In the consultation room, I often hear patients say this: their gastroscopy was normal, but whenever they eat, the pit of the stomach feels tight; they feel full quickly even after eating only a little; and belching and nausea keep coming back. Even when no clear inflammation or ulcer is seen on testing, daily life can become quite uncomfortable if the stomach is not functioning smoothly.
Why does functional dyspepsia occur?
Functional dyspepsia often appears as a problem of stomach “movement” and “sensation,” rather than the shape of the stomach. When the stomach’s ability to receive food and move it downward becomes weak, bloating, early satiety, abdominal bloating, heartburn, and nausea may continue. For those who have often had indigestion since childhood and have eaten small amounts, we also examine the possibility of spleen-stomach weakness from a Korean medicine perspective.
We look at dampness accumulation and food stagnation together
Some people are usually fine, but their digestion breaks down after frequent late-night meals, flour-based foods, fried foods, or greasy delivery food. In Korean medicine, we view the pattern in which food does not move downward well and becomes stagnant, and damp-phlegm accumulates to create a heavy feeling in the stomach, from the perspective of food stagnation or dampness accumulation. In such cases, rather than simply reducing stomach acid, a treatment direction that supports gastrointestinal motility and helps reduce accumulated damp-phlegm in the body may be needed.
Stress-related indigestion is also a body response
Some people get indigestion right away or feel blockage in the epigastric area when tension increases, such as during exams, work, or family issues. In Korean medicine, we look at states in which emotions and digestive function affect each other, such as liver-spleen disharmony and heart-spleen yang deficiency. In these cases, I do not look only at the stomach; I also check sleep, anxiety, chest tightness, palpitations, and fatigue.
Lifestyle management is the foundation of treatment
- Eat at regular times, and stop one or two spoonfuls before you feel full.
- Reduce late-night eating, overeating, and eating too quickly, and do not lie down right after meals.
- Adjust fried foods, excessive flour-based foods, alcohol, and smoking depending on your symptoms.
- Continue habits that reduce tension, such as light walking and abdominal breathing.
- If you have black stools, vomiting blood, difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, or unexplained weight loss, we recommend that you seek care. If sudden severe chest pain, cold sweats, or decreased consciousness occurs together, call 119 or go to the emergency room first.
Indigestion is common, but if it is left alone for a long time, anxiety about eating can grow as well. Rather than feeling reassured by endoscopy results alone, or on the contrary worrying too much, it is important to look at gastrointestinal motility testing, constitution, and lifestyle factors together to find a recovery direction that fits your current body condition. When the stomach feels comfortable, your energy can also return calmly.