What Does Heartburn Feel Like?

When you feel a burning pain in your chest, all sorts of scenarios come to mind. Is the problem serious, like a heart condition, or is it just heartburn after a big meal? In this article, we’ll try to clear up these concerns as best we can. Learn what the symptoms of heartburn are, and how it differs from conditions with similar symptoms.

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is the discomfort that can occur when stomach acid finds its way into the oesophagus. This is also referred to as acid reflux. It produces a burning sensation in the chest, which can cause serious alarm if you’ve never experienced it before.

Although the pain from heartburn is very unpleasant, it’s not usually a cause for immediate concern as the sensation eventually subsides. The problem is that acid reflux can have the same symptoms as several other, far more serious, health problems. It’s therefore a good idea to know the difference between heartburn and conditions that require medical attention.

Why do we get heartburn?

The term heartburn describes a burning sensation in the chest that occurs when stomach acid irritates the oesophagus. It’s caused by the backward flow of stomach acid due to the weakening and excessive relaxation of the muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus. Normally, this muscle closes when food enters the stomach, but when it’s weakened the stomach contents can flow back into the oesophagus, and sometimes even as far as the mouth.

This results in an unpleasant burning pain, which can become worse if you lie down or bend over after a meal.

Where do we feel heartburn?

Heartburn usually starts as a burning sensation, which spreads from the stomach or upper abdomen to the chest. It may be accompanied by a feeling of pressure or pain behind the breastbone. This is why some people with severe symptoms can easily confuse it with a heart attack. Heartburn pain can even reach the neck and shoulders.

Other common symptoms of acid reflux include:

• a feeling of not being able to swallow food completely: you feel as if food is getting stuck in your chest or throat, or that your throat is tightening and you’re choking;
• frequent burping: feeling the need to burp a few times after a meal is completely normal and acceptable (especially if done in private), but excessive burping may be a sign of heartburn;
• bloating: if your belly seems bloated, especially after a regular well-balanced meal, the reason might be heartburn;
• discomfort after eating: if the feeling of discomfort increases after eating or your stomach feels abnormally full for no reason, this may be due to acid reflux.

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor as soon as possible to see if the problem is heartburn or something more serious.

When does heartburn occur?

As mentioned earlier, symptoms of acid reflux occur after eating, especially when you bend or lie down. Heavy, fatty, salty or spicy foods can increase the chance of heartburn and make the condition worse.

However, many people get heartburn at night, and this is particularly unpleasant, as symptoms often worsen when you’re lying down. Night-time heartburn is particularly common if you eat less than two hours before going to bed.

Heartburn can also appear in pregnancy, when the muscles relax due to hormonal changes. This has a number of benefits for the foetus, but the process can weaken the lower oesophageal sphincter. The growing foetus also puts extra pressure on the stomach, so it’s even more likely to let stomach acid leak out. Fortunately, heartburn among pregnant women usually disappears after giving birth, as the hormonal and anatomical systems return to their previous state.

When should you seek medical help for heartburn?

If heartburn happens only occasionally, is not intense and passes quickly, there’s no cause for concern. However, if it happens more frequently, we advise you to see a doctor. If heartburn is left untreated, frequent exposure to stomach acid can lead to tooth problems, chest pain, lesions in the throat, etc. This can eventually result in an inability to swallow, breathe, or even speak.

Furthermore, frequent exposure to stomach acid can damage the oesophageal tissue and increase the risk of cancer.

How to distinguish acid reflux symptoms from other problems

The sensation of heartburn is similar to that experienced with other, more serious health problems. Therefore, it’s worth learning how to identify the causes and when to see a doctor. Let’s take a look at which conditions people most often confuse with heartburn.

Difference between heartburn and dyspepsia

Dyspepsia is associated with poor digestion, although it’s more of a digestive discomfort that includes a combination of unpleasant sensations such as bloating, early satiety, nausea, and pain in the upper abdomen.

It’s basically pain in the upper stomach, which usually occurs during or after a meal, and is made worse by eating heavy and greasy meals too quickly. Eating with the mouth open and swallowing too much air can also aggravate symptoms.

Heartburn and dyspepsia share a number of similar symptoms, but they are different conditions. While heartburn is caused by stomach acid flowing back into the oesophagus, which causes a burning sensation in the chest, dyspepsia is not necessarily related to acid reflux. Instead, it’s caused by other factors affecting the stomach and its lining.

