What is heartburn, anyway? How does eating certain foods make the heart burn?
Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. It’s a popular term for the burning sensation that occurs behind the breastbone, right in the area where the heart is located. The esophagus also runs through the same region of the chest. It carries food from the mouth into the stomach, where a strong acid and enzymes help to digest it. When stomach contents back up into the esophagus, the acid and enzymes cause irritation and inflammation. That’s the burning sensation in heartburn. Q: My husband complains about bad heartburn after big meals. Sometimes he can barely breathe. My husband also is overweight and smokes a lot. He insists it’s just indigestion. Shouldn’t he see a doctor to be sure? A: Absolutely. Doctors usually must do tests to be sure. A surprising number of people with heart attacks delay getting emergency medical help because they think the pain is just indigestion. It can be very difficult to decide when chest pain is indigestion and when it’s something more serious. Your hus
