Minor Ailment
Dyspepsia (or indigestion) and heartburn refers to pain or discomfort in the upper part of the abdomen or chest. They often occur after meals, and are commonly accompanied by burping, feeling bloated and nausea.
Dyspepsia is often related to other diseases such as:
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a condition where the stomach acid flows back up the oesophagus, also known as the food pipe, and cause symptoms such as heartburn
Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD), a condition where ulcers form in the stomach or intestines
Problems with the pancreas or bile duct
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects the large intestines and cause discomfort and pain
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
Stomach cancer (rare)
The chance of getting dyspepsia increases if you:
Drink a lot of alcohol
Smoke
Are overweight
Have irregular eating habits
Take certain medicines such as aspirin
Often feel stressed or anxious
Have other stomach problems such as stomach ulcers
The symptoms of this condition can include the following:
Heartburn (burning, painful feeling at the chest or throat)
Bloating
Pain in the upper abdomen
Nausea and vomiting
Burping
Early sense of fullness after eating
Dyspepsia can be treated in the following ways and you can approach your pharmacist to get the following medications.
Ranitidine
Famotidine
Omeprazole
Domperidone
Antacids (as tablets or liquids)
Although dyspepsia can be treated without a doctor’s consultation, there are times where the condition might be more serious.
If your condition does not get better in two weeks or gets worse, you should see a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you experience any of the following:
Frequent vomiting or you have blood in your vomit
Weight loss or loss of appetite
Black sticky stools
Difficult or painful swallowing
Shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that spreads to the jaw, neck, or arm
The following are some suggestions to prevent dyspepsia from happening again:
Avoid large meals and overeating
Avoid lying down for two hours after eating
Avoid drinking too much coffee, carbonated drinks, and/or alcohol
Avoid eating too much fried or fatty foods, chili peppers and other spices
Avoid tight fitting clothing and belts
Avoid stooping or bending down too much after eating
Try to decrease emotional as well as physical stress
Eat your meals at regular timing
Do not smoke or drink
Disclaimers
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
The information above is solely for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medicine or other treatment. Always speak with your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional before taking any medicine or supplement, or adopting any treatment for a health problem. Under no circumstances will the National Medication Information workgroup be liable to any person for damages of any nature arising in any way from the use of such information.
Last updated on Sept 2022
This article was last reviewed on Wednesday, November 22, 2023