What to Do If You Have Frequent Indigestion

Indigestion is the pits. It can cause unpleasant symptoms including stomach pain, gas and bloating, a burning sensation in your belly as well as heartburn, which is caused when stomach acid rises up into the esophagus. There are multiple reasons why you might be suffering from Frequent Indigestion and a few things you can do about it.

Conditions that cause Frequent Indigestion

If you’re suffering from frequent indigestion it’s important that you consult a medical professional in order to rule out any underlying condition that might be causing it. Some of the conditions that may be a cause of indigestion are:

• Stomach ulcers
• GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
• Stomach infections
• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
• Pancreatitis
• Thyroid disease

Because there is such a broad spectrum of possible causes of indigestion, be sure to be as specific as possible about your symptoms. Include detail on precisely where the pain is, how long it lasts for and if you’ve noticed any patterns (eg it occurs after eating specific foods).

Other causes

There are various lifestyle factors that could be causing indigestion. For example, some medications such as aspirin, birth control pills and some antibiotics can cause indigestion.

It’s also possible that indigestion is caused by an intolerance to certain foods, causing your stomach to become upset when you eat them. You can be tested for food intolerances using only a strand of your hair at IntoleranceLab, and they will send you a comprehensive report of which foods are the possible cause of your symptoms.

People can also suffer from indigestion if they eat fatty foods, eat too quickly, swallow too much air while they are eating, exercise too soon after eating, smoke, drink too much alcohol, or if they are stressed. Be sure that you are mindful of these factors and you could start to see an improvement.

Ways to relieve frequent indigestion

Indigestion will generally go away on its own after some time, but if you want to help it along there are some things that you can try.

• Peppermint tea has an antispasmodic effect on the body, meaning that it is great for soothing stomach upsets. Try drinking a cup of peppermint tea or sucking on a peppermint after eating to ease indigestion, and to freshen your breath into the bargain!
• Chamomile tea is known for calming anxiety, so if this is the source of your indigestion then it could be a helpful remedy. It also reduces stomach acid in the gastrointestinal tract, and acts as an anti-inflammatory which will help with any pain.
• Ginger is often used as a natural remedy for stomach upsets because it reduces stomach acid. Try ginger tea or crystallized ginger, but try not to consume too much in a day (keep consumption below 3 to 4 grams per day) otherwise, it can upset your stomach, as too little stomach acid isn’t great either!
• Licorice root is known for soothing anxiety, as well as calming muscle spasms and inflammation in the gut. You can either chew the root, or add it to boiling water and drink the mixture. Licorice and peppermint are a delicious and effective combination. Be sure not to ingest too much licorice root (keep it under 2.5 grams per day) as it can have ill effects on blood pressure and sodium and potassium levels in high doses.