Burping may bring temporary relief. The symptoms may be severe enough to produce ill-defined pain that may or may not vary in intensity. The symptoms usually last for only about two hours, although a bout of indigestion can last many weeks. In addition to these symptoms, there may be heartburn. This produces a burning sensation beneath the breastbone that is sometimes accompanied by a bitter taste of fluid rising up into the mouth.
Smoking aggravates the condition.
A person who has irregular meals, drinks too much strong coffee, and is anxious or depressed often develops mild gastritis. The bloated feeling may encourage aerophagia, the habit of swallowing air, which increases the indigestion symptoms. Obesity also aggravates the condition. Chronic indigestion can also be a warning sign of cancer. If the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with normal life or to disturb sleep, a physician should be consulted as soon as possible.