Nonulcer dyspepsia: what it is and what it is not.

Nonulcer dyspepsia is a description of persistent or recurrent upper abdominal pain or discomfort with no structural or biochemical explanation for the patient's symptoms. The exact cause of nonulcer dyspepsia is not known, but many myths have evolved regarding its etiology and treatment. The goal of this review is to evaluate the potential causes of nonulcer dyspepsia. By determining what it is and what it is not, we can be more selective in our approach to diagnosis and our choice of empiric therapies.