Almost everyone feels heartburn at some time.
44% of Americans get heartburn at least once a month.
10% of Americans get heartburn at least once a week.
7% of Americans have heartburn every day.
50% of women will have heartburn some time during the last 3 months of pregnancy.
A study from the MyGiHealth team found that many people suffer in silence with heartburn and do not visit a doctor for help. In fact, the symptom severity of people who see the doctor for GERD is the same as those who have GERD but haven’t seen a doctor.
What is it?
Heartburn is the burning that a person feels in the chest or throat when stomach acid and food get into the esophagus.
Heartburn is also called acid reflux or acid indigestion.
More serious acid reflux is called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.
Signs of GERD include:
Heartburn at least 3 times per week
Heartburn that is severe enough to interfere with your day to day function or ability to sleep
For more information on weak LES, weak esophagus muscle, weak stomach muscles and hiatal hernia, please explore the heartburn/reflux educational videos.
What are the symptoms?
Heartburn refers to a burning feeling in the chest or throat.
Sometimes people with heartburn:
Regurgitate their food. When the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens, food can move out of the stomach and into the esophagus. The food can then rise into the chest, throat, or mouth.
Have chest pain. Some people with heartburn will feel chest pain or pressure because of acid reflux.
Have trouble swallowing. Some people with heartburn also have trouble swallowing. This is because of the injury and scarring that can occur from long-term acid reflux.
Belch more than usual because the LES opens more often.
Feel like gas or air is trapped inside their chest. Some people even describe a “fizzing” sensation, like bubbles popping inside their chest.
Feel nausea or queasiness.
Develop head and neck symptoms like sore throat, a nagging cough, or earaches.
If you plan to see a doctor for heartburn or acid reflux symptoms, then it will be important to describe the symptoms you are experiencing. The “My History” function of MyGiHealth asks more about heartburn, reflux, and regurgitation, and can help you describe translate your symptoms into “doctor talk” should you plan to see a healthcare provider.
What causes it?
The most common reason people get heartburn is because acid from the stomach rises into the esophagus. There are several reasons why this can happen:
- Weak esophagus muscles. A weak esophagus may not move food or liquids through the esophagus into the stomach. This can happen when the esophagus muscles don’t squeeze normally, don’t squeeze strongly enough, or the muscles don't work together in a coordinated way.
- Weak LES. The muscular ring at the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), may be weak or open too often. This allows food to rise up, or reflux, from the stomach to the esophagus.
- Weak stomach muscles. Stomach muscles are too weak to grind up food and move it into the small intestine. This allows stomach contents to move back up into the esophagus.
- Hiatal hernia. This is when the top of the stomach bulges, or “herniates”, above the diaphragm. This weakens the barrier that keeps food from rising out of the stomach into the esophagus.
Obesity. Obesity is more likely to cause heartburn because:
The LES opens more often
Extra weight may cause a hiatal hernia
Extra belly fat puts pressure on the stomach, causing acid reflux
How do I manage it?
Food can cause heartburn in three ways:
- Foods high in acid can irritate the esophagus.
- Certain foods, like fatty or greasy foods, can cause the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to relax more often than normal.
- Eating too much food stretches the stomach and causes the LES to relax more often than normal.
One of the most important ways to prevent heartburn is to avoid overeating. But there may also be specific foods that cause heartburn more than others, like:
- Rich, fatty, or fried foods
- Fizzy drinks
- Tomato sauce
- Citrus fruits a