Heartburn is an uncomfortable feeling of burning and warmth behind the breastbone (sternum) but sometimes rising as high as the neck. It usually occurs after meals, when lying down, or at night while sleeping. Heartburn usually is due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the rise of stomach acid back up into the esophagus. Heartburn has nothing whatsoever to do with the heart though the discomfort of heartburn may be confused with heart pain and vice versa. Heartburn is a popular nonmedical term that often is referred to medically as pyrosis.
Heartburn is a common cause of burning sensation in the chest and chest pain. Heartburn can be associated with sour taste in the mouth, dry cough, hoarseness, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing.
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Digestive Disorders: Common Misconceptions See SlideshowPictures, Images, Illustrations & Quizzes
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GERD Quiz: Test Your Digestive Diseases IQ
Who is at risk for developing GERD? Are you? Take this quiz to learn what GERD is, if you're at risk, and what you can do about...
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Heartburn: Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid
Learn the symptoms of heartburn and which foods cause heartburn or GERD. Discover home remedies and which foods may provide...
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Picture of Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
The stomach contents regurgitate and back up (reflux) into the esophagus The food in the stomach is partially digested by...
Causes of Heartburn
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H. pylori (Helicobacter Pylori) Infection
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a bacteria that causes chronic inflammation (gastritis) of the inner lining of the stomach, and also is the most common cause of ulcers worldwide. About 50% of people in the world carries or is infected with H. pylori. Common symptoms of H. pylori infection are occasional abdominal discomfort, bloating, belching or burping, and nausea and vomiting. H. pylori infection is difficult to eradicate, and treatment is with two or more antibiotics.
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8 Foods and Drinks That Help with Acid Reflux
What is acid reflux and how can you treat it at home? Learn the top foods and drinks that can ease your symptoms and help you find relief.
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Angina Symptoms
Angina is chest pain due to inadequate blood supply to the heart. Angina symptoms may include chest tightness, burning, squeezing, and aching. Coronary artery disease is the main cause of angina but there are other causes. Angina is diagnosed by taking the patient's medical history and performing tests such as an electrocardiogram (EKG), blood test, stress test, echocardiogram, cardiac CT scan, and heart catheterization. Treatment of angina usually includes lifestyle modification, medication, and sometimes, surgery. The risk of angina can be reduced by following a heart healthy lifestyle.
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Can a Liver Hemangioma Go Away on Its Own?
No, liver hemangioma doesn’t go away without treatment. People who have liver hemangioma rarely experience signs and symptoms and typically don't need treatment. They are generally small and even if they become large they may not carry significant risk.
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Chest Pain
Chest pain is a common complaint by a patient in the ER. Causes of chest pain include broken or bruised ribs, pleurisy, pneumothorax, shingles, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, angina, heart attack, costochondritis, pericarditis, aorta or aortic dissection, and reflux esophagitis. Diagnosis and treatment of chest pain depends upon the cause and clinical presentation of the patient's chest pain.
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Children's Cough Causes and Treatments
Children's cough causes include infection, acid reflux, asthma, allergies or sinus infection, whooping cough, and exposure to irritants. Treatment for a child's cough include cough medicine for children over the age of four.
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Chronic Cough
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.
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Cough: 19 Tips on How to Stop a Cough
Coughing is a reflex that helps a person clear their airways of irritants. There are many causes of an excessive or severe cough including irritants like cigarette and secondhand smoke, pollution, air fresheners, medications like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, the common cold, GERD, lung cancer, and heart disease.Natural and home remedies to help cure and soothe a cough include stay hydrated, gargle saltwater, use cough drops or lozenges, use herbs and supplements like ginger, mint, licorice, and slippery elm, and don't smoke. Over-the-counter products (OTC)to cure and soothe a cough include cough suppressants and expectorants, and anti-reflux drugs. Prescription drugs that help cure a cough include narcotic medications, antibiotics, inhaled steroids, and anti-reflux drugs like proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, for example, omeprazole (Prilosec), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and pantoprazole (Protonix).
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Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
Gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma is cancer that forms in the area where the esophagus joins the stomach. Having GERD and Barrett's esophagus increases one's odds of developing gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Symptoms and signs of GE junction adenocarcinoma include dysphagia, weight loss, black stool, cough, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
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GERD (Acid Reflux, Heartburn)
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms of uncomplicated GERD are: heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. Effective treatment is available for most patients with GERD.
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Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)
A heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical instability of the heart.
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Heart Attack vs. Heartburn
Heartburn is a symptom of another disease or medical problem and can be described as a feeling of burning in the chest accompanied by symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or a sour taste or food stuck in the back of the throat. Heart attack occurs when an artery in the heart is completely blocked by a blood clot, which causes that portion of heart muscle to die. Heart attack also has symptoms of chest pain, nausea, and vomiting, however, other warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack are unusual weakness or fatigue, and persistent and/or increased severity of symptoms over a few minutes. Heart attack is a life threatening emergency. If you think you or someone you are with is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately for urgent medical treatment. It may save your life.
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Heartburn
Heartburn is a burning sensation experienced from acid reflux (GERD). Symptoms of heartburn include chest pain, burning in the throat, difficulty swallowing, the feeling of food sticking in the throat, and a burning feeling in the chest. Causes of heartburn include dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and medical causes. Treatments for heartburn include lifestyle changes, OTC medication,prescription medication, and surgery.
