Indigestion and feeling sick: what should you know?

Indigestion may feel like burning, upper abdominal discomfort, early fullness, bloating, or frequent burping. Feeling sick means nausea, with or without vomiting. Reflux, irritation of the stomach lining, a stomach infection, food poisoning, or gastroenteritis can produce both. Gallbladder problems may cause upper abdominal pain and nausea, while heat exhaustion or low blood sugar can make nausea accompany weakness and stomach discomfort. The timing after meals, fever, diarrhoea, sick contacts, heat exposure, and medicine use provide useful clues. These symptoms do not by themselves identify a particular condition.

Take frequent small sips of water or an oral rehydration drink, rest, and try bland food when you feel able. Avoid alcohol, very fatty meals, and foods that reliably worsen burning. Wash your hands carefully if vomiting or diarrhoea suggests an infection. Keep track of urine, vomiting, bowel changes, fever, and pain location. A pharmacist or clinician can advise on symptom relief after checking your age, medicines, pregnancy possibility, and other health conditions.

Seek urgent help for severe or localised abdominal pain, a rigid abdomen, confusion, fainting, blood in vomit or stools, chest pain, breathing difficulty, or signs of serious dehydration such as very little urine. Arrange medical advice if vomiting continues, fever is significant, symptoms follow travel or suspected contaminated food, or you cannot keep fluids down. Yellowing of the skin or eyes also needs prompt assessment.

Does the timing suggest reflux, infection, medication irritation, or another cause? How should I replace fluids if vomiting continues? Which warning signs mean I should attend urgent care?