Heartburn & Indigestion Treatment | NHS Pharmacy Advice

If you are looking for indigestion treatment in Treherbert, Treherbert Pharmacy may be able to assess you through the NHS Wales Common Ailments Service.

Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, can cause heartburn, acid reflux, upper-abdominal discomfort, bloating, nausea or a bitter taste in the mouth. The NHS pharmacy pathway is for adults aged 18 and over who do not have warning signs or other risk factors.

Eligible NHS consultations and treatment supplied through the service are free. You can approach or book with the pharmacy directly and do not need a GP referral first. The pharmacist will assess whether this is the right and safest route for your symptoms.

Choose an NHS appointment if you would like help with this condition. The pharmacist will assess whether treatment is suitable or whether you need another service.

What is indigestion or dyspepsia?

Dyspepsia is the medical name for a group of symptoms affecting the upper digestive system. Most people describe it as indigestion. It may be linked to acid reflux, irritation of the stomach lining, a stomach ulcer, medicines or a functional digestive problem.

Occasional indigestion is common, but symptoms that are new, persistent, recurrent or accompanied by warning signs need a different assessment route rather than repeated self-treatment.

Symptoms people often notice

• Heartburn: a burning feeling behind the breastbone, often after eating or when lying down.
• Acid reflux: stomach contents or bitter-tasting fluid coming back into the throat or mouth.
• Upper-abdominal discomfort: pain, burning or an uncomfortable feeling below the ribs.
• Feeling full or bloated: becoming uncomfortably full during or after a meal.
• Nausea or belching: feeling sick, burping more often or having excess wind.
• Recurrent vomiting or difficulty swallowing: these are not symptoms to manage through a routine indigestion appointment and need further assessment.

Can Treherbert Pharmacy help with indigestion treatment?

The NHS Common Ailments Service may be suitable for an adult aged 18 or over with symptoms consistent with uncomplicated indigestion and no risk factors suggesting a more serious cause.

The pharmacist will decide which route is safest after assessment. Some non-urgent cases outside the Common Ailments pathway may be suitable for an independent prescribing consultation, while others need GP review, NHS 111 Wales or urgent care.

What happens during your consultation?

1. 1
   Private symptom assessment. The pharmacist will ask what you are feeling, when it started and whether symptoms are linked to meals, lying down or physical activity.
2. 2
   Risk-factor check. We will check for chest-pain features, bleeding, swallowing problems, vomiting, weight loss, previous stomach conditions and other reasons for referral.
3. 3
   Medicines and health review. Current medicines, allergies, medical conditions, pregnancy or breastfeeding and previous indigestion treatment will be considered.
4. 4
   Advice, treatment or referral. You may receive lifestyle advice, symptom-relief treatment, acid-suppressing treatment where clinically appropriate, or a clear referral to another service.
5. 5
   Follow-up and safety-netting. The pharmacist will explain how to use any treatment, when to return and which symptoms mean you should seek medical help sooner.

What information may the pharmacist ask about?

• When the symptoms began, how often they occur and whether they are getting worse.
• Whether discomfort is triggered by food, lying down or physical exertion, and whether it spreads to the chest, neck, shoulder or arm.
• Any difficulty swallowing, persistent vomiting, altered bowel habit, bleeding, weight loss, loss of appetite, jaundice or unusual tiredness.
• Previous reflux, stomach ulcers, Barrett’s oesophagus, Helicobacter pylori treatment or similar investigations.
• Current medicines, including anti-inflammatory painkillers, prescribed treatments, supplements and remedies already tried.
• Medical conditions, allergies and whether you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding.

Bring or show the pharmacist an up-to-date list of your medicines where possible. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without advice, even if you think it may be contributing to indigestion.

What treatment may be considered?

• Lifestyle and self-care advice: this is usually the first step and may be enough for mild symptoms.
• Short-term symptom relief: an alginate or another suitable indigestion treatment may be recommended or supplied after assessment.
• Acid-suppressing treatment: a short course may be considered when symptoms have not responded sufficiently or are more troublesome, provided it is safe and within the pathway.
• Further assessment: symptoms that have not resolved after four weeks of appropriate treatment, or that keep returning, should not be managed with repeated routine treatment alone.

