I get severe pain in my jaw whilst suffering from indigestion. What can I do?

This is often due to belated activity on the part of the glands in your jaw.

They produce saliva, which contains digestive enzymes, and should ideally be triggered by anticipation of food so that it is present in the mouth in the early stages of eating.

When you have indigestion, your digestive system is playing catch up and it can be quite painful as the salivary glands are activated.

My suggestion would be that you try to have a pause before eating, just to catch your breath and focus on your meal, and then eat slowly, chewing each mouthful at least 20 times.

Don’t drink with meals, as this weakens your digestive enzymes. This will reduce the likelihood of indigestion striking, with its painful effects.

You can also try taking Centaurium tincture, 15 drops in 5-10ml water (1-2 tsp), preferably before meals. This tastes bitter, and the bitter taste is very good for your digestive function.

Ali Cullen
Nutritional therapist