Many people live out their daily lives, struggling with heartburn, thinking that it’s a normal part of their lives. What they don’t know, however, is that persistent heartburn (also known as GERD) is actually a serious condition. Left untreated, GERD can actually wreak havoc on your esophagus and cause complications like Barrett’s Esophagus - chronic inflammation of the esophagus.
Read MoreHeartburn is an uncomfortable condition, but it tends to be mistaken for other conditions that are far more serious. Let’s take a look at these conditions and how they manifest; this way you can work through your symptoms and either put your mind at ease or seed medical help for another condition. In this article we’ll take a look at what can be mistaken for heartburn and answer a few questions we hear frequently at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center: can anxiety feel like heartburn, and does angina feel like heartburn?
Read MoreHeartburn during pregnancy is one of the most common complaints, especially for women in their third trimester. Despite the name, your heart isn’t actually experiencing the burning sensation – the name “heartburn” more accurately describes an uncomfortable burning sensation that occurs behind the breastbone in the chest. Below, we will discuss what pregnancy heartburn is, short-term treatment options, and whether it should go away after your pregnancy.
Read MoreIn a normally-functioning esophageal sphincter, food passes through but does not reverse direction unless vomiting occurs. For patients with GERD or occasional acid reflux, regurgitation happens more frequently than it should, causing pain and burning. Let’s take a look at some foods that trigger heartburn, the causes of heartburn at night, and how to handle heartburn and pregnancy.
Achalasia is a rare disorder that affects a patient’s nerves that control the esophagus. This disorder makes it difficult to swallow food and drink, especially during an “attack”. The esophagus is a band of muscular tissue that surrounds a hollow tube; these muscles are supposed to contract in succession to move food from the mouth to the stomach.
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