What Is Heartburn?
Physiological Causes
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid rises into your esophagus. Normally when you swallow, your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes, allowing liquid to flow into your stomach, before closing again.
If the LES relaxes abnormally, acid can flow back up into your esophagus and cause heartburn.
1. Esophagus
The muscular tube that connects the mouth and throat to the stomach.
2. Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES)
A circular band of muscles around the bottom part of your esophagus.
3. Stomach
An internal organ in which some food digestion occurs.
4. Proton Pump
Tiny pumps in your stomach lining that produce stomach acid.
5. Diaphragm
A muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen.
Risk factors for heartburn include smoking, drinking alcohol, eating acidic foods, and being overweight.
How Long Does Heartburn Last?
Mild heartburn can come and go quickly, within a few hours or less. But being plagued by acid reflux and that burning sensation in your chest multiple times a week is a sign of frequent heartburn.
Treating mild acid reflux can be as simple as making lifestyle changes like cutting out trigger foods from your diet and losing weight. However, if a doctor concludes you have frequent heartburn, you will need help from antacids or PPIs (proton pump inhibitors).
Find out whether you need Nexium 24HR here – and if so, use our handy map to discover where you can buy it.
Myths About Heartburn
Get your facts straight on these common heartburn myths.
Everyone has the same heartburn triggers.
Triggers differ from person to person. It all comes down to how your body reacts to certain foods, other medications you may be taking, your lifestyle, weight, pregnancy, and medical conditions.
You can only get heartburn from eating certain foods.
Again, your triggers will be unique to you. For some people, foods may be that trigger. But for others, the root cause may be physiological or environmental. If you think a certain food may be a trigger, keep tabs on what you eat and drink so you can learn how to avoid the things that trigger heartburn in your body.
If you have bad breath, it means you have acid reflux.
Bad breath is one indicator of acid reflux, but it’s not usually the only symptom. Other heartburn symptoms will likely include an uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest or throat.
DOCTOR
RECOMMENDED∆
PHARMACIST
RECOMMENDED∆
∆2024 IQVIA ProVoice Survey for OTC PPIs.
