Heartburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heartburn |
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| Classification and external resources | |
| Synonyms | Indigestion, sour stomach, acid regurgitation, bitter belching, cardalgia, cardialgy, and pyrosis |
| Patient UK | Heartburn |
Heartburn is an uncomfortable feeling, like a burning sensation, in your chest. It happens when acids from your stomach travel up into your esophagus. The esophagus is the tube that carries food and liquids from your mouth down to your stomach. When these stomach acids irritate or hurt the lining of your esophagus, you feel that burning.
Even though it's called "heartburn," this feeling has nothing to do with your heart. It's all about your digestive system.
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What is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a common feeling that many people experience. It's not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of something else happening in your body. The burning feeling can be mild or quite strong. It often gets worse when you lie down or bend over.
Why Does Heartburn Happen?
At the bottom of your esophagus, there's a special muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This muscle acts like a one-way valve. It opens to let food into your stomach and then closes tightly to stop stomach acids from coming back up.
Sometimes, the LES muscle doesn't close properly, or it relaxes when it shouldn't. When this happens, stomach acids can splash back up into your esophagus. This is called acid reflux. Because the esophagus doesn't have the same protective lining as the stomach, these acids can irritate it, causing the burning sensation you feel as heartburn.
What Can Cause Heartburn?
Many things can make the LES muscle relax or cause more stomach acid. These include:
- Eating large meals.
- Eating certain foods like spicy foods, fatty foods, chocolate, peppermint, or citrus fruits.
- Drinking certain drinks like coffee, alcohol, or fizzy drinks.
- Being overweight.
- Being pregnant.
- Smoking.
- Taking certain medicines.
- Stress.
How Can You Feel Better?
If you get heartburn, there are a few things you can do to help yourself feel better:
Antacids
These are medicines you can buy without a prescription. They work by neutralizing the stomach acid, which means they make it less acidic. Common antacids contain ingredients like calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.
Lifestyle Changes
- Eat smaller meals more often instead of a few large ones.
- Avoid foods and drinks that trigger your heartburn.
- Don't lie down right after eating. Try to wait at least two to three hours.
- Raise the head of your bed a little if heartburn bothers you at night.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight.
- Avoid smoking.
When Should You See a Doctor?
Most of the time, heartburn is not serious and can be managed with simple changes. However, if you have heartburn very often, if it's severe, or if it doesn't get better with antacids, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor. Sometimes, frequent heartburn can be a sign of a condition called Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which might need different treatment.
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Pirosis para niños
