Heartburn is an irritation of your esophagus, which is the tube that connects your stomach to your throat. Heartburn is caused by stomach acid and leads to a burning discomfort in your chest behind your breastbone or in your upper belly. The pain tends to be worse after eating, in the evening, when lying down, or bending over. Intermittent heartburn is quite common and most people can control the discomfort with lifestyle changes and over-the-count medications. If your heartburn becomes more frequent or interferes with your daily life it may be a symptom of a more serious condition that could require medical attention.
Heartburn happens when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus. Normally when you swallow a band of muscle around the bottom of your esophagus, called your lower esophageal sphincter (LES), relaxes and allows food and liquid to flow into your stomach, then the muscle tightens again. If your LES relaxes abnormally or becomes weak stomach acid can easily flow up into your esophagus (acid reflux) and cause heartburn. Some foods and drinks can trigger heartburn, common triggers include:
Other non-consumption related conditions that can increase your risk of heartburn include
Heartburn affects people differently. For some people, it may only last a few minutes, while for others heartburn may last for several hours. Having occasional heartburn should not be worrisome, however long-term heartburn, known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) can often lead to serious issues like:
Heartburn is a common symptom of GERD, your doctor can typically diagnose you with heartburn after reviewing your medical history and symptoms. Your doctor could recommend testing to determine if your heartburn is caused by GERD. Testing could include:
To receive treatment for heartburn you can make an in-person appointment with your healthcare provider. But, because heartburn can be diagnosed with your health history and symptom review you can simply schedule an appointment with an online doctor with the use of telemedicine. This is an extremely convenient option for those who have limited time in their schedules. Please see the following list of online companies that can treat your heartburn:
Heartburn can be treated with lifestyle changes and over the counter medication. If lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications don’t work for you or you rely on them often you may need to talk to your doctor about further testing.
Over the counter medication
Lifestyle Changes
Heartburn can be terribly uncomfortable, but with advancements in technology today you are able to easily and affordably meet with a doctor with the use of telemedicine. There are many high-quality online healthcare companies that can set you up with an appointment with one of their trustworthy providers to discuss your symptoms of heartburn and make a personalized treatment recommendation for you. We have done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of the top online doctors that treat heartburn, check them out today!