There’s nothing more frightening than casually completing a task, only to stop because you feel your heart start to burn. It seemingly comes out of nowhere and your mind starts to race, trying to think of anything that could have caused the sensation. Depending on how long it lasts, you either wait for it to finish and never find out why you experienced what you did, or you grab your phone and try to figure out what happened.
Well, have no fear!
What you’ve experienced was heartburn, a common and controllable occurrence in the body.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn happens when the acid in your stomach travels back up into your esophagus. Though it is called heartburn, it doesn’t actually happen in your heart, it only feels like it does.
The burning sensation that happens when you have heartburn is probably why people tend to freak out when they feel it for the first time.
A burning sensation in your heart sounds terrifying. A burning sensation in your esophagus? Way less stressful, way easier to manage.
RELATED: 9 Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of Acid Reflux And Heartburn…Fast!
How Did I Get Heartburn?
There are multiple things that can cause heartburn.
For some, it happens due to their digestive patterns.
For example, it’s because of their intake of spicy food. Think back to what you’ve eaten in the day. Did you have hot wings? Spicy ramen? Hot chips? This may have caused your heartburn.
Other things like citrus foods, chocolate or fatty/fried foods could have also caused your heartburn, along with alcohol or coffee.
For others, heartburn may occur for other, non-food/drink-related actions. These actions cause the part of your esophagus that