You may not think to consider chest discomfort with digestive problems, but heartburn is often just that: a burning type of pain under the chestbone which can worsen after eating, when bending over, in the evening, or lying down. Sadly, heartburn is also highly common, with 20% of people experiencing it weekly and 40% having monthly issues.
Overall, as many as 70 million Americans deal with heartburn, which also leads to 110,000 hospital admissions annually and has a higher risk in people over 50. The problem itself is not often a severe medical threat, but there are signs you could be dealing with something more serious if you have heartburn.
At Atlantic Medical Group, Dr. Eric Ibegbu and our dedicated staff specialize in treating digestive and gastric conditions. If you live in the Kinston, Jacksonville, or Gastonia, North Carolina area and have problems in these areas, we’re here to help.
Heartburn gets its colorful name from the unpleasant sensation’s proximity to that part of your circulatory system; however, the problems actually happen in your esophagus due to stomach acids rising into it. The burning feeling you experience can also radiate throughout your chest and even rise into your throat.
Depending on why it’s happening, heartburn can occur for a few minutes or last a few hours. It can also cause symptoms like burping, nausea, sour taste in the mouth, regurgitation, hiccups, bloating, overfullness, sore throat, laryngitis, and chronic coughing. Other signs include existing asthma problems and swallowing difficulties.
Several things can cause you to have issues with heartburn, such as:
Short for gastroesophageal reflux disease, this is a chronic form of acid reflux in which stomach acids move up the digestive tract into your esophagus and frequently leads to heartburn.
Things like citrus fruits, chocolate, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, fried foods, peppermint, high-fat foods, and meals with lots of tomato can trigger heartburn.
Among the many dangers this habit is linked to, smoking increases the risks of GERD. Data shows that people who quit smoking were three times more likely to experience a reduction in heartburn symptoms.
Carrying more weight also increases the chances of dealing with digestive issues like GERD, and losing weight can lower the risks.
A condition where the upper portion of your stomach penetrates the diaphragm, often due to a tear or weakness in the tissue.
During the third trimester of pregnancy, dealing with heartburn is common.
Blood pressure medications, sedatives, aspirin, and ibuprofen can also raise the chances of this unpleasant chest symptom.
This condition is unpleasant, but not a major problem most of the time. However, some signs that accompany it can indicate more severe issues:
Esophageal strictures narrow your esophagus, which can make swallowing food or drink more difficult.
Severe digestive issues can also make it easier to choke on foods.
This can result from esophageal inflammation (esophagitis) and lead to strictures or Barrett’s esophagus (a rare problem that can become cancerous).
Both heartburn and heart attacks can lead to chest pain that subsides over time, and those conditions, as well as angina, have symptoms similar enough that they’re harder to detect. Chronic chest pain should also get emergency attention, as it can signal more than just heartburn.
When your esophagus narrows or becomes severely irritated or damaged, eating and drinking become more challenging, which means you may not get all the nutrients you need to live.
Heartburn affects millions of people and often poses a minor to moderate health risk. However, it can become serious, and if you start experiencing symptoms like these or other problems you can’t explain, make an appointment with Dr. Ibegbu and our team at Atlantic Medical Group today.
