HEARTBURN & UPSET STOMACH RELIEF
what causes heartburn? symptoms
and how to get heartburn relief
The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.
The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment.
Nothing can ruin a good time faster than heartburn. While it can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful, heartburn is common — and treatable. Learn more about heartburn symptoms, what triggers them and how to get relief quickly so you can get back to living it up with family and friends.
heartburn symptoms
Not sure whether you have heartburn? Here are the telltale signs.
Burning sensation in your chest
Sour taste in your mouth
It’s worse after eating, lying down or bending over
what causes heartburn?
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach. Foods that can contribute to heartburn include:
| Spicy foods Taco Tuesdays, all-you-can-eat wing night and late-night Thai takeout are all spicy culprits. | 
| Tomatoes From Grandma’s secret marinara sauce to your favorite salsa, tomatoes and tomato-based foods can be highly acidic. |
| Alcohol Whether it’s an ice-cold beer, a glass of wine or a margarita as big as your head, these beverages can sometimes take the “happy” out of happy hour. | 
| Chocolate Are you a card-carrying chocoholic? Ingredients in chocolate like cacao can relax the sphincter, which allows stomach acids to flow into the esophagus. |
| Caffeine and carbonated beverages Your morning coffee or lunchtime fountain drink may give you a jolt of heartburn. | 
| Fried or fatty meals All that greasy goodness from extra-large fries, beer-battered fish and other fried nibbles can leave you feeling the burn. |
| Citrus Citrusy foods and drinks like your morning glass of OJ or grapefruit juice could be causing stomach acid to rise and shine. |
But, hey … it’s not all food’s fault. Here are a few other heartburn triggers:
| Stress Work or family life making you a little tense? It could be contributing to your heartburn. | 
| Smoking The nicotine in cigarettes relaxes the valve in the lower esophagus that keeps acid in the stomach, which may contribute to acid reflux. |
| Exercise Working out can lead to heartburn if you exercise too soon after eating. | 
| Being overweight Excess weight puts pressure on your stomach which can also cause or worsen heartburn. |
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|
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Spicy foods Taco Tuesdays, all-you-can-eat wing night and late-night Thai takeout are all spicy culprits. |
|
|
Tomatoes From Grandma’s secret marinara sauce to your favorite salsa, tomatoes and tomato-based foods can be highly acidic. |
|
|
Alcohol Whether it’s an ice-cold beer, a glass of wine or a margarita as big as your head, these beverages can sometimes take the “happy” out of happy hour. |
|
|
Chocolate Are you a card-carrying chocoholic? Ingredients in chocolate like cacao can relax the sphincter, which allows stomach acids to flow into the esophagus |
|
|
Caffeine and carbonated beverages Your morning coffee or lunchtime fountain drink may give you a jolt of heartburn. |
|
|
Fried or fatty meals All that greasy goodness from extra-large fries, beer-battered fish and other fried nibbles can leave you feeling the burn. |
|
|
Citrus Citrusy foods and drinks like your morning glass of OJ or grapefruit juice could be causing stomach acid to rise and shine. |
But, hey … it’s not all food’s fault. Here are a few other heartburn triggers:
|
|
Stress Work or family life making you a little tense? It could be contributing to your heartburn. |
|
|
Smoking The nicotine in cigarettes relaxes the valve in the lower esophagus that keeps acid in the stomach, which may contribute to acid reflux. |
|
|
Exercise Working out can lead to heartburn if you exercise too soon after eating. |
|
|
Being overweight Excess weight puts pressure on your stomach which can also cause or worsen heartburn. |
how to relieve heartburn symptoms
In addition to avoiding the things that may trigger your heartburn and making the recommended lifestyle changes to prevent or reduce your symptoms, you can also try over-the-counter medications for heartburn. Try an antacid like Alka-Seltzer® Extra Strength Heartburn Relief Effervescent Tablets, which dissolves away heartburn symptoms quickly. Be sure to keep some on hand so you’re prepared whenever heartburn strikes.
