Heartburn

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests

Learn More

• Related Issues

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

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 GERD. But you can have GERD without having heartburn.

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.

Start Here

• Acid Reflux (American College of Gastroenterology) Also in Spanish
• Acid Reflux (GER and GERD) in Adults (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Heartburn (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Heartburn (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Esophageal pH Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Heartburn or Heart Attack: When to Worry (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Globus (International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders)

Videos and Tutorials

• Heartburn (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Gastroesophageal Reflux (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Heartburn (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Capsaicin-Sensitive Vagal Afferent Nerve-Mediated Interoceptive Signals in the Esophagus.
• Article: IMPACT OF HEARTBURN AND REGURGITATION ON INDIVIDUALS' WELL-BEING IN THE GENERAL...
• Article: Heartburn in children and adolescents in the presence of functional dyspepsia...
• Heartburn -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American College of Gastroenterology
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

• Reflux in Children: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Reflux in Infants: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Bland diet (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Heartburn (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Taking antacids (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish