Common Causes
Although indigestion doesn't usually have serious complications, it can affect your quality of life by making you feel uncomfortable and causing you to eat less. You might miss work or school because of your symptoms. Feldman M, et al., eds. Dyspepsia.
Related Conditions
Indigestion often goes away on its own after a few hours. But let your doctor know if your symptoms get worse. Any treatment you get will depend on what’s causing your indigestion. You can also do some things on your own to ease your symptoms: Try not to chew with your mouth open, talk while you chew, or eat too fast.
What are the possible complications of indigestion?
A heart attack can cause symptoms that feel like indigestion. Get medical help right away if you have shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that spreads along your jaw, neck, or arm.
Does indigestion go away on its own?
Heartburn alone is not a killer but there may be other factors in play causing your heartburn that could lead to more serious issues. Frequent acid reflux or heartburn can eventually erode the inside lining of your esophagus and even the stomach which can lead to all sorts of health problems.
Can a heart attack cause indigestion?
Can heartburn kill you?
Is indigestion life threatening?
Life-threatening illnesses (for example, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure) are the illnesses that capture the public's interest and, more importantly, research funding. Indigestion is not a life-threatening illness and has received little research funding.
What does severe indigestion feel like?
You feel a mild to severe pain in the area between the bottom of your breastbone and your bellybutton. Burning in the upper abdomen. You feel an uncomfortable heat or burning sensation between the bottom of your breastbone and your bellybutton. Bloating in the upper abdomen.
What happens if you ignore indigestion?
“Untreated acid reflux can result in chronic damage or scarring in the esophagus,” explains Dr. Lynch. “Scarring in the esophagus can cause strictures, which become more difficult to treat as further acid damage occurs.” Delay in properly managing acid reflux may lead to a condition call Barrett's esophagus.
How do I know if my indigestion is serious?
If you have indigestion and any of the following symptoms, you may have a more serious condition and should see a doctor right away:black, tarlike stools.bloody vomit.difficulty swallowing or painful swallowing.frequent vomiting.losing weight without trying.pain in your chest, jaw, neck, or arm.More items...
Does water help indigestion?
Sometimes, when heartburn symptoms set in, a few sips of water will bring relief. This can be the result of water neutralizing acids and washing them out of the esophagus. Water has a pH that, at 7, is neutral. This dilutes the more acidic stomach fluids, bringing relief.
How do I get rid of indigestion fast?
Baking soda can quickly neutralize stomach acid and relieve indigestion, bloating, and gas after eating. For this remedy, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 4 ounces of warm water and drink. Sodium bicarbonate is generally safe and nontoxic.
Can acid reflux cause death?
There are no reported cases of a person choking to death in their sleep due to acid reflux or GERD. But GERD can cause stomach acid to enter the lungs, which can cause a burning cough.
When should you go to the hospital for acid reflux?
If the pain is not relieved shortly after taking antacids, or is accompanied by these symptoms, seek emergency medical care: Squeezing/tightening in the chest. Feeling out of breath. Pain, aching or discomfort radiating from the chest to the arms, back or neck.
What does a damaged esophagus feel like?
Esophagitis (uh-sof-uh-JIE-tis) is inflammation that may damage tissues of the esophagus, the muscular tube that delivers food from your mouth to your stomach. Esophagitis can cause painful, difficult swallowing and chest pain.
How long should indigestion last?
Most mild cases of indigestion do not require medical attention or even medication. In these instances, symptoms last only a few hours, and while they may recur for a few days, the symptoms either go away on their own or after making dietary or lifestyle changes.
How should I sleep with indigestion?
Sleep with your upper body elevated. ... Wear loose-fitting clothes. ... Avoid foods that trigger your heartburn. ... Steer clear of late-night meals or big meals. ... Relax when you eat. ... Stay upright after eating. ... Wait to exercise. ... Chew gum.More items...•
Is milk good for indigestion?
You may have heard that drinking a glass of milk can relieve heartburn. While it's true that milk can temporarily buffer stomach acid, nutrients in milk, particularly fat, may stimulate the stomach to produce more acid.
How long can indigestion pain last?
The uncomfortable symptoms of heartburn can last for two hours or longer, depending on the cause. Mild heartburn that occurs after eating spicy or acidic food typically lasts until the food has been digested. Heartburn symptoms may also return several hours after they first appeared if you bend over or lie down.
What does trapped gas in chest feel like?
Trapped gas can feel like a stabbing pain in your chest or abdomen. The pain can be sharp enough to send you to the emergency room, thinking it's a heart attack, or appendicitis, or your gallbladder. Producing and passing gas is a normal part of your digestion.
Can indigestion pain last for days?
Most mild cases of indigestion do not require medical attention or even medication. In these instances, symptoms last only a few hours, and while they may recur for a few days, the symptoms either go away on their own or after making dietary or lifestyle changes.
