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Heartburn is an unpleasant and often very distressing feeling of pain or burning felt in approximately the centre of your chest behind your breast bone (sternum). Despite its name, heartburn actually has nothing to do with your heart; however the pain may sometimes be so severe that it is mistaken for heart disease.

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid moves upwards form the stomach and into the oesophagus (a process known as gastric reflux), causing burning and pain in the oesophagus. This is often as a result of a problem with the valve between the stomach and the oesophagus. This valve weakens with age and thus older people tend to experience heartburn more frequently than younger people.

Almost everyone will experience mild heartburn at some point in their lives. Heartburn is often triggered by certain foods such as citrus fruits and juices, cool drinks that are carbonated, spicy foods, tomatoes and tomato sauces, onions, chillies, red peppers, as well as alcohol and certain medications like aspirin.

Symptoms are typically experienced after heavy meals and are made worse by lying down or bending forward. If you experience heartburn regularly, it is important to note what foods trigger your heartburn and to then alter your diet to avoid those foods. Avoiding lying down straight after a meal is also helpful. To alleviate heartburn symptoms brought on by lying down, try placing extra pillows under your head so that your head is higher than your stomach. This will encourage the flow of stomach acid downwards from the oesophagus to the stomach. Should you experience severe heartburn regularly for longer than four weeks at a time then please consult your healthcare practitioner.