Heartburn Specialist

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is a burning pain sensation that you feel in your chest. This pain usually feels worse after you eat or when you’re lying down.

Heartburn symptoms show up when the acids from your stomach back up into your esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. This can happen because of weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, the valve between your esophagus and stomach.

Normally, this muscle opens when you swallow food and closes to keep stomach acids down. When the muscle is too weak to close, acids flow back up and trigger heartburn.

When should I seek treatment for heartburn?

Occasional heartburn typically goes away with over-the-counter antacids. Schedule a diagnostic evaluation with The Gastroenterology Group team if your symptoms appear more than twice a week or they don’t get better with home care.

Chronic heartburn, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can damage your esophagus. This damage can also trigger Barrett’s esophagus, a precancerous condition that increases your risk of esophageal cancer.

The gastroenterology team offers upper endoscopy and other diagnostic testing right in their office to get a fast and accurate diagnosis. Your test results help the team create a treatment plan to control your existing heartburn and prevent GERD-related complications.

How is heartburn treated?

When over-the-counter antacids aren’t enough to control your heartburn, you need prescription medications to neutralize stomach acids or reduce the amount of acid the stomach produces. These medications provide long-lasting relief of heartburn and other related symptoms.

If your heartburn is chronic and the team diagnoses your condition as GERD, you’ll need medications or surgery to treat it. In some cases, they can use endoscopy to repair weak spots in your esophageal sphincter to help the muscle close securely.

The doctors can also recommend lifestyle and diet changes that help you maintain a healthy weight to prevent the return of heartburn. You should also limit spicy foods, citrus products, alcohol, and other food and drink that triggers heartburn.

Call The Gastroenterology Group today or go online to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for heartburn.