Indigestion
What is indigestion?
Indigestion is the discomfort you feel after eating and often takes the form of a burning sensation located in the upper abdomen. Also known as dyspepsia, indigestion may be accompanied by bloating, belching, and when cases are bad enough, patients sometimes experience nausea and vomiting. Heartburn is another popular term attributed to indigestion.
What causes indigestion?
The fact indigestion is so common tells us something about the causes of the condition. For different people, various reasons are behind bouts of indigestion:
- Disease in the digestive tract, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Ulcers in the digestive tract can cause indigestion symptoms
- Stress, coupled with eating, can cause indigestion
- Taking medications sometimes result in cases of indigestion
- Smoking is a well-known cause of the condition
- Drinking more than the recommended daily allowance of alcohol
While there are many possible reasons for this prevalent condition, for many people, indigestion is a result of a poor diet and bad eating habits. Eating a lot of foods that are particularly high in fat is often the cause of indigestion. As is eating too quickly – which is an all-too-common occurrence in modern life.
We eat on the move, while we’re working, and sometimes we just don’t take enough time to relax and sit down for an unrushed meal. Not only that, but we also tend to eat too much in any single sitting, which makes indigestion a lot more likely.
Acupuncture in Coquitlam and Port Moody: How can I prevent indigestion?
When you visit the acupuncture clinic in Port Moody or Coquitlam, your therapist will ask you some questions relating to the nature of your indigestion. They can also provide valuable advice about avoiding triggers that cause your discomfort.
Your Port Moody and Coquitlam acupuncture therapist may offer a few simple solutions to reduce or eliminate your indigestion. A good first step is simply avoiding the foods and bad habits that bring on feelings of indigestion. Try to eat fewer fatty foods. Eating smaller meals more frequently is another tried and tested solution for indigestion and making time for meals is also a sure-fire way to reduce the risks.
If changing your diet and eating habits fail, you can try to tackle heartburn sensations using an antacid. Here are a few more things to try if you’re experiencing regular bouts of indigestion:
- If you smoke, try to quit, and definitely don’t smoke right before eating
- Cut down on your alcohol intake
- Don’t exercise on a full stomach, as this can cause indigestion
- Eat more slowly, and chew your food thoroughly
- Avoid using your phone, reading or even watching television during meals as each activity takes energy that would be better used on digestion
- Cut down on or completely avoid rich and fatty foods
When do I need to see a doctor for indigestion?
It’s important to remember that repeated or chronic indigestion symptoms could be a sign of a more serious medical condition.
Before you put the problem down to diet, you should visit your doctor to eliminate an underlying cause, especially if you also experience any of the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Significant weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Black tar-like stools
- Blood in your vomit
- Acute pain in your upper right abdomen
- If your indigestion is accompanied by shortness of breath or sweating
- If you also feel pain radiating to your jaw, neck, or arm
Acupuncture for indigestion in Coquitlam and Port Moody: The research and science
Although acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, we’re only just beginning to explore its benefits using more conventional scientific research. Recent extensive research in China found a month-long course of acupuncture was successful at reducing indigestion symptoms.
The study of almost 300 patients used real and fake acupuncture sessions and “found that participants who received actual acupuncture were significantly more likely to report improvement or extreme improvement in their symptoms.”
Based at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, the researchers also determined “acupuncture participants were also more likely to experience complete resolution of their symptoms.”
- 83% of participants in the actual acupuncture group reported a positive response from treatment
- Only 52% in the fake acupuncture group reported positive results
- All symptoms were eliminated in 28% of the acupuncture group
- Positive results were sustained for at least 12 weeks after the final acupuncture treatment
Acupuncture near me: Indigestion Treatment in Coquitlam and Port Moody
Indigestion can be unpleasant and unwelcome, but the good news is that acupuncture for indigestion is effective for many patients. If you’d like to learn more about how acupuncture helps reduce indigestion, please give Inspine Therapy a call on 604-936-8288. Alternatively, you can make an appointment online for the nearest acupuncture clinic to you. We have two locations: Inspine Therapy in Coquitlam and the Port Moody clinic.
