There are, of course, hundreds of different kinds of dyspepsia, due to hundreds of different things. Anybody who experiences dyspepsia for the first time should certainly consult a physician. This should really be carried on to the second, third time, but experience teaches us that the confirmed dyspeptic eventually prefers to treat himself.
In general, you will find that this unfortunate race can be divided into a few simple groups.
The first division is of those who do take soda and those who don’t take soda. This, in general, is a question of whether it is an acid dyspepsia or not. The soda (sodium bicarbonate) is grateful because it neutralizes the excessive hydrochloric acid of the stomach.
There is the further division of those who take cathartics and those who can’t stand cathartics.
Corresponding closely to both these groups are those who eat a “smooth” diet and those who eat a “rough” diet. The smooth diet is for those who have too much acid or for those who have irritable intestines. The rough diet is for the atonic ones, and the constipated ones.
It would surprise most dyspeptic drug-takers to know how much relief they could obtain on diet alone.