Indigestion and reflux

Indigestion may feel like upper-abdominal discomfort, early fullness, bloating, burping, or nausea. Reflux more often causes a burning feeling behind the breastbone, a sour taste, throat irritation, or food coming back up. One person can have both patterns, particularly after a large meal or when lying down.

Acid reflux is a common explanation, but gastritis, a peptic ulcer, gallstones, a hiatus hernia, or Helicobacter pylori infection can produce similar upper-digestive symptoms. The symptom combination does not identify one cause on its own.

Eat slowly and choose smaller portions. Avoid lying down soon after meals, and raise your upper body when resting if night-time reflux is a problem. Notice whether fatty meals, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, or late eating trigger symptoms, then reduce only the triggers that affect you.

A pharmacist can explain whether an antacid or other acid reflux medication is appropriate and how to take it. Avoid frequent self-treatment without review, especially if symptoms keep returning. A simple record of meals, posture, timing, and associated symptoms can help your clinician assess the pattern.

Arrange a medical review if symptoms recur often, do not settle with simple changes, or cause difficulty swallowing, persistent vomiting, or unexplained weight loss. Seek urgent care for chest pressure, severe pain, breathlessness, fainting, vomiting blood, or black stools, because these may need immediate assessment.

Ask whether your symptoms sound more like reflux, indigestion, or another upper-abdominal problem; whether you need testing; and which medicine is suitable with your other treatments. Mention pain with swallowing, night symptoms, bleeding, or a family history of digestive disease.