What is the difference between indigestion and heartburn?
Heartburn and indigestion are often used interchangeably, but they're actually different conditions. Indigestion is a general term that speaks to a wide range of digestive issues. Heartburn, on the other hand, occurs when stomach acid escapes into your esophagus. It's one type of indigestion.
How does indigestion affect your life?
Although indigestion doesn't usually have serious complications, it can affect your quality of life by making you feel uncomfortable and causing you to eat less. You might miss work or school because of your symptoms.
How long does it take for indigestion to go away?
Mild indigestion is usually nothing to worry about. Consult your doctor if discomfort persists for more than two weeks. Contact your doctor right away if pain is severe or accompanied by: Unintentional weight loss or loss of appetite. Repeated vomiting or vomiting with blood.
How do you know if you have indigestion?
People with indigestion may have one or more of the following symptoms: Early fullness during a meal. You haven't eaten much of your meal, but you already feel full and may not be able to finish eating. Uncomfortable fullness after a meal.
What are the organs of the digestive system?
Overview. The major organs in your digestive system are the liver, stomach, gallbladder, colon and small intestine. Indigestion — also called dyspepsia or an upset stomach — is a general term that describes discomfort in your upper abdomen.
What is the cause of indigestion?
A condition known as functional or nonulcer dyspepsia, which is related to irritable bowel syndrome, is a very common cause of indigestion.
Can indigestion be a symptom of a disease?
Symptoms of indigestion may be felt occasionally or as often as daily. Indigestion can be a symptom of another digestive disease. Indigestion that isn't caused by an underlying disease may be eased with lifestyle changes and medication.
Is indigestion a disease?
Indigestion is not a disease, but rather some symptoms you experience, including abdominal pain and a feeling of fullness soon after you start eating. Although indigestion is common, each person may experience indigestion in a slightly different way. Symptoms of indigestion may be felt occasionally or as often as daily.
Can acid reflux or GERD be life threatening?
Acid reflux itself is not life threatening. But chronic acid reflux can cause serious and potentially life threatening health complications. The medical term for frequent or chronic acid reflux is GERD.
Can it cause people to choke to death in their sleep?
There are no reported cases of a person choking to death in their sleep due to acid reflux or GERD. But GERD can cause stomach acid to enter the lungs, which can cause a burning cough.
Complications of GERD
Without treatment, GERD can cause several serious health complications, including:
Preventing complications from acid reflux
Occasional acid reflux typically does not cause health complications. The best way to help prevent complications is to avoid foods or activities that can trigger acid reflux.
Treatment options
A doctor may recommend that a person makes certain lifestyle changes or takes medications to help manage acid reflux or GERD. Some potential treatment options include:
Acid reflux symptoms
The primary symptom of acid reflux is heartburn, which typically feels like a burning pain in the center of the chest. But not all people who have acid reflux experience heartburn. Other possible symptoms include:
When to contact a doctor
Occasional bouts of acid reflux are rarely a cause for concern. But frequent bouts may signal an underlying problem that requires treatment. A person should talk with their doctor if they experience one or more of the following:
How long does it take for indigestion to go away?
Indigestion often goes away on its own after a few hours. But let your doctor know if your symptoms get worse. Any treatment you get will depend on what’s causing your indigestion. You can also do some things on your own to ease your symptoms: Try not to chew with your mouth open, talk while you chew, or eat too fast.
Why do women have indigestion during pregnancy?
The problem might come from hormones, which relax the muscles of the digestive tract, and from the pressure the growing baby puts on the stomach.
What does it mean when you feel a burning sensation in your stomach?
You might have burning or pain in the upper part of your stomach, too. It’s indigestion, also called dyspepsia. Indigestion is often a sign of an underlying problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, or gallbladder disease, ...
What does it feel like to vomit?
Vomiting or blood in your vomit. It may look like coffee grounds. A heart attack can cause symptoms that feel like indigestion. Get medical help right away if you have shortness of breath, sweating, or pain that spreads along your jaw, neck, or arm.
How to deal with stress from eating?
Eat slowly. Avoid foods with a lot of acid, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes. Cut back on or avoid foods and drinks that have caffeine. If stress is a trigger, learn new ways to manage it, such as relaxation and biofeedback techniques.
How long after eating can you lie down?
They can put pressure on your stomach, which can make the food you’ve eaten move up into your esophagus. Don't exercise with a full stomach. Do it before a meal or at least 1 hour after you eat. Don't lie down right after you’ve eaten. Wait at least 3 hours after your last meal of the day before you go to bed.
Can men get indigestion?
Men and women of all ages can get indigestion. It’s a common condition. But certain things make some people more prone to it. Causes include:
How much has heartburn cancer grown in the last 30 years?
Over the last thirty years the heartburn cancer has grown from approximately 1/3 rd to half of all these cancers.
What is the survival rate of Barrett's esophagus?
