Heartburn
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Heartburn
Acid reflux
Gastric discomfort
Burning in my chest
Acid reflux after eating
Acid reflux whenever I lie down
Acid reflux when I overeat
Chest discomfort gets better when I drink something
Burning sensation in throat and chest
Pressure in the stomach
Heartburn after meals
Can't sleep because of heartburn
About the Symptom
Heartburn is a burning pain in the chest, just behind the breastbone. The pain often worsens after eating, in the evening, or when lying down or bending over.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Recent weight loss
- Abdominal pain
- Melena (black stools)
Possible Causes
Generally, Heartburn can be related to:
- Gastric Cancer
Cancer of the stomach. The primary symptom is indigestion or "heartburn." Sometimes people have nausea or bloating and weight loss and fatigue as well. It is diagnosed when a doctor, usually a gastroenterologist, puts a tube with a camera down the throat while the patient is sleeping and takes a biopsy of any abnormality they see in the stomach. Once the cancer has been diagnosed by biopsy, CT scans, PET scans and MRIs may be ordered as well. Known risk factors include alcohol, occupational exposures such as rubber, an infection called "H pylori," pernicious anemia, gastric acid reflux (GERD) and age.
- Gastritis
A condition where the stomach's surface lining is inflamed. Weaknesses or injury to the mucus-lined barrier that usually protect the stomach wall allow digestive juices to damage and inflame the stomach lining. A number of diseases and conditions can increase the risk of gastritis, including a bacteria infection called H. pylori. Some symptoms are belly ache, belly pain, nausea and vomiting.
- Gastroduodenal Ulcer
Ulcers are sores that can develop in the stomach and small intestines. In severe cases, the ulcers can be deep and cause bleeding within the gut wall. Common causes include the bacteria H. pylori, and painkillers such as Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Advil, Aleve (NSAIDs).
- Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
- Scleroderma
- Hydatidiform Mole
- Esophageal Spasm (Including Achalasia And Jackhammer Esophagus)
- Functional Dyspepsia
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Heartburn may be related to these serious diseases:
- HELLP Syndrome
This is a life-threatening syndrome in pregnancy and a form of severe pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure with associated organ damage in pregnancy). HELLP stands for Hemolysis (rupture of red blood cells); EL (elevated liver enzymes causing liver dysfunction); LP (low platelet counts, resulting in bleeding).
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do you have heartburn?
- When did you first notice the heartburn?
- How often do you experience heartburn?
- How long does each episode of your heartburn last?
- How is your heartburn now?
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Jan 30, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- I have a heartburn like a hot thing coming in
- There is a feeling of strangeness in the pit of the stomach
- There is a feeling that gastric fluid is flowing up
- There is a feeling that the stomach is burning
- Coughing and reflux sensation when I lie down
- Acid reflux when I eat too much
- Acid reflux when I eat too fast
- Eating causes a lot of reflux
- Burning sensation in the chest
- Chest discomfort gets better when I eat something
- There is discomfort in the pit of the stomach
- Burning pain in the stomach when I'm hungry
- Lying down causes me to have reflux
- Heartburn after eating food
- Chest has burning sensation
See full list
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FAQs
Q.
How long does heartburn last?
A.
A typical heartburn episode can last from a few minutes to several hours, depending on various factors such as diet and individual health conditions.
References:
Portale G, Peters J, Hsieh CC, Tamhankar A, Arain M, Hagen J, et al. (2007). When are reflux episodes symptomatic?. Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus, 17227310.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17227310/
Allen ML, Mellow MH, Robinson MG, & Orr WC. (1990). The effect of raw onions on acid reflux and reflux symptoms. The American journal of gastroenterology, 2327378.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2327378/
Decktor DL, Robinson M, Maton PN, Lanza FL, & Gottlieb S. (1995). Effects of Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide and Calcium .... American journal of therapeutics, 11854825.
Q.
When should I be concerned about the length of my heartburn symptoms?
A.
You should be concerned about heartburn if it happens often or doesn't go away, as it might be a sign of a condition like GERD.
References:
Richter JE, Peura D, Benjamin SB, Joelsson B, & Whipple J. (2000). Efficacy of omeprazole for the treatment of symptomatic .... Archives of internal medicine, 10871975.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10871975/
Ahuja V, Yencha MW, & Lassen LF. (1999). Head and neck manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux .... American family physician, 10498113.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10498113/
Berlth F, Lorenz F, Kleinert R, Langhammer N, Hadzijusufovic E, & Chon SH. (2022). GERD and Barett: Natural Course of One Disease. Therapeutische Umschau. Revue therapeutique, 35440194.
Q.
Does the duration of heartburn vary with different age groups?
A.
Heartburn can feel different for people of different ages. Kids and teenagers can have heartburn that lasts longer and might continue as they grow up.
References:
Portale G, Peters J, Hsieh CC, Tamhankar A, Arain M, Hagen J, et al. (2007). When are reflux episodes symptomatic?. Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus, 17227310.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17227310/
El-Serag HB, Gilger M, Carter J, Genta RM, & Rabeneck L. (2004). Childhood GERD is a risk factor for GERD in adolescents .... The American journal of gastroenterology, 15128341.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15128341/
Brzana RJ, & Koch KL. (1997). Gastroesophageal reflux disease presenting with .... Annals of internal medicine, 9139556.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Heartburn and acid reflux
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heartburn-and-acid-reflux/