Treatment is not automatic. The pharmacist will consider your symptoms, other medicines, health conditions and any need for investigation before deciding what is appropriate.

When our pharmacist independent prescriber may be able to help

If your symptoms are not covered by the NHS Common Ailments Service, but you do not have any urgent warning signs, our pharmacist independent prescriber may still be able to assess you. Treatment can be prescribed where clinically appropriate, or we will explain which healthcare service you should use instead.

This route may be considered when symptoms are persistent or recurrent, the patient is outside the Common Ailments age range, a medicine may be contributing, or a broader clinical assessment is needed. Some presentations require GP investigation or referral rather than pharmacy treatment, particularly new persistent symptoms in older adults, previous ulcer disease, swallowing difficulty, bleeding or unexplained weight loss.

Important: an independent prescribing appointment does not guarantee treatment or a prescription and is not a substitute for urgent medical care.

Find out about our independent prescribing service

When you should seek urgent medical help

Do not wait for a routine pharmacy appointment when urgent symptoms are present.

• Call 999 or go to A&E without delay for pain or burning brought on by exertion, pain spreading to the neck, left shoulder or arm, severe chest pressure, breathlessness, sweating, collapse, or symptoms similar to a previous heart attack.
• Seek urgent same-day help through NHS 111 Wales or an appropriate clinician if you vomit blood, pass black or bloody stools, develop jaundice, have persistent vomiting, severe pain, a tender or swollen abdomen, or feel a lump. Call 999 if there is heavy bleeding, fainting or you are severely unwell.
• Arrange prompt clinical assessment for difficulty swallowing, unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite, suspected anaemia, a new altered bowel habit, or new persistent and unexplained symptoms when aged 55 or over.

Simple measures that may help indigestion

• Eat smaller meals and avoid eating for three to four hours before going to bed.
• Reduce foods and drinks that trigger symptoms, which may include coffee, alcohol, chocolate, tomatoes and rich, fatty or spicy foods.
• Raise your head and shoulders in bed if symptoms are worse at night.
• Avoid smoking and seek support if you would like help to stop.
• Ask the pharmacist before using anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen or aspirin for self-treatment, as these may worsen indigestion.
• Take any supplied or prescribed medicine exactly as advised and return if symptoms do not improve within the recommended timescale.

Free NHS advice and treatment

The NHS Wales Common Ailments Service provides a free pharmacist consultation for eligible adults with uncomplicated dyspepsia. Any treatment supplied through the service is also free of charge.

• No GP referral is needed: you can book or approach Treherbert Pharmacy directly.
• The dyspepsia pathway is for adults: the patient must be aged 18 or over and have no relevant risk factors.
• Assessment comes first: advice or treatment is provided only when clinically appropriate and within the NHS pathway.
• The service is not intended for ongoing repeated treatment: persistent, recurrent or unexplained symptoms need broader assessment.
• Another route may be recommended: this could be independent prescribing, GP care, NHS 111 Wales or urgent care depending on the findings.

Book an indigestion assessment at Treherbert Pharmacy

Book the NHS appointment route for indigestion, heartburn or acid-reflux symptoms. You do not need to obtain a GP referral before contacting the pharmacy.

Book an NHS pharmacy appointment

Choose an NHS appointment if you would like help with this condition. The pharmacist will assess whether treatment is suitable or whether you need another service.

Useful links

• Read about the NHS Common Ailments Service at Treherbert Pharmacy
• View all NHS pharmacy services in Treherbert
• Browse conditions covered by NHS pharmacy services
• Read NHS 111 Wales information about indigestion
• Read Welsh Medicines Advice Service information about the Common Ailments Service

Clinically reviewed by Jon James, Pharmacist Independent Prescriber. Last reviewed: June 2026.