Do you know that feeling of discomfort in the stomach caused mainly after meals? The symptom can be a warning sign for functional dyspepsia. People with the disease may also experience nausea, vomiting, bloating in the abdominal region, as well as frequent burping and stomach burning.

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Causes of functional dyspepsia

Problems related to mental health are the main responsible for the appearance of functional dyspepsia. "The disorder is directly linked to emotional issues. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to mental health, because it helps control the symptoms of the disease," explains Zuleica Bortoli, gastroenterologist at Hospital Brasília.

How to treat it?

The good news is that functional dyspepsia is curable and relatively easy to treat:

• Adopt a light, easily digestible diet, with low amounts of fat, alcohol, and coffee.
• Invest in cooked, low-fermentable foods, such as lettuce, zucchini, eggplant, bananas, oranges, grapes, milk and dairy products, meat, fish, chicken, gluten-free pasta, oatmeal, rice, quinoa, almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
• Drink plenty of water;
• Avoid processed foods, dyes, preservatives, and excess sugar.
• Above all, do physical activities, as they help to reduce stress levels and can improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disease.
• It is essential to take care of your mental health with the support of a psychologist, as well as adopting relaxation techniques and taking time to do things that give you pleasure.

About which professional to seek in the incidence of symptoms, Dr. Zuleica clarifies that the gastroenterologist (better known simply as gastro) is the ideal professional. However, as functional dyspepsia is triggered mainly by emotional issues, psychological monitoring may also be indicated.

Functional dyspepsia x nervous gastritis

At first glance, it is common to confuse the functional dyspepsia with nervous gastritis However, according to the specialist, the big difference is that dyspepsia does not cause irritation to the stomach mucosa.

"The difference between the two is that in functional dyspepsia there is no inflammation in the stomach, but a change in gastrointestinal sensitivity and motility," explains the doctor.

As for "classic" gastritis, the doctor explains that the disease can be caused by the consumption of unwashed food that contains H. pylori bacteria, as well as the prolonged use of alcohol, cigarettes, and anti-inflammatory drugs, because they cause irritation to the stomach mucosa.

Read more: Nervous Gastritis: What it is, symptoms and treatments

Source: Zuleica Bortoli, gastroenterologist at Brasília Hospital