Difference between heartburn and heart attack

Heartburn is sometimes accompanied by very alarming symptoms that many people associate with a heart attack. However, there are a few factors that can help you distinguish between the two, such as:

• timing: heartburn typically occurs after a meal, while a heart attack is not usually related to anything you’ve eaten;

• taste: a sour taste in your mouth is caused by heartburn, and is not a symptom of a heart attack;

• location: heartburn is usually felt as a burning sensation in the chest that can spread upwards towards the throat;

• type of pain: heartburn pain is often described as a burning or searing sensation in the chest, while a heart attack typically feels like a heaviness pressing down on the entire body;

• treatment: heartburn can usually be relieved with antacids (medicines that reduce stomach acid), which do not have any effect on the symptoms of a heart attack.

Difference between heartburn and angina pectoris

Angina is essentially pain in the chest caused by poor blood flow to the heart. The sensation is very similar to heartburn. However, unlike heartburn, pain from angina is more likely to follow physical activity or exposure to cold than eating.

The difference is also apparent in the body’s response to treatment. Heartburn can usually be relieved by taking antacids, while angina is commonly treated with nitroglycerine. If you’ve never experienced chest pain before, it’s best to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Other possible conditions

There are several other conditions whose symptoms can easily be confused with those of acid reflux. These include:

• oesophageal spasm: a muscle spasm in the oesophagus can trigger symptoms similar to acid reflux, leading to difficulty swallowing food or drink, a feeling that food is getting stuck in the centre of the chest, and a burning sensation in the throat and chest;
• gallstones: symptoms associated with gallstones often appear after a meal (especially a greasy one), and may resemble heartburn as they involve abdominal pain;
• ulcer: like heartburn, ulcers can cause a burning sensation in the stomach which may spread to the chest. What makes it confusing is that both heartburn and ulcers can be treated in the same way – with antacids. To find out the real cause of the pain, it’s therefore best to see a doctor.

These are just some of the common health problems that have symptoms similar to heartburn. If you’re not sure which one you’re dealing with, you should seek medical help right away.

How to treat heartburn

Do you often suffer from heartburn? We’ve already shared some excellent natural ways to relieve heartburn. Let’s review them again.

1.Optimal weight

One of the main causes of heartburn is excess weight. Overweight people tend to suffer from heartburn more often because their abdomen is under more pressure, and stomach acid is more likely to leak back into the oesophagus.

2. Good posture

When eating, sit upright to relax your stomach. If you have problems with heartburn at night, raise the head of your bed to prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the oesophagus.

3. Healthy diet

The problems that accompany heartburn can also be alleviated by certain foods. Include less acidic fruit in your diet, such as bananas or melons. Green vegetables are also beneficial. Enjoy dairy products that are less fatty, such as yoghurt, and don’t forget wholegrain foods, which relieve and prevent symptoms of acid reflux.

4. Drink Donat

There’s another great way to fight the burning in your stomach and chest and other symptoms of heartburn: with the help of Donat. Donat works as an antacid, neutralising stomach acid and relieving the unpleasant burning sensation in the chest.

Donat is a natural mineral water with a high content of bicarbonate (essential for maintaining the acid-base balance in the body) and a combination of magnesium, sodium, and calcium. This composition regulates heartburn in a natural way, making Donat an excellent preventive treatment for people who often suffer from acid reflux. It’s particularly effective when coupled with healthy lifestyle habits, especially a well-balanced diet.

How to drink Donat if you have heartburn

Donat does not cause any side effects or dependence, so it can be consumed regularly.
Experts have studied the effects of this healing water, which springs from the depths below Rogaška Slatina, for centuries, and today we know exactly how to drink it so it’s effective for the problem that’s troubling us.

If you experience symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn, we recommend the following approach:

• Drink between 0.1 and 0.2 L of Donat 20 minutes before a meal. It should be at room temperature and drunk slowly.

• When you feel the first signs of heartburn, drink 0.1 L of Donat, again at room temperature and slowly.

Would you like to learn more about Donat? Find out where its beneficial properties come from. And if you want to drink it to treat other problems as well, be sure to read the article on how to drink Donat.

What to avoid if you suffer from heartburn

1.Certain foods and drinks

Eat fewer spicy foods, as these can slow down gastric emptying and increase the sensitivity of the oesophagus to acid, resulting in irritation. Avoid fatty foods, too, as they can cause the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax, leading to leakage of stomach acid. This can also lead to constipation.

 2. Smoking

The lower oesophageal sphincter can loosen not only because of food and drink but also due to habits such as smoking or chewing tobacco. The nicotine in tobacco weakens this muscle located between the oesophagus and the stomach, causing acid from the stomach to flow into the oesophagus.

3. Tight clothing

If you suffer from heartburn, avoid close-fitting clothes. Put aside belts, body-shaping underwear, and other items of clothing that put extra pressure on your stomach. Wear slightly looser and more comfortable clothes instead.