For most people, heartburn and indigestion are interchangeable, and if asked they will reply that they either have heartburn,or indigestion. This is not the case however as heartburn and indigestion are not interchangeable. The symptoms and causes of indigestion might be the same, or similar, as those of heartburn, just as the treatments might also be similar as well, but heartburn can sometimes be caused by indigestion, while indigestion can't be caused by heartburn.

The largest and most common causes of indigestion generally tend to be related with food. If you suffer from indigestion, then you will know that the first rumblings of indigestion will normally follow a meal. In general a large meal will cause an almost immediate onset of indigestion, whilst even a small meal can wreak the same havoc if containing a lot of spicy foods.

Conversely, irregular meals can also be one of the causes of indigestion. Going too long between meals allows the acid in your stomach to remain unneutralized for a longer period of time, thereby giving it more time to cause trouble. Regular food intake on the other hand will neutralize the acids for a short period of time, allowing your body some much needed respite.

Many causes of indigestion can be found if you just look hard enough, and high on the list next to food, comes the two most common culprits to be found at the root of many complaints. Stress, and Anxiety. In today's hectic twenty-four hour workaday environment, stress and anxiety are very difficult to avoid.

Another cause of indigestion arising almost directly from stress and anxiety, is the modern tendency to 'pop a pill' when you need to keep pushing your body past its limits and it, naturally enough, starts protesting. All those pills we quaff down without a single thought will also take its toll on your body, and give rise to indigestion.

For the more unfortunate person who suffers from arthritis, the anti-inflammatory pills that they are prescribed will also eventually give rise to indigestion.

A more relatively unknown, and unseen, cause can arise from a peptic ulcer. This occurs when the mucous lining the stomach wall becomes damaged, exposing the stomach wall, and subjecting it to the stomach acids. Here again Stress and Anxiety are the two best friends in the causes of indigestion.

If you're pregnant, chances are that you'll have indigestion. Nothing much can be done about it except to be as careful of your diet as possible, and wait patiently to birth your baby.

Many are the causes of indigestion, and many are the people who suffer from indigestion. It can be said quite frankly that if you just tweak your lifestyle a little bit here and there to eliminate all, or most, of the causes of indigestion in your life, you would undoubtedly be a happier person.