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Heartburn Feels Like….

Well, it doesn’t feel good.  That much is clear.  But it can be difficult trying to explain what heartburn feels like to someone who has never experienced it.  These are some of the most common symptoms of heartburn:

• Chest pain, especially when lying down, eating, or after bending over.
• A burning sensation in your chest after eating.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Sensation that food is stuck in your chest or throat.
• Heartburn can also cause:  sore throat, chronic hoarseness, or chronic cough.

The first time that I had heartburn, I thought that some vomit had gotten stuck in my throat.  I feel acidic and in serious pain.

How do you describe the feeling of heartburn?

 

 

Heartburn: Nothing to Do With the Heart

When I was a kid, my parents would say “Oh, wine gives me terrible heartburn” or “Geez Louise!  I have bad heartburn,” and I always thought it was the funniest thing.  How in the world did their hearts actually burn?

 

Now that I’ve grown up (as much as I’m going to, anyway), I understand what they mean.  Heartburn really does feel like your heart is on fire!  But the truth is, that burning feeling is caused by an irritated esophagus that’s due to stomach acid.

 

In normal cases, your stomach acid is kept in your stomach with help from the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).  Sometimes, the LES doesn’t close tight enough or opens up too often, and that can cause your stomach acid to reflux into your esophagus.

 

Just about everyone gets heartburn every once in a while, and it’s nothing to be too concerned about.  However, chronic heartburn can turn into gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is bad news.

 

If you feel as though you’re experiencing a lot of heartburn and are concerned, be sure to talk to your doctor.  There are many over the counter and prescription medications that can be utilized to help ease your pain!