What is heartburn?

When stomach acid travels up the oesophagus (food pipe) it can cause a burning sensation in your chest. This is called heartburn.¹

You may also feel the burning sensation in your throat and jaw.²

Occasionally, a heart attack may be mistaken for heartburn because they can have similar symptoms. Call 999 if you have:

• Pain in your chest that feels tight, like your chest is being squeezed
• Pain that radiates from your chest down your arm (usually the left arm), jaw or tummy
• Shortness of breath, dizziness and nausea
• Wheezing or coughing.

If you don’t have these symptoms and have other symptoms of heartburn, there is no need to worry. If your heartburn doesn’t go away or comes back regularly, call 111 for further medical advice.

There are a few different reasons why you may have heartburn. It can happen if you:

• Are overweight
• Smoke
• Are pregnant
• Are stressed or anxious
• Have increased hormone levels e.g., progesterone and oestrogen
• Take certain medicines, e.g., ibuprofen
• Eat spicy, acidic or fatty foods.¹

The main symptom of heartburn is a burning feeling you may feel in your chest, throat or jaw after eating.²

Other symptoms you may experience include:

• A sour taste in your mouth
• Food coming back up your throat
• A hoarse voice
• A continual cough
• Bad breath
• Feeling bloated
• Feeling sick.^1,2

If symptoms continue, it can cause damage to your oesophagus. If your heartburn doesn’t go away, go to your GP and they will talk you through possible treatment options.

There are several types of medication that can cause heartburn. These include:

• Antibiotics
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen
• Bisphosphonates like alendronic acid which are drugs that are used to treat osteoporosis, Paget’s disease and some cancers
• Vitamin A
• Potassium chloride and ferrous sulphate – used to treat low potassium or iron deficiency
• Paracetamol – common pain medication
• Warfarin – blood thinning medication to help prevent blood clots
• Some chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancers.³

There are many reasons why you may experience heartburn when taking medication. This can be because:

• You haven’t taken the drug with a glass of water, so it sits in your oesophagus causing irritation
• You may have taken the drug close to bedtime – lying down makes it more difficult for the drug to travel down your digestive tract
• You are taking the medicine on an empty stomach, making it more likely for irritation to occur.
• There are things you can do to stop heartburn while taking medicine. You should make sure you always drink at least 200 ml of water and be sat in an upright or standing position when you take medicine. Make sure to eat after taking it and do not go to bed for at least 30 minutes after taking it, unless otherwise directed by your doctor or pharmacist.
• If you are repeatedly getting heartburn from your medication, make sure you discuss this with your doctor. They will advise you on the best way forward and may be able to find an alternative medicine that will suit your system better.³

Heartburn can go away by itself, but sometimes your symptoms might be painful and require medicine like antacids or alginates (Rennie or Gaviscon), which help calm the pain by neutralising the acid in the throat.^1,4

There are some steps you can take to minimise the risk of getting heartburn. These include:

• Avoid lying down soon after eating
• Prop your head up 10 to 20 cm above your waist whilst you sleep if you have heartburn at night
• Try to eat smaller portions more frequently instead of 3 large meals
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Do gentle exercise that relieves stress and anxiety
• Avoid smoking cigarettes
• Wear loose clothing during meals.^1,2,5

If you are pregnant, you should talk to your GP or pharmacist before taking any medicine for heartburn.