VUB researcher Sébastien Kindt on functional dyspepsia
Because chronic stomach complaints vary and standard tests rarely provide clear answers, diagnosis often takes a long time. Worse still, many patients are told nothing is wrong. But VUB researcher Sébastien Kindt stresses that this is a genuine physical condition with a clear medical basis — and that something can be done about it.
Functional dyspepsia — or, in plain language, chronic stomach complaints — causes nagging or pressing pain in the upper abdomen, a feeling of fullness after just a few bites, nausea, burning discomfort or the sensation that food lingers too long in the stomach. In his recent analysis, published in a specialist journal, Kindt explains that these complaints arise from a combination of factors. The stomach may empty more slowly, the nerves in the stomach wall can become hypersensitive, and the brain may amplify signals from the digestive system.
According to Kindt it is precisely this complex interplay between stomach and brain that explains why some patients react so strongly to seemingly minor triggers. The symptoms are not imagined; they result from a disruption in how the stomach functions and is regulated.
"Patients avoid certain foods, have to plan their days around meals, and struggle with uncertainty about how their stomachs will react."
Kindt also describes how often people with chronic stomach complaints slip through the healthcare net. Because gastroscopy, blood tests or ultrasounds usually appear normal, patients are sometimes told “there’s nothing wrong.” According to the literature, that is not only incorrect but harmful: the condition significantly affects daily life. People avoid certain foods, plan their days around meals and live with constant uncertainty about how their stomach will respond. Social activities, work performance and even simple daily tasks can become overwhelming.
A combination of strategies brings relief
Kindt’s publication shows that the impact of chronic stomach complaints is linked to mental health — but mainly as a consequence, not a cause. Anxiety or stress can worsen symptoms, yet they often develop only after months or years of physical discomfort. “The condition is not psychological,” Kindt emphasises, “though psychological factors can influence the pattern of complaints.”
Treatment for functional dyspepsia requires a tailored approach. There is no single solution, but a combination of strategies often brings relief. Small, frequent meals, slower eating and targeted medication can help improve stomach function. Studies also show that treatments aimed at reducing hypersensitivity in the stomach and brain — such as certain drugs or specialised therapies — can be effective. Not because the complaints are ‘in the mind’, but because they directly address the excessive signal processing that defines the disorder.
"Small, frequent meals, slower food intake and targeted medication can help improve stomach function"
Kindt stresses that recognition is a crucial first step. Patients who are told for years that nothing is wrong often lose confidence in their own bodies and may even feel ashamed of their symptoms. By naming the condition correctly, explaining what happens in the stomach and guiding patients towards suitable treatment, much suffering can be alleviated.
During the Warmest Week, this condition deserves attention because it is invisible yet profoundly present in the lives of those affected. Chronic stomach complaints leave no scars, but they dictate how people eat, move, socialise and work. These are illnesses that demand empathy, patience and a healthcare professional who thinks along. Warmth, understanding and support can quite literally make the difference.
Bio
Sébastien Kindt is a gastroenterologist and researcher at the VUB and UZ Brussel, the hospital of the VUB. He specialises in functional gastrointestinal disorders—such as irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, and eosinophilic oesophagitis—and leads clinical studies across phases II and III. Kindt is president of the Belgian Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility and an author of numerous peer‑reviewed publications.
