If you are experiencing a burning pain in your chest, you may have heartburn. The pain can potentially worsen when you bend over or lay down. Sometimes heartburn is a common occurrence that you don’t need to worry about and most can handle the pain with nonprescription medication and/or lifestyle changes. For more information or heartburn advice Los Angeles, contact us.

Symptoms

Heartburn symptoms include:

  • Burning pain in the chest, likely to occur after a meal or at night
  • Pain that gets worse when bending over or lying down

If you are experiencing severe chest pain and pressure that is accompanied by difficulty breathing and/or pain in your jaw or arm, please contact 911 immediately. Chest pain may be a sign of a heart attack.

Schedule an appointment with our office if you experience any of the following:

  • Heartburn multiple times in a week
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Nausea and/or vomiting
  • Weight loss due to lack of appetite or trouble eating
  • Persistent symptoms despite taking medication

Causes

Heartburn occurs when acid from the stomach fills the tube between your stomach and mouth. Typically, when you swallow, there is a muscle around your lower esophagus that relaxes to let liquid and food flow into your stomach, the muscle then re-tightens. If that muscle weakens or relaxes abnormally your stomach acid can go back up your esophagus, causing heartburn.

Treatment

There are several nonprescription medications that will help relieve your heartburn. Your options include:

  • Proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole or lansoprazole that help stomach acid.
  • Antacids that will help to neutralize your stomach acid. They provide immediate relief, but won’t heal any damage your stomach acid has caused your esophagus.
  • H-2 receptor antagonists, which will help reduce stomach acids. Unfortunately, they will not work as quickly as some of your other options, but they will provide longer lasting relief.

If nonprescription medications aren’t working or if you’re a relying on them too much, please call our office at (213) 386-2511 or schedule an appointment online for treatment or heartburn advice Los Angeles.