Heartburn is a burning sensation in the centre of your chest, just behind the sternum – breast bone. It occurs when acid flows back up your oesophagus from your stomach. 

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the centre of your chest, just behind the sternum – breast bone. It occurs when acid flows back up your oesophagus from your stomach. After your last meal at night, there is a burning pain in your chest. You lie down, and it is still there, and your immediate thought is – heart attack. 

The main difference between symptoms is that heartburn tends to be worse after eating and lying down, but a heart attack can happen after a meal. Heartburn can be relieved by drugs that reduce acid levels in the stomach and do not cause more general symptoms, such as breathlessness.

Heartburn is uncomfortable and usually disappears after a drink of antacid. 

But sometimes, it is there all the time, causing havoc in your life. It is usually a warning sign of a severe gastrointestinal condition and needs immediate medical help, says the Mayo Clinic.  

Usually, when you eat and swallow, the chewed food flows down the oesophagus and at the bottom, a band of muscle, the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES), opens up to allow food and liquid into your stomach. The muscle then closes again. 

But when the band of muscle does not function properly, acid flows back into the oesophagus – acid reflux – and causes heartburn. The condition worsens when you’re lying down or bending over.  

Heartburn is a frequent occurrence for many people, mainly after meals. It jolts them awake at night, especially if their diet consists of large fried, spicy or fatty meals or drink alcohol, acidic fruit juices, carbonated or caffeinated beverages or coffee. 

Overweight people and some 17 % to 45 % of pregnant women are usually plagued by heartburn. 

In pregnancy, the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) becomes weak, and the increased abdominal pressure from the growing foetus distorts the organs in the abdomen, causing acid reflux and heartburn. The LES normalises once the baby is born. 

What are the symptoms?

Besides the painful burning sensation in the chest that occurs after eating, while bending or while lying on your back or side, other symptoms include: 

• An acidic or bitter taste in the mouth
• Feeling that food is stuck in your throat
• Regurgitation of food and liquid that comes all the way up the oesophagus and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth
• Sour tastes at the back of the throat.

Serious complications

When the over the counter meds don’t assist with frequent heartburn you might be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

GERD is generally quite debilitating and requires prescription medications and surgery. Frequent burning refluxes can damage your oesophagus and may lead to Barrett’s oesophagus diagnosis, which is precancerous changes in the oesophagus. 

Should you experience: heartburn with severe chest pain or pressure with pain spreading to the arm, neck or jaw and shortness of breath, then get medical help immediately because you could be having a heart attack. 

 There are many similarities between heartburn and heart attack. A heart attack could also be accompanied by: dizziness, cold sweat, toothache, headache, nausea and vomiting.

While severe cases of heartburn may also include; difficulty swallowing, persistent sore throat, hoarseness, laryngitis, reflux laryngitis, a chronic cough, stomach pain, burning in the upper abdomen, persistent nausea and vomiting or weight loss because of lack of appetite and difficulties with eating. 

You need to see the doctor as soon as possible for these symptoms.

Changes to be made

Doctors recommend lifestyle changes to combat the condition.

According to MedicineNet, you should keep a journal to track foods that cause heartburn, noting the time you ate and the activity that you engaged in afterwards that worsened the condition. 

Once you have an idea of the incidents of heartburn, inform your doctor so that you can figure out the causes and possible treatments.

Other changes that can be made are: 

• Loss weight as excess weight puts pressure on the stomach, often squeezing acid back into the oesophagus
• Eat and drink food that is low in calories 
• Research alkaline diets, make lists and choose only those ingredients to cook with
• Eat less with smaller portions of food
• Do moderate exercise
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol
• Stop smoking as the habit interferes with lower oesophageal sphincter function
• If you experience acid reflux while you are sleeping, raise the top of your bed. This should decrease reflux. 
• Speak to your doctor about a suitable over-the-counter medication. 

Once you have worked out a plan of action and lost the weight, try to maintain your lifestyle change. 

Cover for the whole family

The Medical Society covers you and your family for whatever unforeseen illnesses may come your way, offering affordable health care for adults. Adult members are covered for an array of Primary health care treatment benefits.  

From only R89 per month, members are covered for unlimited nurse room visits and dietary advice from professionals. 

Adults also receive chronic illness monitoring, advice, and prevention for high blood pressure and diabetes conditions. 

Treatment for minor medical conditions such as sprains, cuts, bruises and burns is also available.