Functional dyspepsia or simply dyspepsia involves a specific set of symptoms in your abdomen or upper belly area related to digestion. This means, you often experience pain, discomfort and burning or inflammation. Alternatively, you feel boating or full even after having only a portion of your meal. In some of the cases, dyspepsia takes place from physical problems or infections, which are curable easily. However, functional dyspepsia never takes place due to any disease.(1)
How To Diagnose Functional Dyspepsia?
In most of the cases, doctors and patients confuse functional dyspepsia with various other types of digestion and gastrointestinal conditions. These are-
- Peptic ulcer problems
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease abbreviated as GERD
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Gastroparesis
- Cancer or tumor in the upper abdominal area
Close Observation on Health Conditions: Considering the aforementioned aspects, your doctor may not recommend for your functional dyspepsia diagnosis. Instead, he may check your other health conditions, which cause your symptoms and perform proper diagnosis of functional dyspepsia after ruling out the possible causes.
Discussion Of Health History: Your doctor will discuss the history of your health in detail for determining your present health condition. As there is no specific diagnostic procedure available to detect FD, you have to undergo tests to segregate other health conditions.
Diagnose Procedures To Identify Non-functional Dyspepsia
Until now, doctors use the following diagnostic procedures to identify other types of non-functional dyspepsia conditions.
Esophageal pH Monitoring Test: Esophageal pH monitoring is done to identify the problem of GERD i.e. gastroesophageal reflux disease and other related upper digestive tract problems. The test determines whether the acid from your stomach enters your esophagus. In this case, pathologists use a hollow and muscular tube to connect to your stomach from your throat. The device by using a soft mucous membrane to protect the esophagus from suffering any type of damage.
Endoscopy: Doctors may recommend for an endoscopy to analyze the functions of your duodenum i.e. first line of your small intestine. Endoscopy refers to a procedure, where your doctor uses advanced instruments to view as well as operate your internal organs and your body vessels. The main benefit of endoscopy procedure is that it allows pathologists to diagnose your internal organs without making any big incision.
Barium X-Ray: Barium X-ray technique is a radiographic or X-ray examination of one’s gastrointestinal tract. The test intends to diagnose any abnormality in the GI tract. These include ulcers, tumors and various other inflammatory health conditions, like strictures, hernias, and polyps.
Blood Tests And Bacterium Tests: Bacterium test is useful to detect the presence of a bacterium called H pylori. The test may be done via stool, breath, blood or urine.(2)
What Is The Best Medicine For Functional Dyspepsia?
In most cases, doctors recommend the following types of medications to deal with the signs and symptoms of functional dyspepsia.
Over-The-Counter Type Of Gas Remedies: These medications incorporate simethicone and hence, give relief by reducing the intestinal gas in functional dyspepsia.
Antibiotics: If your tests indicate the presence of H pylori bacterium in your stomach, you have to take certain antibiotic medications according to your doctor’s recommendations.
H-2 Receptor Blockers: H-2 receptor blockers are medications intended to reduce the production of acid. You may available these medicines of low dosage over the counter. However, if you want a strong version, you have to get it in the prescribed form only.
Tricyclic Antidepressants: Tricyclic antidepressants categorized them as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and abbreviated as SSRIs. When you intake these medications at a low dose, you will expect to inhibit various activities of internal neurons responsible to control or manage intestinal pain in functional dyspepsia.
Proton Pump Inhibitors: Proton pump inhibitors are special types of medications, which help in blocking the acid pumps. They mainly close the acid pumps present in stomach cells and are responsible to secrete acid. The inhibitors primarily reduce acid formation by simply blocking the actions performed by the mentioned tiny pumps.
Prokinetic Agents: Prokinetic agents are medications help to enhance the strength of your esophageal sphincter. They empty your stomach rapidly and help in tightening the valve present between your esophagus and stomach. Thus, prokinetic agents reduce the probability of pain and discomfort in the upper abdominal region in functional dyspepsia.
Other Medications: Doctors prescribe you metoclopramide mediation if they identify difficulty or delay in the secretion of waste products from your stomach.(3)
Also Read:
- Is Functional Dyspepsia A Serious Condition & Can It Be Reversed?
- What Is The Prognosis For Functional Dyspepsia?
- How Dangerous Is Functional Dyspepsia & Does It Spread?
- Who Is At Risk For Functional Dyspepsia & Is There A Blood Test For It?
- Home Remedies For Functional Dyspepsia & Can You Die From It?
- Coping Methods For Functional Dyspepsia
- What Leads To Functional Dyspepsia & Can It Be Cured?
