Heartburn, also called pyrosis, is a condition wherein there is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the breastbone because of gastric acid regurgitation. The pain is described to rise to the chest and may even radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. The pain worsens when you bend over, lie down, or eat. It may also be more frequent or worse in the evenings.
A common misconception is that heartburn affects the heart. The truth of the matter is, this medical condition is not, in any way, related to the heart. One reason why it was called heartburn is because the pain is usually felt on the breastbone where the heart is situated. Another reason is because the hydrochloric acid from the stomach goes back up to the esophagus because of a problem with the cardiac sphincter, a valve in the stomach, which does not have anything to do with the heart.
What causes heartburn?
To understand what causes heartburn, one must understand how the upper digestive tract works. When you swallow, the cardiac sphincter relaxes to let foods and liquids into the stomach. Then it closes again to prevent food from coming back up. If the...
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