What should you know about indigestion?

Symptoms may include early fullness, bloating, belching, nausea, or an unpleasant upper-abdominal ache. They can follow a large meal, rich or spicy food, alcohol, smoking, stress, or medicines that irritate the stomach. Indigestion is a symptom rather than one diagnosis.

Acid reflux, gastritis, a hiatus hernia, peptic ulcer, gallstones, or Helicobacter pylori infection can sometimes contribute. Most episodes are not caused by a serious disease, but persistent or changing symptoms deserve assessment. A clinician considers the pattern, medicines, medical history, and examination before deciding whether tests are useful.

Keep meals moderate, eat slowly, and notice whether particular foods or drinks bring symptoms on. Avoid lying down soon after eating, and reduce smoking or alcohol if these worsen discomfort. A pharmacist or clinician can explain whether an antacid or acid-reducing medicine is suitable, especially if you take other medicines or have ongoing symptoms.

Record when symptoms happen, what you ate, and whether there is reflux, vomiting, or weight change. This gives your clinician useful information and helps distinguish a recurring trigger from a condition needing investigation.

Get urgent help for severe or persistent chest or upper-abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black stools, fainting, trouble swallowing, or breathlessness. Arrange a medical review for repeated symptoms, unexplained weight loss, ongoing vomiting, anaemia symptoms, or indigestion that is becoming more troublesome.

Ask what may be triggering your symptoms, whether a medicine could be irritating your stomach, whether testing for Helicobacter pylori is appropriate, and how long you should try a treatment before returning for review.