What should you know about indigestion triggers?

A trigger may increase stomach pressure, relax the valve that limits reflux, irritate the stomach lining, or slow digestion. Common examples include eating quickly, overeating, fatty or spicy meals, coffee, fizzy drinks, alcohol and lying down soon after eating. Emotional stress can change gut sensitivity and eating patterns. Anti-inflammatory pain medicines and some other medicines may irritate the stomach; never stop a prescribed medicine without checking first. A food trigger is not proof of an allergy. Repeated symptoms can also occur with acid reflux, gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, a peptic ulcer, gallstones or a hiatus hernia.

Keep a simple diary for several days: record what you ate and drank, portion size, timing, activity, stress, medicines and the symptoms that followed. Change one factor at a time so you can recognise a pattern. Try smaller meals, slower eating and an upright position after food. Avoid only the items that consistently cause trouble rather than cutting out many foods at once. A pharmacist can discuss short-term symptom relief; a doctor can review medicines and persistent symptoms.

Book a medical review if symptoms occur often, steadily worsen, wake you, or continue despite removing a suspected trigger. Seek urgent help for severe abdominal or chest pain, vomiting blood, black stools, repeated vomiting, fainting, breathlessness or difficulty swallowing. Do not assume a familiar food trigger explains a new severe symptom; its pattern and accompanying signs matter.

Could any of my medicines be irritating my stomach? Which diary details would help identify a pattern? Should I be assessed for reflux, gastritis, ulcer disease, gallstones or Helicobacter pylori infection? How long should I try lifestyle changes before review?