How to Differentiate Between Heartburn and Indigestion

We've all experienced the occasional pain in the chest from heartburn and the periodic discomfort from indigestion. Both of these problems come from stomach acids, but sometimes they come from different issues with the acids. And they can show different symptoms. People believe that these two ailments are the same thing, but they aren't.

Instructions

• 1

  Identify the location of the pain. Heartburn feels like it's just below your heart, whereas indigestion can feel like it's in your ribcage. Or it feels like it's actually in your stomach since the food is not digesting as quickly as is comfortable.

• 2

  Think about the last time you ate and how much it was. If you ate more than a few hours ago, your stomach pain might be excessive acid because you're hungry. If you ate recently, but you feel very full or very fat, your indigestion or heartburn was caused from overeating. If you ate recently and you don't feel overly full, then it's likely heartburn from additional acid between your food and your stomach.

• 3

  Ask your doctor about any other conditions you're experiencing. For example, if you're pregnant, because of space constraints in your body, both your indigestion and heartburn will probably manifest themselves as the heartburn feeling. Sitting up until you've digested your food further usually fixes the problem.

• 4

  Watch for the possibility that the problem is a more serious condition. Other digestive issues, like ulcers and alkalosis, frequently manifest themselves in the same way as indigestion and heartburn.