Heartburn Symptoms in Detail

Heartburn symptoms have been discussed briefly elsewhere on this blog, but you may want more detail. Perhaps your heartburn symptoms seem different from what you have read elsewhere. Perhaps some of what you feel seems different from heartburn.

Specific Heartburn Symptoms

Look over the following symptoms and see how many are true of you. If you have only one or two heartburn symptoms, mention it to your physician at your next exam. If you have more heartburn symptoms, make an appointment to seek medical advice immediately.

* After eating, you begin to feel a warm or burning sensation in your chest. It may feel as though your heart is heating up. The discomfort is located just beneath the sternum - the breastbone to which your ribs are connected in front. This warm or burning heartburn symptom may move up and down the esophagus. It may last a few minutes, or it may continue for a couple of hours.

* Acute cases can send burning heartburn symptoms into your jaw, upper arms, and back.

* Nighttime heartburn symptoms can keep you from sleeping. When you lie down, the burning chest pain increases.

* Another heartburn symptom that occurs after eating is a burning feeling in your throat or the back of your mouth. It may feel as though the upper end of your esophagus is over-heating.

* If the person is a baby, heartburn symptoms may include vomiting almost every time he or she is nursed, or takes a bottle. Older babies may spit up after eating, regardless of what the food is.

* Your heartburn symptoms may include a bitter, acid-like taste in your mouth. Some describe it as a sour taste. You may throw up if too much acid reaches your mouth.

* Sometimes, heartburn symptoms begin while you are still eating. You have trouble swallowing your food. It feels as though you are going to choke, but there is no food in your throat.

* Another symptom of heartburn can be frequent burping or loud belches. The digestive system seems to have too much air, and continuously strives to vent it.

* The larynx (voice box) may also be affected by heartburn symptoms. If you lose your voice for no apparent reason, it may be linked to heartburn. Hoarseness that is ongoing, and unexplained, may be caused by heartburn.

* Chronic coughing, wheezing, or other asthma-like symptoms may actually be heartburn symptoms.

* Heartburn symptoms can sometimes include earache as well.

Heartburn symptoms are common, and you need not worry about them if they are occasional. If you have heartburn symptoms regularly, however, you should seek medical attention.

CAUTION: Heartburn symptoms may easily be confused with life-threatening heart attack symptoms. If you have a history of heart disease, or you have been told that you are at risk for a heart attack, ask your physician immediately about supposed heartburn symptoms.