Indigestion

Indigestion can be pain or discomfort in your upper abdomen (dyspepsia) or burning pain behind the breastbone (heartburn).

Dyspepsia and heartburn may occur together or on their own. Symptoms usually appear soon after eating or drinking.

Common associated symptoms include:

feeling full or bloated feeling sick (nausea) belching bringing up (regurgitating) fluid or food into the gullet (oesophagus)

Indigestion is a common problem that affects many people, but in most cases it’s mild and only occurs occasionally.

Read more about the symptoms of indigestion.

Symptoms

The main symptom of indigestion is pain or a feeling of discomfort in your upper abdomen (dyspepsia). People often experience the associated feeling of burning behind the breastbone (heartburn), but this may occur on its own.

These symptoms usually come on soon after eating or drinking, although there can sometimes be a delay between eating a meal and experiencing indigestion.

Heartburn is caused by acid that passes from your stomach into your gullet (oesophagus).

If you have indigestion, you may also have symptoms such as:

feeling uncomfortably full or heavy belching or flatulence(passing wind) bringing food or fluid back up from your stomach (reflux) bloating feeling sick (nausea) vomiting