Acid reflux. Gas. GERD. Heartburn. Indigestion. Burping. These are symptoms and dis-eases that I hear patients speak of often. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably without the person realizing how very different or specific a name can be.
The two I will address in this article are heartburn and indigestion. You can have these two together. They may feel similar but they are NOT interchangeable. These two are a group of symptoms that occur AFTER you eat from too much of certain irritating foods or eating too quickly.
Actually heartburn can be a symptom of indigestion.
Heartburn is not a condition or dis-ease but rather a symptom which can be caused by:
- eating certain foods (chocolate, peppermint, fatty foods)
- having a hiatal hernia (the esophagus gets bent out of shape)
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
The most common symptoms of heart burn include:
- a sour taste in the mouth that creeps up the throat (acid)
- a feeling of burning in the chest
- pain in the throat or neck
Indigestion on the other hand, is condition whose medical term is dyspepsia. It can often be traced to:
- Foods that are spicy, high in fat or greasy
- Eating too quickly
- Eating large portion sizes
- Drinking large amounts of alcohol
- Drinking excessive caffeine
Indigestion may also be caused by:
- Conditions like ulcers, pancreatitis, gastritis, or gallstones
- Feeling stressed or anxious
- Smoking tobacco products
- Medication side effects
The most common symptoms include:
- General discomfort in the belly
- Feeling uncomfortably full during or after eating
- Stomach pain
Once you compare the two you can see how some confusion about them is perpetuated. Remember that indigestion isn’t related to stomach acid where as heartburn is. Instead indigestion can be connected to emotions and stress. The good news is that lifestyle changes most often help both of these conditions such as watching what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat and where you eat.
Limiting alcohol, spicy and fatty foods; consuming smaller portions; having regular mealtimes; reducing stress and eating more slowly are examples of lifestyle changes you are in control of.
Better to take control this way than resorting to drugs which cover up the symptoms instead of getting to the cause and correcting it.
