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SuperHealthyAI

Heartburn and acid reflux

Pending clinical review Educational information from public health sources, pending clinical review. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice.

A burning feeling in the middle of the chest caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat, sometimes with a sour taste. Symptoms are often worse after eating, when lying down and when bending over. Chest pain can also have other, serious causes.

Get emergency help now (call your local emergency number (112 in India)) if you have:

  • Chest pain that feels like squeezing or pressure, spreads to the arm, neck, jaw or back, or comes with sweating, sickness or breathlessness

Contact a doctor or clinician today if you have:

  • Difficulty swallowing, or food getting stuck
  • Losing weight without trying, or vomiting that keeps happening

When to see a clinician

  • Heartburn keeps coming back or is getting worse.
  • Self-care has not helped after a few weeks.

What it can be associated with

This page cannot tell you what is causing your symptom. Many different things, minor and serious, can cause the same symptom, and only a clinician who can examine you can assess it. The list of things a symptom can be associated with is in alphabetical order, not in order of how likely they are.

  • A bacterial infection in the stomach
  • A hiatus hernia
  • A stomach ulcer
  • Being overweight
  • Certain foods and drinks (such as coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate, fatty or spicy foods)
  • Pregnancy
  • Smoking
  • Some medicines, such as anti-inflammatory painkillers
  • Stress and anxiety

General self-care

  • Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
  • Avoid food or drink that triggers your symptoms.
  • Do not eat within 3 or 4 hours before bed.
  • Avoid tight clothes around the waist; do not smoke; limit alcohol.

For medicines, ask a pharmacist or doctor; SuperHealthyAI does not advise on medicines or doses.

Check for warning signs

Tick any that apply now. This does not diagnose anything; it tells you how soon to get help.

Warning signs

Sources

This page is general education, not personal medical advice. For diagnosis, treatment or medicines, please talk to a qualified doctor, registered dietitian or pharmacist. Read our medical & AI disclaimer.