Word parts
What it means
Often called indigestion. It can come from overeating, fatty or spicy food, coffee, alcohol, smoking, NSAIDs, ulcers, gastritisgas-TRY-tisInflammation of the lining of the stomach.gastr/o stomach-itis inflammationFull entry or reflux, and often no cause is found. Heartburn in pregnancy is a common form.
For the nurse
Ask what makes it worse and what drugs the client takes. Teach small meals, avoiding trigger foods and not lying down right after eating, and report pain with vomiting blood, black stools or weight loss.
At a glance
| Everyday words | indigestion |
|---|---|
| Spanish | dispepsia |
Related terms
dys-
A word beginning that means difficult, painful or not working normally.
ulcer
An open sore where the skin or the lining of an organ has broken down.
gastroesophageal reflux disease
A long-term condition in which stomach contents, including acid, flow back up into the esophagus.
gastritis
Inflammation of the lining of the stomach.
pepsin
An enzyme in the stomach that begins breaking down proteins.