What Really Causes Heartburn?

Heartburn occurs when your esophageal sphincter is weakened and allows stomach acid to flow backwards up into your esophagus, which can cause extreme discomfort behind your breastbone and inside your throat.

Every day on TV and via other media outlets, you might be barraged with advertisements about heartburn and acid reflux that tell you stomach acid is the culprit causing your pain. The misleading ads also say that if you take the patent medicine recommended in the commercial, your stomach problems will disappear.

But is the level of acid in your stomach the main reason for your heartburn?

Sometimes, the amount of acid you have in your stomach can impact heartburn. However, heartburn can also come on because you have acid in the wrong parts of your body.

For example, if you're drinking a sugary soda or a citrus drink (think lemon or orange), that could disrupt the pepsin (a digestive enzyme in your stomach that degrades your food and drink into peptides) and cause a burn in your throat, esophagus, sinuses, and your chest.

What are some ways you can limit acid from going to the wrong parts of your body?

If you're prone to heartburn, you may want to substitute certain sauces or vinegars for apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar has been used as a natural remedy for acid reflux for years because it helps balance the acid levels in your stomach. Another way to help reduce heartburn is by changing to a low acid and high fiber diet.

What else can you do to help reduce acid going in the wrong places?

Dr. Jonathan E. Aviv joins Dr. Mike to discuss the real reason why you may be experiencing heartburn and what you can do to put an end to the painful and uncomfortable symptoms.