When “gastric” is not just gastric

In Bangladesh, any discomfort between the chest and stomach is labelled “gastric”. A burning sensation after a heavy meal may indeed be indigestion. But antacids can sometimes silence an important warning.

Pain beneath the right ribs, after oily food, may come from the gallbladder. Severe abdominal pain spreading to the back, with vomiting, needs urgent assessment. Persistent burning, early fullness or nausea may point to an ulcer or another stomach problem.

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A heart attack can feel surprisingly similar to indigestion. Pressure, heaviness or burning in the chest or upper stomach should never be ignored when accompanied by breathlessness, sweating, dizziness, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm, back, neck or jaw. Seek emergency care immediately.

Other warning signs include vomiting blood, black sticky stools, difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss, yellowing of the eyes, sudden severe pain or symptoms that continue despite treatment.

Occasional indigestion may improve by eating smaller meals, limiting trigger foods and avoiding lying down soon after eating. However, frequent symptoms deserve a medical review instead of months of self-treatment.

“Gastric” describes a feeling, not a diagnosis. Listening carefully to where the pain starts, when it appears and what accompanies it could prevent a dangerous delay.