When “gastric” is not just gastric

In Bangladesh, almost any discomfort between the chest and stomach is often called “gastric.” A burning sensation after a heavy meal may be indigestion, but antacids can also quiet a warning that needs closer attention.

Pain under the right ribs after oily food may point to the gallbladder. Severe abdominal pain that spreads to the back, especially with vomiting, needs urgent assessment. Persistent burning, early fullness or nausea may signal an ulcer or another stomach problem.

A heart attack can feel much like indigestion. Pressure, heaviness or burning in the chest or upper stomach should not be ignored when it comes with breathlessness, sweating, dizziness, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm, back, neck or jaw. Emergency care is needed immediately in those circumstances.

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 with smaller meals, avoiding trigger foods and not lying down soon after eating. Frequent symptoms, however, deserve a medical review instead of months of self-treatment. “Gastric” describes a feeling, not a diagnosis.