Heartburn Information

The term “heartburn” refers to the pain in the esophagus or chest that occurs when stomach acid is refluxed up into the throat (see reflux). The medical term for heartburn is “reflux esophagitis”. Occasional heartburn is common and not necessarily serious.

Chronic heartburn is indicative of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). In severe cases, the refluxed acid goes all the way up into the mouth and is tasted, and can cause Barrett’s esophagitis. See also discussions of reflux, indigestion, and GERD.

Heartburn Symptoms

The heartburn symptoms are hard to ignore. You’ve just eaten a big meal and leaned back in your favorite chair. As you begin to relax, your chest starts to hurt so much it feels like it’s on fire. Heartburn is common, and an occasional episode is generally nothing to worry about. However, many people battle heartburn — a burning sensation in the food pipe (esophagus), just below or behind the breastbone — regularly, even daily.

Frequent heartburn can be a serious problem, and it deserves medical attention.
Despite its name, heartburn does not affect the heart. Heartburn is a burning feeling in the lower chest, along with a sour or bitter taste in the throat and mouth. Heartburn also is called acid reflux disease, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). You might get heartburn after eating a big meal or while you are lying down. The feeling can last for a few minutes or a few hours.

Normally, when food or liquid enters your stomach, a band of muscle at the end of your esophagus (called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES) closes off the esophagus. If this muscle fails to close tightly enough, stomach contents can back up (reflux) into the esophagus. This partially digested material is usually acidic and can irritate the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms. Heartburn is more likely to occur if you have a hiatal hernia, which is when the top part of the stomach protrudes upward into the chest cavity.

Avoid dishes that are:

Acidic, like tomatoes, citrus fruits, garlic and onions

High in fat and oils (animal and vegetable)

Contain caffeine, like chocolate and coffee

Very spicy - like curry and cayenne pepper

When medication is not helping, there are two possible explanations. Either the medication is not doing what it should, or the diagnosis is incorrect. Often enough, as in patient’s like this one, there are means of determining which is the correct explanation. If the medication is not doing what it should, it needs to be changed. If the diagnosis is incorrect, a correct diagnosis needs to be sought. This is a simple principle, but it often is forgotten.

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