Occasional, typical heartburn.
A pharmacist can advise on antacids or alginates and check other medicines. Smaller meals and avoiding personal triggers may help.
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Reflux & heartburn · GP care
Settle the symptoms. Check why they keep returning.
Burning behind the breastbone, acid taste, belching or upper-abdominal discomfort often respond to practical changes and pharmacy care. Frequent or persistent symptoms need a GP review to check the diagnosis and treatment.
Chest pain can feel like indigestion. Sudden or persistent chest pressure, pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back, breathlessness, sweating or nausea needs emergency assessment.
Choose a suitable route
Choose the right starting point.
Occasional typical heartburn can start with pharmacy care; frequent symptoms or warning signs need a different route.
Frequent, persistent or returning.
Arrange a review if symptoms happen most days, keep returning, disrupt sleep, or pharmacy treatment and lifestyle changes have not helped.
Explore GP appointmentsSwallowing, bleeding or chest warning signs.
Seek prompt assessment for food sticking, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss or anaemia. Use emergency care for heart-attack or gastrointestinal-bleeding signs.
Use NHS 111Reflux, indigestion, ulcers, gallbladder problems and heart conditions can overlap. Avoid assuming every upper-body burning symptom is acid.
Notice the pattern
What changes the next step.
Timing around meals, position and swallowing helps clarify the likely source.
Burning and acid taste
Burning behind the breastbone, sour fluid in the mouth and symptoms after meals or when lying down fit reflux.
Upper-abdominal discomfort
Fullness, bloating, belching or nausea may be described as indigestion and can have several causes.
Night and meal pattern
Large or late meals, alcohol, caffeine, smoking, weight and specific foods can worsen symptoms for some people.
Warning signs
Difficulty swallowing, vomiting, weight loss, anaemia, blood or black stools need clinical assessment.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers and several prescribed medicines can aggravate indigestion. Do not stop prescribed treatment; ask for a medication review.
A focused GP assessment
Confirm the pattern before extending treatment.
A GP can review triggers, medicines and warning signs, then decide whether a treatment trial, testing or referral is appropriate.
Explore in-person GP care01
Describe timing and triggers.
Discuss burning, regurgitation, swallowing, meal and night patterns, bloating, pain, nausea and duration.
02
Review risk and medicines.
Cover anti-inflammatory use, smoking, alcohol, weight change, pregnancy, family history and previous ulcer or reflux treatment.
03
Plan treatment or investigation.
A structured acid-suppression trial, H. pylori testing, blood tests or endoscopy referral may be considered depending on findings.
A proportionate plan
Control reflux without overlooking a warning sign.
Most plans combine practical changes with time-limited pharmacy or prescribed treatment and a clear review point.
01
Meal and position changes
Smaller meals, avoiding food close to bedtime and raising the head of the bed may help night symptoms.
02
Pharmacy treatment
Antacids and alginates can relieve short-lived symptoms. A pharmacist can check suitability, timing and interactions.
03
Prescription and review
A clinician may advise acid-suppressing medicine or tests. Persistent symptoms need follow-up rather than indefinite self-treatment.
If you are advised to have an H. pylori test, some acid-suppressing medicines can affect the result. Follow the clinician's instructions about preparation.
Prepare for a useful review
Track meals, medicines and night symptoms.
Note when symptoms occur, relation to meals and lying down, acid taste, swallowing difficulty, nausea or vomiting, and how often you use over-the-counter treatment.
Bring a medicines list, including anti-inflammatory painkillers, and note weight change, black stools, blood, anaemia, alcohol, smoking and pregnancy.
Explore GP appointments ↗Good to know
Questions about reflux and heartburn.
Practical answers to help you choose a sensible next step without trying to diagnose the concern yourself.
When should heartburn be reviewed by a GP?
Arrange a review if you have heartburn most days, symptoms keep returning, self-care has not helped, or you have difficulty swallowing, frequent vomiting or unexplained weight loss.
Can heart pain feel like indigestion?
Yes. Call 999 for chest pressure or pain that does not go away, spreads to an arm, jaw, back or stomach, or comes with sweating, nausea, light-headedness or breathlessness.
Can I take antacids with other medicines?
Antacids can affect how some medicines are absorbed. Ask a pharmacist about suitability and spacing from your other treatment.
Will I need an endoscopy?
Not automatically. A GP considers age, duration, response to treatment and warning signs before deciding whether specialist investigation is appropriate.
Clinical information: NHS heartburn and refluxNHS indigestionNHS heart attack symptoms. This information is general and does not replace individual medical advice.