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  3. What is Heartburn
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    WHAT IS HEARTBURN?

    Heartburn is a symptom. It isn’t a type of disease.3,4 By understanding the physiological causes of heartburn, you’ll better understand heartburn and your own body. Watch the video below to learn more about what heartburn is.

PHYSIOLOGICAL CAUSES

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid rises into your esophagus. Normally when you swallow, your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes, allowing liquid to flow into your stomach, before closing again.3,4

If the LES relaxes abnormally, acid can flow back up into your esophagus and cause heartburn.5

Stomach

1. Esophagus
The muscular tube that connects the mouth and throat to the stomach.

2. Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES)
A circular band of muscles around the bottom part of your esophagus.

3. Stomach
An internal organ in which some food digestion occurs.

4. Proton Pump
Tiny pumps in your stomach lining that produce stomach acid.

5. Diaphragm
A muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen.6

MYTHS ABOUT HEARTBURN

Get your facts straight on these common heartburn myths.

Everyone has the same heartburn triggers.

Triggers differ from person to person. It all comes down to how your body reacts to certain foods, other medications you may be taking, your lifestyle, weight, pregnancy, and medical conditions.3,7-10

You can only get heartburn from eating certain foods.

Triggers differ from person to person. For some people, foods may be that trigger. But for others, the root cause may be physiological or environmental. If you think a certain food may be a trigger, keep tabs on what you eat and drink so you can learn how to avoid the things that trigger heartburn in your body.9

If you have bad breath, it means you have acid reflux.

Bad breath is one indicator of acid reflux, but it’s not usually the only symptom. Other heartburn symptoms will likely include an uncomfortable burning sensation in your chest or throat.7

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∆2018 IQVIA ProVoice Survey for OTC PPIs.
†Among OTC Frequent Heartburn Brands. IMS OTC Global Analysis 2017

REFERENCES:

3. Heartburn: Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20373223
4. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20361940
5. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20361940
6. Medical Definition of diaphragm. MedicineNet. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2983
7. GERD: Can certain medications increase severity? Mayo Clinic. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/expert-answers/heartburn-gerd/faq-20058535
8. Wedro, B., Heartburn. RxList. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rxlist.com/heartburn/drugs-condition.htm
9. Denk, P. Acid reflux causes: Find your trigger foods. RefluxMD. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.refluxmd.com/acid-reflux-causes-triggers/
10. Common heartburn triggers. WebMD. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/heartburn-spot-your-personal-triggers