HOW TO MANAGE INDIGESTION: TREATMENT AND RELIEF

Living with the symptoms of indigestion can be uncomfortable, reduce your quality of life and even impact your productivity at work. So, what can you do to help prevent them?

Fortunately, there are several ways to do just that. But, knowing which type of treatment is right for you will depend on what’s causing your indigestion and how severe your symptoms are.

If your indigestion is caused by an underlying health condition, or you’re ever unsure about your symptoms, speak to your doctor for their advice.

For mild cases of indigestion, however, the advice listed below may be enough to help ease your symptoms. 

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK

Since indigestion is often associated with your diet, thinking about what you eat and drink may help to manage your symptoms.

For example, why not make a note of any particular foods or drinks that seem to make your indigestion worse? That way, you’ll know exactly what to avoid in the future!

Some of the main culprits for causing indigestion include rich, spicy and fatty foods, citrus fruits and drinks that contain caffeine (such as tea, coffee or fizzy drinks) or alcohol. Cutting down on these may help to reduce your symptoms and help prevent them from getting any worse.

Instead, try to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, prioritising foods like non-citrus fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and high-fibre starchy products. And when it comes to cooking, try to make any spicy meals you would normally have (like curries) milder by using herbs as an alternative and, where possible, grill your food instead of frying it.

REDUCE YOUR MEAL SIZE

Eating large meals in one go can stretch and irritate your stomach lining which can trigger indigestion.

As such, eating little and often throughout the day, taking the time to eat slowly and chew each mouthful, and avoiding late-night snacking could help prevent symptoms like acid reflux and heartburn.

Eating meals in this way may also make it easier for you to try and maintain a healthy weight, helping to reduce the pressure on your stomach and limiting your likelihood of acid reflux. 

STOP SMOKING

If you smoke cigarettes, the chemicals you inhale may contribute towards indigestion.

This is because of the effects that smoking can have on what’s known as the lower oesophageal sphincter (a large muscular ring located at the entrance of your stomach), which separates your oesophagus from your stomach.

When working as it should, this ring of muscle is supposed to open when you’re eating, allow food to pass through and close shortly afterwards. However, smoking can cause it to relax, allowing the acid contained within your stomach to escape upwards into your oesophagus, resulting in symptoms like acid reflux.

Quitting smoking may help to prevent this from happening and reduce any acid reflux-related symptoms you’re experiencing.

KEEP YOUR STRESS LEVELS DOWN

Stress, anxiety and depression may all contribute to or worsen symptoms of indigestion. So prioritising techniques that lower your stress or anxiety levels could help reduce your indigestion symptoms.

For example, why not try:

• Using calming breathing exercises or meditation
• Talking therapy (like cognitive behavioural therapy) or counselling
• Performing gentle exercises (such as yoga)
• Getting a good night’s sleep (raising your head and shoulders when in bed may help to reduce symptoms like acid reflux)
• Avoid gambling (as this can increase your stress level)
• Avoid using alcohol, cigarettes or drugs
• Using time-management techniques and plan ahead
• Talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor

To learn more about how to reduce any feelings of anxiety, take a look at the NHS’s dedicated pages on stress and anxiety, fear and panic, or discover more self-care techniques on the Mind website.

USE OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINES

Lifestyle changes can be useful for preventing indigestion in the future but, if you’re looking for fast relief from your symptoms, over-the-counter medications may help.

Available from your local pharmacist, these medications typically include antacids and alginates and are designed to help ease the burning sensation or pain often associated with indigestion.

Rennie® Peppermint, for example, is an antacid that provides fast-acting, effective relief from indigestion.

It does this through its calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate formula, which works quickly to neutralise excess stomach acid by converting it into water and soluble mineral salts.

However, the effects of antacids only last for a few hours at a time. So, to get the most out of them, it’s best to take them as soon as your symptoms start to occur. 

SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE

If you find that lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medicines aren’t reducing your symptoms of indigestion, or that you’re in severe pain, keep getting indigestion or keep being sick, it’s important to speak to your doctor.

They’ll be able to discuss the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, review any existing medication you may be taking to determine what’s causing your indigestion and provide you with personalised advice and alternative treatments to combat your specific symptoms.