Symptoms & Causes of Indigestion

What are the symptoms of indigestion?

When you have indigestion, you may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• pain, a burning feeling, or discomfort in your upper abdomen
• feeling full too soon while eating a meal
• feeling uncomfortably full after eating a meal
• bloating
• burping
•  

Other symptoms may include

• burping up food or liquid
• loud growling or gurgling in your stomach
• nausea
• gas
•  

Sometimes when you have indigestion, you may also have heartburn. However, heartburn and indigestion are two separate conditions.

                            Photo of a person holding two hands against the stomach.

When you have indigestion, you may have pain, a burning feeling, or discomfort in your upper abdomen.

Seek care right away

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
• severe and constant pain in your abdomen
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• yellowing of your eyes or skin
• You should also see a doctor if your indigestion lasts longer than 2 weeks.

What causes indigestion?

Some of the causes of indigestion include

drinking

• too many alcoholic beverages
• too much coffee or too many drinks containing caffeine
• too many carbonated, or fizzy, drinks

eating

• too fast or too much during a meal
• spicy, fatty, or greasy foods
• foods that contain a lot of acid, such as tomatoes, tomato products, and oranges

feeling stressed

smoking

Some medicines can cause indigestion, such as

• certain antibiotics—medicines that kill bacteria
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Health problems and digestive tract diseases and conditions can cause indigestion, including

• acid reflux (GER and GERD)
• anxiety  or depression
• gallbladder inflammation
• gastritis
• gastroparesis
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection
• irritable bowel syndrome
• lactose intolerance
• peptic ulcer disease
• stomach cancer
• Researchers do not know what causes functional dyspepsia. Some research3 suggests that the following factors may play a role in functional dyspepsia:
• eating
• gastroparesis
• problems in the first part of your small intestine, including inflammation and being overly sensitive to stomach acids
• infection by microorganisms such as H. pylori, Salmonella , Escherichia coli  (E. coli), Campylobacter , giardia , or norovirus
• psychological problems, especially anxiety
• genes—a trait passed from parent to child