyspepsia is often accompanied by decreased gastric power, if the patient has symptoms after meals, and if upper abdominal distension, early satiety and belching are the main symptoms, then prokinetic drugs can be used first. For patients who have symptoms before meals, but are relieved after meals or are not related to eating and mainly present with epigastric pain, acid suppressants can be used. In clinical practice, some patients have complicated symptoms, some patients have symptoms both on fasting and after meals (often a small amount of food can reduce the symptoms, and continue to eat the symptoms worsen), for these patients can use a combination of acid suppressants and prokinetic drugs. For some patients with poor outcomes, low-dose antidepressant therapy (e.g., Dextran) or psychological intervention may be given. H. pylori eradication therapy may be effective in patients with H. pylori infection.
Western medicine treatment in addition to the above-mentioned drugs there is no better way, then reflects the advantages of Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine can be dialectical treatment, functional dyspepsia is only the following types.
1, the actual evidence
Evil heat within the knot: the treatment is appropriate to clear heat and eliminate gangrene.
Dietary stagnation: the treatment is appropriate to eliminate food and stagnation, and the stomach to lower the rebellion.
Phlegm and dampness internal obstruction: treatment is appropriate to dry dampness and resolve phlegm, Qi and.
Liver stagnation and Qi stagnation: treatment is to relieve liver stagnation and Qi stagnation, and to regulate Qi and subdue lumpiness.
2. Deficiency:
The treatment is to strengthen the spleen and regulate Qi. The representative formula is Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Tang with addition of flavor. If the spleen yang is deficient, add dry ginger to warm the middle jiao and invigorate the spleen yang. Insufficient vital fire, add sapodilla, cinnamon, spleen and kidney together.
So how long does it take to treat functional dyspepsia?
There is no uniform standard, usually the course of treatment is 2~6 weeks. It is up to the doctor to develop an individualized treatment plan according to different patients. It is also important to correct bad habits, otherwise the effectiveness of treatment will be greatly reduced.
To make the treatment more effective, the following points need to be done.
1, the correct understanding of functional dyspepsia is a common functional gastrointestinal disorders, although recurrent or prolonged, affecting the quality of life, but does not affect life.
2, usually to maintain good sleep and emotional stability, quit smoking and alcohol.
3. consume less foodstuffs that tend to cause bloating such as beans, milk, soft drinks and colas to reduce the gas in the gastrointestinal tract
4. reducing the intake of undigestible foods and irritating foods such as large amounts of fat, protein, desserts and potatoes.
5.Eat less and eat more, avoid overeating.