{"id":4813,"date":"2017-10-10T20:16:05","date_gmt":"2017-10-10T19:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myhealthspecialist.com\/blog\/?p=4813"},"modified":"2021-04-21T13:37:17","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T12:37:17","slug":"heartburn-symptoms-causes-and-treatments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myhealthspecialist.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/10\/heartburn-symptoms-causes-and-treatments\/","title":{"rendered":"Heartburn: Symptoms, causes and treatments"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Heartburn\"<\/p>\n

What is heartburn?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heartburn<\/strong> is a common condition with as many as one in five adults in the UK having regular attacks. This condition is also called reflux, indigestion, dyspepsia or GORD (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease).<\/p>\n

Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heartburn is often felt as an uncomfortable, burning sensation in the chest or high in the abdomen. It can also be associated with belching, bloating, sour taste at the back of the mouth, bad breath and a persistent cough.<\/p>\n

Causes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heartburn is most often caused by stomach acid leaking up into the food pipe (i.e. oesophagus). The symptoms can also be mimicked by non-acidic stomach content refluxing into a sensitive food pipe, hence occasionally the initial treatment concentrating on anti-acids may not be effective in controlling symptoms.<\/p>\n

The leaking of stomach content into the food pipe is caused by insufficiency of the lower oesophageal muscles. This insufficiency is commonly caused by weakness of the muscle, a hiatus hernia, and excessive gastric acid \u2013 or a combination of these factors. An overly-sensitive food pipe may cause symptoms despite low levels of leaking.<\/p>\n

Treatments<\/strong><\/p>\n

New onset heartburn after the age of 55 with weight loss, persistent symptoms despite anti-acids, vomiting, difficulty or painful swallowing requires urgent medical consultation and investigation.<\/p>\n

The assessment of heartburn symptoms<\/strong> will include a history and physical examination by your doctor. There may be a need to carry out blood tests as well as endoscopic, X-ray, food pipe acid and muscle pressure measurements.<\/p>\n

The treatment of heartburn<\/strong> is aimed at resolving the exacerbating factors and controlling the symptoms, while reducing the risk of long-term complications. You will be guided by your doctor on the following possible management approaches:<\/p>\n