Frequent burping and indigestion: what to know

Indigestion can feel like upper-abdominal discomfort, early fullness, burning, nausea or an unpleasant fullness after eating. Air swallowed with fast meals can add burping. Acid reflux, gastritis, a hiatus hernia, peptic ulcer disease or Helicobacter pylori infection may produce overlapping symptoms. Gallstones can cause upper-right abdominal pain, often after meals. The symptom pattern, examination and sometimes testing are needed to separate these possibilities.

Write down meal size, pain location, nausea, vomiting, stool colour, medicines and whether discomfort improves or worsens when lying down. Frequent symptoms may be worth reviewing even when each episode feels mild.

Try smaller meals, slower eating and an upright posture after food. Reduce alcohol, smoking, fizzy drinks and any item you can clearly link to symptoms. Check with a pharmacist before using acid-reflux medication, particularly if you take other medicines or symptoms keep returning. Avoid frequent anti-inflammatory painkillers unless a clinician has advised them, because they can irritate the stomach.

Get urgent help for chest pressure, breathlessness, faintness, severe pain, vomiting blood, black stools, repeated vomiting or trouble swallowing. Book a medical review for symptoms that persist, recur often, wake you at night, cause weight loss, or come with anaemia, yellowing of the skin or ongoing vomiting.

Could this be reflux, gastritis, an ulcer, gallstones or Helicobacter pylori infection? Do any of my medicines irritate the stomach? Should I try treatment first, or do I need an examination or testing?