The spectrum of dyspepsia symptoms and recommended definitions
| Symptom | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pain centered in the upper abdomen | Pain refers to a subjective, unpleasant sensation; some patients may feel that tissue damage is occurring. Other symptoms may be extremely bothersome without being interpreted by the patient as pain. By questioning the patient, pain should be distinguished from discomfort. |
| Discomfort centered in the upper abdomen | A subjective, unpleasant sensation or feeling that is not interpreted as pain according to the patient and which, if fully assessed, can include any of the symptoms below. |
| Early satiety | A feeling that the stomach is overfilled soon after starting to eat, out of proportion to the size of the meal being eaten, so that the meal cannot be finished. |
| Fullness | An unpleasant sensation like the persistence of food in the stomach; this may or may not occur postprandially (slow digestion). |
| Bloating in the upper abdomen | A tightness located in the upper abdomen; it should be distinguished from visible abdominal distension |
| Nausea | Queasiness or sick sensation; a feeling of the need to vomit |