How common is heartburn and indigestion?
- Over 1 billion people worldwide experience regular symptoms of reflux.*
How common is heartburn and indigestion?
- 1 in 5 adults experience heartburn and regurgitation at least once a week.*
In a recent survey of 551 Australian adults:
- 1 in 2 men and 2 in 5 women
reported experiencing reflux and/or heartburn in the past 12 months*
Of all the people who experienced reflux and/or heartburn in the past year,
- 1 in 4 suffered episodes a few times each week* and
- at least 1 in 10 suffered symptoms every day*
What does heartburn feel like?
Heartburn is very common and describes the burning pain that moves from the chest towards the throat.
What does indigestion feel like?
Indigestion is another symptom you might experience. It can feel like pain, burning or discomfort in your upper abdomen. You might also feel bloated or 'gassy' and burp a lot too.
What's heartburn, reflux and indigestion all about?
When deciding if you're going to have that fried food, fizzy drink or sweet treat, are you wondering in the back of your mind whether you're going to get that burning sensation in your throat or an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach? Here's what is happening in the body when you experience the symptoms of what's called reflux.
Types of food and drink that can trigger heartburn
Foods:
- Fatty foods (e.g. burgers, pizza, fried chicken, chips)
- Spicy foods (e.g. chilli, pepper, curry)
- Salt and salt substitutes
- Garlic or onions
- Chocolate
- Mint (e.g. spearmint, peppermint)
- Tomatoes and tomato products
- Citrus fruit
Types of food and drink that can trigger heartburn
Drinks:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Carbonated beverages (e.g. soft drinks, soda water)
- Citrus fruit juice or tomato juice
- Caffeinated beverages (e.g. coffee, tea, cola)
Foods and drink that can trigger indigestion
- Fatty foods (e.g. burgers, pizza, fried chicken, chips)
- Spicy foods (e.g. chilli, pepper, curry)
- Tomatoes and tomato products
- Citrus fruit
- Alcohol (e.g. beer, wine, spirits, cocktails)
- Caffeinated beverages (e.g. coffee, tea, cola)
- Carbonated beverages (e.g. soft drinks, soda water)
- Citrus fruit juice or tomato juice
Risk factors for reflux
Alcohol consumption
Moderate to high alcohol intake (>7 standard drinks per week) can increase risk for reflux symptoms.
Risk factors for reflux
Smoking
Risk for reflux symptoms increases with both the duration and amount of smoking.
Risk factors for reflux
Certain medications
Some medications can cause or worsen reflux symptoms
Risk factors for reflux
Obesity
Being overweight or obese† or carrying extra belly fat can increase pressure on the stomach and cause reflux symptoms
Risk factors for reflux
Pregnancy
Up to 80% of pregnant women experience heartburn.^
Risk factors for reflux
Genetics
Having a first-degree relative with heartburn increases risk for reflux symptoms.
Risk factors for reflux
Age
Regular reflux symptoms are more common in adults aged over 35 than in younger adults.‡
How and when you eat can contribute to acid reflux symptoms
Symptoms of reflux may be more likely when you:
- Eat too much in one sitting
- Eat too quickly
- Eat right before exercising
- Eat too close to bedtime
What happens when you get reflux?
- When you eat, food travels down the oesophagus (food pipe) from the mouth to the stomach.
- At the end of the oesophagus, a sphincter (ring of muscle that works like a valve) relaxes to let food into the stomach and then tightens again to prevent anything from coming back up into the oesophagus.
Symptoms of acid reflux
Acid reflux commonly causes heartburn and regurgitation.
- Heartburn feels like an uncomfortable or painful burning sensation that develops behind the breastbone and rises toward the throat.
- Regurgitation occurs when the stomach contents flow back into the mouth or throat, causing an unpleasant sour or acidic taste in the mouth.
- Symptoms can last for just a few minutes or persist for a few hours.
- Symptoms can get worse or come back when lying down or bending over.
What happens when you get indigestion?
Researchers are still investigating what causes indigestion. What is known is that indigestion can present as:
- Pain, a burning feeling, or discomfort in your upper tummy
- Feeling uncomfortably full after eating
- Bloating
- Burping
- Nausea
- Gas
How to relieve heartburn and indigestion
Over-the-counter medications such as Gaviscon Dual Action that contain an antacid and an alginate can be used to relieve the pain and discomfort of heartburn and indigestion.
How to relieve heartburn and indigestion
Antacid: neutralises stomach acid to reduce the acidity of any stomach contents that rise up through the oesophagus.
How to relieve heartburn and indigestion
Alginates: form a protective layer on top of the stomach contents to help prevent stomach contents from rising up the oesophagus.
1 minute later...
4 minutes later...
Gaviscon Dual Action Liquid starts to work from just 4 minutes.*
Lifestyle tips for minimising reflux
By adjusting a few lifestyle factors, you can help to reduce reflux
Change how and when you eat
- Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.
- Take your time when eating.
- Plan to finish eating 2 to 3 hours before going to bed or doing vigorous exercise.
- Avoid lying down or bending over straight after eating.
Watch what you eat
- Avoid particular foods and drinks that you know trigger your acid reflux symptoms.
- Drink fluids between meals rather than with meals.
- Reduce or limit how much caffeine, soft drink, and alcohol you drink.
- Increase the amount of fibre in your diet.
Lifestyle tips for minimising reflux
By adjusting a few lifestyle factors, you can help to reduce reflux
Improve your health
- Maintain a healthy weight or consider losing weight if you are overweight or obese - even modest weight loss could help lower your risk of symptoms.
- Quit smoking.
- Review any medications with your GP to see if they may be affecting your symptoms.
Other tips
- Wear loose-fitting clothing to help reduce pressure on your stomach.
- Raise the head of your bed to help relieve reflux symptoms that occur at night.
- Lie on the left side of your body when sleeping.
Did you know
- Dogs and cats can get acid reflux too! And like humans, fatty foods can make it worse, so a healthy diet is the best prevention for both you and your pets. Remember that Gaviscon products are designed for use in humans - always talk to your vet about your pets' health.
- Centuries ago, people used minerals such as chalk (calcium carbonate), magnesia (magnesium carbonate), and bismuth to help relieve acid reflux symptoms. These same minerals now form the basis of our modern-day medicines!
Pregnancy and Reflux
- Up to 80% of pregnant women experience heartburn.^
- Heartburn is so common during pregnancy that it is often considered a normal part of pregnancy.
- Symptoms of reflux usually start towards the end of the first trimester and may become more frequent and severe as pregnancy progresses.
- Heartburn and regurgitation may be worse when eating and at bedtime.
- Reflux during pregnancy can be related to changes in hormone levels that cause the sphincter (muscle ring) between the oesophagus and the stomach to relax, as well as increased pressure on the stomach from the growing baby.
