Heartburn is a feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain that often starts in the upper belly just below the lower breastbone (sternum). This discomfort may spread in waves upward into your throat. You may have a sour taste in your mouth. Heartburn is sometimes called indigestion, acid regurgitation, sour stomach, or pyrosis. It isn't caused by problems with your heart. But sometimes heart problems can feel like heartburn.
Heartburn may cause burping, nausea, bloating, or trouble swallowing. These symptoms can sometimes last up to 2 hours or longer. In some people, heartburn symptoms may cause sleep problems, a chronic cough, asthma, wheezing, or choking episodes.
Heartburn usually is worse after you eat. It's often made worse if you lie down or bend over. It gets better if you sit or stand up.
Almost everyone will have troubles with heartburn now and then.
Heartburn occurs more often in adults than in children. Many women have heartburn every day when they're pregnant. That's because the growing uterus puts increasing upward pressure on the stomach.
Symptoms of heartburn and symptoms of a heart attack may feel the same. Sometimes your heartburn symptoms may mean a more serious problem. They may need to be checked by your doctor.
Dyspepsia is a medical term that's used to describe a vague feeling of fullness, gnawing, or burning in the chest or upper belly, especially after eating. A person may describe this feeling as "gas." Other symptoms may occur at the same time. They include belching, rumbling noises in the belly, increased passing gas (flatus), poor appetite, and a change in bowel habits. Causes of dyspepsia can vary from minor to serious.
Heartburn occurs when food and stomach juices back up (reflux) into the esophagus. This is the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach. This process is called gastroesophageal reflux. Common causes of reflux include:
Mild heartburn occurs about once a month. Moderate heartburn occurs about once a week.
Severe heartburn occurs every day. It can cause problems such as bleeding, trouble swallowing, and weight loss. Heartburn may occur with other symptoms, such as hoarseness, a feeling that food is stuck in your throat, tightness in your throat, a hoarse voice, wheezing, asthma, dental problems, or bad breath. In this case, heartburn may be caused by a more serious problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A lasting inflammation of the lining of the esophagus occurs in GERD. It can lead to other health problems. Heartburn may also be related to an infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria.
Heartburn symptoms that won't go away can be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as severe inflammation of the esophagus or cancer of the stomach or esophagus.
Heartburn is more serious when it occurs with belly pain or bleeding.
Almost all babies spit up, especially newborns. Spitting up decreases when the muscles of the esophagus become more coordinated. This process can take as little as 6 months or as long as 1 year. Spitting up isn't the same thing as vomiting. Vomiting is forceful and repeated. Spitting up may seem forceful. But it usually occurs shortly after feeding, is effortless, and causes no discomfort.
Children who often vomit after eating during the first 2 years of life are more likely to have heartburn and reflux problems, such as GERD, later in life. Children with reflux problems also have increased chances of other problems, such as sinusitis, laryngitis, asthma, pneumonia, and dental problems.
The treatment of heartburn depends on how bad your heartburn is and what other symptoms you have. Home treatment and medicines that you can buy without a prescription usually will relieve mild to moderate heartburn. Make sure to see your doctor if heartburn occurs often and isn't relieved by home treatment.
Heartburn is an uncomfortable feeling or burning pain behind the breastbone. It may occur after eating, soon after lying down, when bending forward, or after taking certain medicines.
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up (refluxes) into the tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach (esophagus), causing pain or discomfort behind the breastbone, in the center of the chest, and occasionally in the back of the throat. Sometimes there may be a sour or bitter taste in the mouth.
Antacids or other nonprescription medicines (such as acid reducers or acid blockers) may relieve heartburn.
Heartburn can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Home treatment, such as lifestyle changes and nonprescription medicines, may be all that's needed to treat mild to moderate heartburn. But if your symptoms don't get better with home treatment, or if your symptoms occur often, there may be other medical problems may be causing your symptoms.
Keep a record of your heartburn symptoms before and after you make lifestyle changes or use nonprescription medicines so you can track any improvement or changes.
The two main types of medicines for heartburn are antacids and stomach acid reducers.
Many people take nonprescription antacids for mild or occasional heartburn.
Antacids work faster than acid reducers (H2 blockers). But their effect doesn't last more than 1 to 2 hours. H2 blockers can provide relief for up to 12 hours.
Antacids have side effects. They may cause diarrhea or constipation. And they can interfere with how your body absorbs other medicines.
Be careful when you take over-the-counter antacids. Many of these medicines have aspirin in them. Read the label to make sure that you aren't taking more than the recommended dose. Too much aspirin can be harmful.
Histamine receptor (or H2) blockers decrease the amount of acid that the stomach makes. This may reduce irritation of the stomach lining and decrease heartburn. Some examples of nonprescription acid reducers are Pepcid AC (famotidine) and Tagamet HB (cimetidine).
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as omeprazole (for example, Prilosec), reduce stomach acid and treat severe heartburn symptoms. These acid-reducing medicines are used when your heartburn hasn't gotten better with other home treatments, antacids, or H2 blockers. You may need to use a PPI for up to 5 days before you have relief of your heartburn. You can buy PPIs without a prescription.
Heartburn is a feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain that often starts in the upper abdomen just beneath the lower breastbone (sternum). This discomfort may spread in waves upward into your throat, and you may have a sour taste in your mouth. Heartburn is sometimes called indigestion, acid regurgitation, sour stomach, or pyrosis.
Developing healthier eating habits, losing weight if necessary, and avoiding foods that increase symptoms of GERD may make heartburn less likely to occur. Take your spouse or partner along with you when you go to your doctor to discuss diet habits. It will be easier to make changes in your diet if your family understands what you need to do and why.
Here are some changes you can try.
These may include chocolate, mint, alcohol, pepper, spicy foods, high-fat foods, or drinks with caffeine in them, such as tea, coffee, colas, or energy drinks.
If your symptoms are worse after you eat a certain food, you may want to stop eating it to see if your symptoms get better.
After you eat, wait 2 to 3 hours before you lie down. Late-night snacks aren't a good idea.
Being overweight puts more pressure on your stomach and makes you more likely to have heartburn. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds can help.
If you notice that your symptoms are worse after you eat a specific food, you may want to stop eating it and see if your symptoms get better.
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