Why causes heartburn

Your in-depth digestive health guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest health news, research, and care. Acid reflux occurs when the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your esophagus relaxes at the wrong time, allowing stomach acid to back up into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn and other signs and symptoms. Frequent or constant reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach esophagus.

Normally when you swallow, a band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus lower esophageal sphincter relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow down into your stomach. Then the muscle tightens again. If the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes abnormally or weakens, stomach acid can flow back up into your esophagus acid reflux and cause heartburn. The acid backup may be worse when you're bent over or lying down. Heartburn that occurs frequently and interferes with your routine is considered gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD.

GERD treatment may require prescription medications and, occasionally, surgery or other procedures. GERD can seriously damage your esophagus or lead to precancerous changes in the esophagus called Barrett's esophagus.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Heartburn is a burning pain in your chest, just behind your breastbone. Email address. First Name let us know your preferred name. Last Name. The most frequent symptom of acid reflux or heartburn is a feeling of warmth, heat, or burning in the chest and throat.

This is due to the stomach acid flowing back up into the esophagus. Other symptoms include :. If a person experiences acid reflux symptoms often, they should consult a doctor, who may refer them to a gastroenterologist — a specialist in gut medicine — for further investigation.

Using some lifestyle and behavioral tips can help prevent or reduce heartburn. Suggestions include :. The OWH suggest some diet and lifestyle changes that may help relieve the symptoms. These include:. A heart attack is when the arteries connected to the heart become blocked. Heartburn, on the other hand, occurs when stomach acid travels back up the esophagus. Some symptoms of heartburn and a heart attack could be similar, such as chest pain. As a result, some people who are having a heart attack do not take action as they think they have heartburn.

If a person experiences heartburn pain alongside shortness of breath or sweating, this could be a heart-related issue. Other symptoms of a heart attack can include :. If a person has some or all of these symptoms, they should seek emergency medical attention. Learn more about the differences between heartburn and a heart attack here. A person may alleviate symptoms of heartburn by using drugs such as :. Additionally, H2 blockers can produce various side effects, such as diarrhea , constipation , upset stomach , and headaches.

In , the Food and Drug Administration FDA requested that manufacturers remove all forms of prescription and OTC ranitidine Zantac , an H2 blocker, from the market because of its unacceptable levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, a probable carcinogen.

Getting more exercise, reaching or maintaining a moderate weight, eating smaller meals, and sitting upright after eating may also help avert heartburn. Your symptoms will probably be worse after eating, when lying down and when bending over. Lots of people get heartburn from time to time. There's often no obvious reason why.

They can recommend medicines called antacids that can help ease your symptoms. It's best to take these with food or soon after eating, as this is when you're most likely to get heartburn. They may also work for longer if taken with food. A GP can provide stronger treatments and help rule out any more serious causes of your symptoms. A GP may prescribe a medicine called a proton pump inhibitor PPI that reduces how much acid your stomach makes.