Also known as acid indigestion or pyrosis, heartburn is a sensation of burning in the area behind the breastbone in the chest. The pain often comes up and radiates to the jaw, throat and neck. Despite its name, heartburn really has nothing to do with your heart.

Almost everyone will go through heartburn quiet a few times in their life. Knowing the various heartburn causes may help you in becoming more aware of what causes the painful sensation you are feeling as well as let you watch out for situations and food that clearly cause heartburn.

Simply put, heartburn occurs when acid refluxes back up into the esophagus. Increased stomach acid production is one risk factor. There are also structural problems which can cause acid to reflux into the esophagus.

Heartburn causes range from the type of food you eat to the habits of your lifestyle. Associated most often with gastric reflux regurgitation, heartburn is also the primary symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease which is also known as GERD. It can also be an ischemic heart disease symptom.

What are specific Heartburn Causes?

Prescription medicine, over the counter medicine and common foods sometimes increase the production of the secretion of stomach acid which then causes heartburn.

Heartburn-causing irritants include chocolate, onions, spicy food, acidic fruits and juices, caffeine, alcohol, aspirin, ibuprofen and carbonated drinks. Other things that can aggravate heartburn include being obese, lying down just after eating a large meal and smoking cigarettes.

Both coffee and chocolate relaxes the LES or the lower esophagus sphincter which leads to a reflux in stomach contents into the esophagus.

Fatty and fried foods also have a tendency to slow digestion which keeps food longer in the stomach. This results in an increase in stomach pressure which applies pressure on the lower esophagus sphincter, causing a reflux.

Eating hurriedly and not properly chewing food can cause heartburn. Eating with clothes that fit too tightly or lifting weights also have a tendency to result in heartburn.

A hiatal hernia which is in the stomach portion which lies in the chest and not the abdomen at times affects LES and may cause reflux. A hernia that is hiatal does not have any symptom per se. Heartburn only occurs when LES fails.

Pregnancy also increases abdominal pressure and can create a predisposition to reflux. For the same reason, obesity can also cause reflux.

Some esophagus diseases including sarcoidosis and scieroderma include heartburn as a symptom.

One culprit when it comes to heartburn causes is a peptic ulcer. These are lesions or sores that form in either the duodenum or the stomach.

Gastroparesis which is also called gastric delayed emptying, is a stomach disorder which happens when your stomach takes much too long to empty itself. It occurs in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This leads to extreme pressure on the lower esophagus sphincter which results in its premature relaxation. This leads to additional reflux and consequently heartburn.

You can prevent heartburn pain by avoiding heartburn causes and predispositions. Improving eating habits and avoiding certain food could definitely help. Losing weight if you are obese and wearing properly fitting clothes can also help make heartburn a thing of the past.