Also called: Also called: Acid indigestion, Pyrosis
Almost everyone has heartburn sometimes. Heartburn is a painful burning feeling in your chest or throat. It happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. If you have heartburn more than twice a week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With GERD, the muscles at the end of your esophagus do not close tightly enough. This allows contents of the stomach to back up, or reflux, into the esophagus and irritate it.
Pregnancy, certain foods, alcohol and some medications can bring on heartburn. Treating heartburn is important because over time reflux can damage the esophagus. Over-the-counter medicines may help. If the heartburn continues, you may need prescription medicines or surgery.
If you have other symptoms such as crushing chest pain, it could be a heart attack. Get help immediately.
-
Heartburn(American Gastroenterological Association) - http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=848
Also available in Spanish http://www.gastro.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=849
- Heartburn, Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER), and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gerd/
-
Heartburn: Hints on Dealing with the Discomfort(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/087.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/digestive/disorders/087.printerview.html
- Heartburn(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/heartburn-gerd/DS00095/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Heartburn Overview(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/heartburn_overview.php
- Heartburn or Heart Attack?(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/heartburn_or_heart_attack.php
- Upper GI Series(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/uppergi/
-
Antacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid Reflux(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/854.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/854.printerview.html
-
Treating Heartburn, Acid Reflux, and Ulcers - The PPIs(Consumers Union of U.S.) - http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/heartburn_ppi.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.consumerreports.org/health/resources/pdf/best-buy-drugs/PPIsUpdate-2pager-Spanish-FINAL.pdf
- Tips to Combat Exercise-Induced Heartburn(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/exercise_tips.php
- Heartburn-Smart Choices When Eating Out(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/eating_out.php
- Recipes(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/recipes.php?ln=s&rn=s_learnaboutyourburn
- Stocking the Pantry(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/stocking_the_pantry.php
-
Stop and Select Guide(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/pdfs/stopandselect.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.heartburnalliance.org/pdfs/stopandselect_s.pdf
- Heartburn Myths and Facts(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/heartburn_myths_and_facts.php
- Sufferers Point to Stress as an Aggravator of Heartburn(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/stress_and_heartburn.php
- What You Should Know about Heartburn and Esophageal Cancer(National Heartburn Alliance) - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/heartburn_and_cancer_con.php
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Heartburn(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Heartburn%22
- Article: Inverse association between gastroesophageal reflux and blood pressure: results of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18412958&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: How do I know if it's just heartburn or something... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18391885&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Persistent heartburn in a patient on proton-pump inhibitor. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18387497&tool=MedlinePlus
- Heartburn -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=heartburn[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American College of Gastroenterology - http://www.acg.gi.org/
- American Gastroenterological Association - http://www.gastro.org/
- National Heartburn Alliance - http://www.heartburnalliance.org/
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
- Pediatric GERD(Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation) - Requires Flash Player - http://gerd.cdhnf.org/
-
Heartburn and Indigestion during Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_15291.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9246_10324.asp
- GERD - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gerd.html
- Digestive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/digestivesystem.html
- Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Heartburn is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/