Is it indigestion or bloating?

Indigestion in a nutshell

The NHS says indigestion symptoms after eating or drinking include:

• heartburn, a painful burning feeling in the chest
• feeling full and bloated
• feeling sick
• burping and farting
• bringing up food or bitter-tasting fluids

It’s often caused by stomach acid irritating your stomach lining or throat (acid reflux). Things that can cause or worsen it include coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate, fatty or spicy food, being overweight, smoking, pregnancy, stress and anxiety, and some medicines like ibuprofen.

The NHS also notes that stomach ache or back pain are usually not symptoms of indigestion. If you have those, you might be constipated.

Bloating in a nutshell

The NHS says bloating is when your tummy feels full and uncomfortable, bigger than usual, rumbly, or you’re farting more. The most common cause is gas in your gut, from foods, fizzy drinks or swallowed air. Constipation, food intolerance, coeliac disease and IBS can also cause it.

The NIH adds that bloating means a feeling of fullness or swelling, while distention is when your belly actually gets bigger. Only about half of people with bloating also have distention.

Quick comparison

	Indigestion	Bloating
Main feeling	Burning, fullness, nausea	Full, tight, gassy tummy
Where	Upper tummy and chest	Across the tummy
Common cause	Stomach acid	Gas
Helpful	Less coffee and alcohol, no food 3 to 4 hours before bed	Smaller meals, eat slowly, less fizz
Pharmacist may suggest	Antacids, alginates	Simeticone

Self-care for indigestion (NHS)

• cut down on tea, coffee, cola or alcohol
• raise your head and shoulders in bed
• lose weight if you’re overweight
• don’t eat 3 to 4 hours before bed
• avoid rich, spicy or fatty food
• don’t take ibuprofen or aspirin unless prescribed
• don’t smoke

Self-care for bloating (NHS)

• smaller, more frequent meals
• eat with your mouth closed
• drink water and exercise regularly
• go easy on fizzy drinks and gassy foods

Log both

Mon 20:30  Dinner (photo): pepperoni pizza, cola  tags: gluten, dairy, caffeine
Mon  Paper note: heartburn at 23:00
Tue 18:30  Dinner (photo): grilled fish, rice
Tue  Paper note: fine

PoopAI logs meals and poops, not symptoms, so keep a quick paper note of burning or bloating. Matching it to your tagged meals in the weekly report can show whether late dinners or certain foods are the issue.

When to see a GP

For indigestion, the NHS says see a GP if you keep getting it, are in severe pain, have lost a lot of weight without meaning to, have trouble swallowing, keep being sick, have iron deficiency anemia, feel a lump in your stomach, or have bloody vomit or poo.

For bloating, see a GP if it’s regular or persistent, or comes with weight loss or blood in your poo. Get urgent help for bloating with vomiting, a stomach ache or a fever.

Questions to ask yourself

Describing what you feel makes it much easier to get the right help. Is the discomfort high up, behind your breastbone or in your upper tummy, or lower down? Is it a burning feeling, or fullness and pressure? Does it come on during meals, right after, or hours later? Do coffee, alcohol, chocolate or fatty food make it worse? Write a quick note when it happens and log your meals alongside. Bring those notes to a pharmacist or GP. They’ll ask similar questions, and you’ll have clear answers ready instead of trying to remember.

Wrap-up

Burning and burps point toward indigestion. A tight, gassy tummy points toward bloating. Often it’s a bit of both. Simple changes help most people, and a GP can check anything that won’t settle.

3F. Fiber, GP visits and apps

New source keys used in this section (add to src/data/sources.ts alongside 1.7):

Key	Title	URL	Verified facts used
medlineFiberEncy	Fiber, MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia	https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002470.htm	Soluble fiber attracts water and turns to gel, slows digestion; found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, some fruit and veg. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve, found in wheat bran, vegetables, whole grains, adds bulk and moves food faster. Most high-fiber foods contain both. Too much too fast causes gas, bloating, cramps. Add over a few weeks; drink plenty of fluids. Adults 21 to 38 g a day
nhsFibreMore	How to get more fibre into your diet, NHS	https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/	UK guideline 30 g a day; most adults about 20 g; example meals
monashApp	Get the App, Monash FODMAP	https://www.monashfodmap.com/ibs-central/i-have-ibs/get-the-app/	Largest FODMAP food database; guide to low and high FODMAP foods; over 80 recipes; digital FODMAP Diet Guide booklet; certified product finder; shopping list; from the team that developed the diet