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Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn during pregnancy is quite common. During pregnancy the lower esophageal sphincter muscle becomes weakened , which likely occurs due to the effect of the high levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy. Fortunately, this resolves after pregnancy. Management of heartburn during pregnancy are generally involves lifestyle changes and avoiding foods that promote heartburn, for example, don't smoke, avoid tight clothing, eat small, frequent meals, chew gum, or sip liquids.
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Hiatal Hernia
Hiatal hernia is a condition in which a thin membrane of tissue connects the esophagus with the diaphragm becomes week, and a portion of the stomach slides up into the esophagus. Causes include obesity, pregnancy, straining during a bowel movement, aging, and ascites. There are generally no symptoms of a hiatal hernia, and it is discovered during another medical procedure to test for GERD, or other swallowing problems.
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How Do You Get Rid of Laryngitis Quickly?
Learn what medical treatments can help with laryngitis and speed up your recovery.
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How Do You Know If You Have Heartburn When Pregnant?
Heartburn is a common issue that affects many pregnant people. Learn the signs of heartburn in pregnancy, what causes it, how doctors diagnose it, and what you can do to treat it.
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How Does Acid Reflux Make You Feel? 10 Common Symptoms
Acid reflux can cause you to feel pain in your chest and a sour taste in your mouth. Find out more about acid reflux and 10 common symptoms that people with the condition often experience.
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Is Barrett's Esophagus Serious?
Barrett’s esophagus is a serious medical condition in which the inner lining of the food pipe (esophagus) is damaged due to acid reflux. People with chronic and untreated GERD have a high risk of Barrett's esophagus.
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Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (Islet Cell Tumors)
There are many types of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs): gastrinoma, insulinoma, glucagonoma, VIPomas, and somatostatinomas. Symptoms and signs vary with the type of pancreatic NET. Standard treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, chemoembolization, targeted therapy, and supportive care.
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Scleroderma
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue. It is characterized by the formation of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and organs of the body, leading to thickness and firmness of involved areas. Scleroderma is also referred to as systemic sclerosis, and the cause is unknown. Treatment of scleroderma is directed toward the individual features that are most troubling to the patient.
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
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What Are Postnasal Drip Medications?
Postnasal drips refer to the feeling of mucus collecting or dripping inside the throat from the back of your nose (postnasally). This may occur when there is excess mucus formation, when the mucus becomes too thick or when the normal flow of mucus is blocked or hindered.
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What Are the Best Foods To Eat If You Have GERD?
What is GERD, and how can you manage it? Learn more about this condition and how making diet and lifestyle changes can play an important role in treatment.
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What Are the Symptoms of GERD in Adults?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is when stomach acid, food, and fluids move up from the stomach to the esophagus. Learn more about GERD, its common symptoms, how it's diagnosed, and your treatment options.
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What Can Heartburn Be a Sign of?
Heartburn symptoms may indicate a bigger health concern. Learn more about heartburn, heartburn symptoms, heartburn related to other health conditions, how it's diagnosed, and your treatment options for heartburn.
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What Causes Drooling in Older Adults?
Drooling is a common condition that affects many people. Learn the signs of drooling, what causes drooling, how doctors diagnose drooling, and what you can do to treat drooling.
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What Does Chest Pain on the Left Side Above a Female Breast Mean?
Chest pain on the left side above a female breast can have a variety of causes. Learn the signs of chest pain on the left side, what may cause it, how doctors diagnose it, and what you can do to treat it.
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What Gets Rid of Heartburn Fast?
Learn what causes heartburn and how to get rid of heartburn fast.
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What Is Rose Water Good For?
Rose water is flavored water that is of medicinal, cultural and religious importance in various places all around the world. Rose water offers various cosmetic and health benefits because of the presence of phenolic compounds, volatile oils and aromatic compounds in it. It seems to be good for the skin, hair, mind, throat and gut.
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What Is the Quickest Way to Get Rid of Heartburn?
Taking antacids is considered the quickest way to get rid of heartburn. These over-the-counter medications help neutralize stomach acid. They are one of the first recommended treatments. They may provide quick relief. However, antacid overuse can cause problems such as diarrhea or chronic kidney disease, especially if they contain aluminum and magnesium.
Examples of Medications for Heartburn
- Carafate (sucralfate)
- Carafate (sucralfate) vs. Prilosec (omeprazole)
- cimetidine, Tagamet HB
- Dexilant (dexlansoprazole)
- Digestive enzymes vs. omeprazole (Prilosec)
- esomeprazole (Nexium)
- famotidine (Pepcid AC)
- metoclopramide, Reglan, Metozolv ODT, (Reglan ODT, Octamide, and Maxolon
- Ondansetron (Zofran) vs. metoclopramide (Reglan)
- pantoprazole (Protonix)
- Prilosec (omeprazole) vs. Nexium (esomeprazole)
- Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)
- Protonix IV (pantoprazole sodium)
- rabeprazole (Aciphex)
- ranitidine, Zantac
- Side Effects of Axid (nizatidine)
- Side Effects of Carafate (sucralfate)
- Side Effects of Prevacid (lansoprazole)
- Side Effects of Prilosec (omeprazole)
- Side Effects of Reglan (metoclopramide)
- Side Effects of Tagamet HB (cimetidine)
- Zantac 360 (famotidine)
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