What is Heartburn

You know when you have heartburn if you feel discomfort rising up behind your breastbone, especially when lying down or after a late meal. The muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus (oesophageal sphincter) normally acts as a barrier to keep acid in the stomach. If this fails to work properly then acid can pass back into the oesophagus (food pipe) from the stomach and irritate the oesophageal lining – this is known as acid reflux. The burning pain felt as a result is commonly referred to as heartburn.

In some sufferers the weakness of the oesophageal sphincter is caused by an underlying reason. However, in others the cause of this defect is unknown and you should speak to your doctor about how to manage your acid relux.