Pain in the upper abdomen, feeling of fullness, nausea, occasionally even vomiting without a recognisable cause with inconspicuous gastroscopy can be symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Even small meals can cause discomfort. The cause of this disease has not yet been clarified, but there is evidence that previous gastrointestinal infections may also play a role here.
As with irritable bowel syndrome, an organic disease of the irritable bowel must first be ruled out by blood examination, ultrasound and gastroscopy before treatment can begin.
Foods should also be avoided with the irritable stomach, which the patient can often name as triggering or exacerbating the symptoms. Many patients benefit from the low FODMAP diet.
There are several drug groups of substances available, which often have to be "tried through" before the patient indicates a satisfactory improvement of his symptoms. Drugs that inhibit the production of gastric acid (proton pump inhibitors), drugs that promote gastric emptying (prokinetics), various phytotherapeutics (herbal remedies), some of which have a calming, some of which are anti-inflammatory and some of which support protein digestion, can be used and, depending on their success, modulated differently for the complaints. If a certain bacterium in the stomach, the so-called Helicobacter pylori, is detected, antibiotic therapy is additionally recommended. Patients for whom medication does not help sufficiently and who are heavily burdened by the complaints or in whom a psychological cause seems to be involved in the development of the complaints, a therapy with a psychotropic drug or psychotherapy can be considered.
The diagnosis and therapy of functional gastrointestinal diseases is one of our focal points at the Klinikum Stephansplatz.
Both endoscopic diagnostics, i.e. gastroscopy and colonoscopy, as well as functional diagnostics using special breath tests, which are important for the differentiation of other diseases such as bacterial mal-colonisation or food intolerances, are carried out by experienced doctors at the Stephansplatz Clinic and the corresponding therapies derived from the examinations are accompanied. A professional nutritional consultation by a qualified ecotrophologist, who is also an integral part of our team, offers patients the opportunity to actively participate in the improvement of their complaints by changing their eating habits.
