Quand faut-il s'inquiéter d'une indigestion ?

Acide gastrique

Indigestion is usually caused by inflammation in your stomach. This is often due to too much stomach acid, which your body makes to digest food. If this acid backs up into your food pipe (oesophagus), it can cause heartburn - burning pain behind your breastbone, sometimes accompanied by a bitter liquid rising into your mouth. In the UK, 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 in the US regularly experience heartburn.

Parmi les autres causes, on peut citer

Ulcères

Les ulcères gastro-duodénaux comprennent les ulcères de l'estom ac et de la zone reliant la partie supérieure de l'intestin à l'estomac (duodénum).

Hernie hiatale

La hernie hiatale se produit lorsque la partie supérieure de l'estomac remonte dans la cavité thoracique, provoquant souvent des brûlures d'estomac.

Grossesse

Indigestion is common in pregnancy and around half of all pregnant women have indigestion at some point. Indigestion in pregnancy is usually due to reflux of acid from the stomach into the oesophagus.

Cancer de l'estomac

Indigestion can occasionally be a sign of stomach cancer, although this is rare and most people who have indigestion do not have stomach cancer. If it gets worse or does not get better after 3 weeks with usual medicines it is recommended to see your doctor, particularly if combined with other symptoms such as unintended weight loss, feeling sick, and blood in your poo.

Médicaments provoquant une indigestion

Medicines are a common cause of indigestion.

Some of the most likely to cause it include:

• Aspirine.

• Anti-inflammatory tablets - may be taken for muscle pains or arthritis. These include medicines such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, and naproxen.

• Tablets taken daily, weekly, or monthly to prevent osteoporosis, or 'thinning' of the bones (bisphosphonates).

• Some antibiotics - especially erythromycin.

• Digoxine.

• Comprimés de stéroïdes.

• Comprimés de fer.

• Médicaments utilisés pour l'hypertension artérielle ou parfois l'angine de poitrine (antagonistes du calcium).

Si vos indigestions apparaissent ou s'aggravent peu de temps après avoir commencé à prendre l'un de ces médicaments, consultez votre médecin. Il pourra peut-être modifier vos comprimés - ou l'heure à laquelle vous les prenez - afin d'empêcher l'indigestion de se produire.

Germes

Sometimes a germ called Helicobacter pylori can make indigestion worse. Your doctor may perform a breath, poo (stool), or blood test for this and if necessary, give you a one-week course of treatment with three different tablets to get rid of it. This doesn't always work and it involves taking several tablets a day and often having to avoid alcohol for a week, but it can reduce the chance of symptoms returning.

Il s'agit notamment de

• Douleur intense qui ne disparaît pas avec les remèdes de votre pharmacien ou de votre médecin.

• Being 'off' your food or losing weight for no obvious reason.

• Aliments collés lors de la déglutition ou douleur intense lors de la déglutition.

• Du sang dans les selles, surtout s'il est rouge foncé et mélangé aux selles.

• Vous vous sentez mal en général - ce qui peut être dû à l'anémie - ou fatigué.

• Des ballonnements persistants qui durent trois semaines ou plus - qui peuvent, dans de rares cas, être causés par un cancer de l'ovaire.

There's much that you can do to relieve or prevent your symptoms happening in the first place.

• In heartburn, lying down often brings on the issue because the acid doesn't have to travel against gravity up into your food pipe. Propping the head of your bed up on a couple of risers may help.

• Il en va de même pour la perte de poids, en évitant les ceintures ou les pantalons serrés et en évitant les repas trop copieux ou trop proches de l'heure du coucher.

• For other indigestion, you may find that some foods such as peppermint, tomatoes, alcohol or spicy foods are best avoided.

• Your pharmacist can advise on short-term remedies or a course of tablets to relieve the discomfort. You could also try probiotics.