For sufferers of both diabetes and indigestion (dyspepsia), the causes can be varied and are usually related to an existing condition of the digestive tract such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, cancer, or an abnormality of the pancreas or bile ducts. Dyspepsia occurs as several symptoms such as a feeling of fullness while eating, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain after a meal. When an underlying cause cannot be found, the indigestion is known as functional dyspepsia and is thought to originate where the stomach meets the small intestine. Abnormal motility, the contraction of the stomach’s muscles as it receives food, is also a potential cause of indigestion.

Diabetes and Indigestion: Motility of the Stomach

For long-term patients of diabetes, those suffering from the disease for more than five years, the chance that they will experience decreased motility of the stomach increases. When …