That feeling of heaviness after a meal, frequent bloating or a burning sensation in the chest is often dismissed as ‘just acidity’. While occasional digestive discomfort is common, recurring symptoms may sometimes indicate that something more than excess acid is affecting the way your stomach functions.
Many people use the terms acidity, indigestion and stomach problems interchangeably. However, these conditions are different and understanding the difference can help in identifying the right approach towards managing them.
What is acidity
What most people refer to as acidity is usually related to acid reflux or heartburn. It occurs when stomach contents flow backwards towards the food pipe, resulting in irritation.
Acid reflux is characterized by burning sensation in chest or throat, sour/bitter taste in mouth, frequent burping or heaviness in stomach after having a large meal. All these symptoms tend to worsen in case one overeats or lies down after eating.
Whereas the episodes of acidity can usually be managed by making some lifestyle changes and taking proper medications, persistent occurrences must never be overlooked.
What is indigestion
Indigestion is actually an umbrella term used to describe various problems related to food digestion. They are not diseases per se, but rather collection of symptoms that can affect the digestive process. Common symptoms of indigestion include bloating, pain and/or burning sensation in the upper abdomen, nausea, excessive burping, loss of appetite, feeling of fullness after meals. What sets it apart from acidity is that while in case of the latter there is mainly discomfort associated with stomach acid flowing upwards, in case of indigestion the problem lies in the overall discomfort in upper digestive tract.
What is gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a condition in which stomach empties its contents much more slowly than normal, despite the fact that there is nothing physically blocking the food movement. Stomach functions in a coordinated way: once we eat, our stomach muscles contract and move the contents forward so it can be digested. It is dependent upon the right functioning of stomach muscles and nerves. In gastroparesis, these actions are significantly slowed down, and this causes problems.
The difference
The biggest difference lies in the underlying cause. Acidity is mainly associated with stomach acid moving back into the food pipe. Indigestion refers to general discomfort during digestion. Gastroparesis, on the other hand, is related to delayed movement of food from the stomach. One of the most important warning signs of gastroparesis is feeling full much earlier than expected. A person may feel hungry but become unable to finish even a small meal. Some may also feel as though their previous meal has not moved forward even after several hours. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, bloating, upper abdominal discomfort, reduced appetite and heartburn.
What causes gastroparesis
Diabetes is one of the important known causes of gastroparesis. Persistently high blood sugar levels may affect the nerves responsible for stomach movement control. It can arise following surgeries or occur together with some neurological diseases and others. But in many instances, the exact causes cannot be pinpointed.
Do not self-diagnose
The symptoms of acidity, indigestion, and gastroparesis have a lot in common, making one assume that the repeated pain is associated only with acidity. Antacids will relieve the sensation of burning, but they won’t resolve the issue if the delay in emptying the stomach is the root of the problem. Gastroenterologists thoroughly examine the symptoms of the patients including when the discomfort happens, how much food the patient eats, the episodes of vomiting, the change of body weight, the health problems of the patient and other contributory factors.
How is gastroparesis diagnosed?
In case of the assumed gastroparesis, the physician can recommend tests including the Upper GI Endoscopy and other specific tests to assess how fast the food passes from the stomach and to exclude other health issues that cause similar symptoms. The diagnosis allows developing the treatment strategy depending on the level of symptoms and the underlying causes.
Treatment and care
Depending on the individual condition, the treatment includes the dietary changes, which may involve eating smaller portions more frequently. The medical treatment and improved management of other health problems including blood sugar levels may play a crucial role. For those whose condition doesn’t improve after all the mentioned measures, there is a special procedure called Gastric Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy. Besides the treatment, it is essential to pay attention to your eating habits and early detection of the symptoms.
When to see doctor
Everyone feels occasionally bloated and suffers from digestion problems. However, if you experience repeatedly vomiting, unexplained weight loss, inability to eat, constant nausea, or feeling constantly full when you eat only a little, you shouldn’t ignore it. Sometimes, what seems to be “simple acidity” is in fact the sign that your stomach can’t push the food further.
(Dr. Ronak Tate is Associate Consultant – Gastroenterology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai)