Unfortunately the new tissue growth is often abnormal and can turn cancerous (about one in ten will develop cancer this way).The survival rate for this cancer is really low at around 13% over a five year period.
What causes indigestion and gas?
Continuing faulty diet and lifestyle habits lead to constant indigestion and gas.
What happens when you eat food that is not digested?
With food intolerance, Your digestive system is unable to break down and absorb the food. As a result, offending foods cause gas, nausea, and constant indigestion every time you eat them.
What is the term for a decreased motility of the stomach?
Gastroparesis is a decreased motility of your stomach. Slowing down of the stomach motility produce symptoms similar to Functional dyspepsia (constant indigestion and fullness in the upper stomach area).
What causes pain in the stomach?
Chronic gastritis, stomach ulcers, and duodenal ulcers cause constant epigastric pain and indigestion. In addition, chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease cause inflammation and damage to the lining of your stomach.
What is the most common drug for gastritis?
Drug-induced gastritis and PUD: most commonly, Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs as ibuprofen and diclofenac.
What happens when a human body becomes destructed?
When its tissues become destructed, It leads to fat malabsorption, chronic diarrhea, and constant indigestion.
When does stomach pain start?
With chronic gastritis and stomach ulcers, the pain starts shortly after eating.
Can reflux cause cancer?
Reflux causes injury over years, potentially leading to cancer. Depending the amount/degree of refluxing, there are certain subgroups that can have more acute injury/complications. Some infants have sids thought to be associated with gerd.
Can acid reflux kill you?
No: Acid reflux cannot kill you. The most serious complication is the development of barrett esophagus, or esophageal metaplasia, which can be a precursor to esophageal cancer. This takes many years to develop. If you have concerns and have had reflux symptoms for a while, consult with your doctor about having an upper endoscopy ( egd ).
What are the symptoms of heartburn?
If you have a case of heartburn, and antacid treatment doesn't help within a few minutes, look for other symptoms such as pain radiating down the left arm, a very sore shoulder blade, a very bad neck pain and especially shortness of breath or severe pain when inhaling. 197 views. Teddy Ward.
Which side of the stomach is the most digested?
However, the location of the stomach is a clue. The stomach’s natural position is on the left side, where it can digest food more effectively. Gravity helps the waste travel from the small intestine to the large intestine.
What does it mean when acid goes up into your esophagus?
When acid is going up into your esophagus which means that the stomach valve does not close completely. Thus the stomach lining will grow up to the top of your esophagus.
Which side of the stomach does reflux occur?
The oesophagus enters the stomach on the right hand side so reflux is more likely if you lie on that side. If reflux and heartburn continues, see your doctor. A cid reflux can cause the formation of permanent acid resistant cells to th eoesophagus known as. B arrett’s Oesophagus.
Can you die from heartburn with antacids?
I've never heard of a case of someone dying from heartburn. But sometimes people will take antacids thinking they have heartburn when they are actually having a heart attack. Not all heart attacks are so severe that the difference is easy to distinguish. If you have a case of heartburn, and antacid treatment doesn't help within a few minutes, look for other symptoms such as pain radiating down the left arm, a very sore shoulder blade, a very bad neck pain and especially shortness of breath or severe pain when inhaling.
Can GERD cause cancer?
Over time with prolonged exposure to acid the cells lining the esophagus begin to change to accommodate this new acidic environment. these changing cells may become cancer. And cancer can kill you.
Can esophagitis cause cancer?
If a person has reflux esophagitis they may eventually get a cancer, also if the very caustic stomach contents enter one's lungs one can trigger an asthmatic attack or get a pneumonitis which can end up killing them, also some people miss the fact that they are having myocardial ischemia because they think they are only experiencing reflux which can also cause death.
Can you dial 9-1-1 for GERD?
This doesn’t mean that every time you develop heartburn or some other milder symptom of GERD, you should panic and grab the phone in preparation of dialing 9-1-1. But a chronic GERD sufferer needs to be well-aware of just what acid reflux disease is capable of. Many patients already know that acid reflux can reach the throat, ...
Can commercials cause breathing problems?
Sorry to say, but the very medical condition that is so often presented with amusement in TV commercials can actually cause very serious problems involving breathing that, if not managed properly, can be life-threatening.
Can acid reflux cause suffocation?
Many patients already know that acid reflux can reach the throat, causing breathing problems—and in some cases, a suffocating feeling.
Can reflux cause a sore throat?
Dr. Good explains, “This can cause severe lung injury. Severe, chronic reflux can cause a variety of upper airway and lung problems including sore throat, hoarse voice, voice fatigue, laryngeal injury, cough, pneumonia and lung abscess.
Can GERD kill you?
So despite all the serious possible fallouts of GERD, such as a lung abscess or pneumonia, it’s not something that’s going to one day strangle and suffocate you while you’re sleeping or eating and kill you right then and there.