Heartburn lasting 35 weeks: what to know

Burning behind the breastbone often reflects acid reflux, particularly when it follows food, bending, or lying down. Long-running symptoms merit review even when over-the-counter medicine provides temporary relief.

Heartburn occurs when stomach contents move upward and irritate the oesophagus. It may come with a sour taste, belching, or regurgitation. Acid reflux commonly presents with heartburn, while a hiatus hernia can also promote reflux. Gastritis and peptic ulcer can cause upper abdominal burning or discomfort, but those symptoms are not enough to distinguish one condition from another.

Schedule a clinician review and mention swallowing difficulty, vomiting, cough, hoarseness, upper abdominal pain, and every medicine you use. Meanwhile, notice which foods trigger symptoms, choose smaller meals, avoid lying down soon after eating, and raise the head end of the bed if symptoms occur overnight. Tight clothing around the abdomen may add pressure and worsen reflux.

A pharmacist can check whether an antacid, alginate, or acid-reducing medicine is suitable alongside your other medicines. Frequent self-treatment can mask a problem that needs assessment, so discuss an ongoing plan rather than simply continuing refills.

Call emergency services for new chest pressure or tightness, especially with breathlessness, sweating, faintness, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, back, or shoulder. Heart-related pain can resemble indigestion, so do not wait for an antacid to work.

Seek prompt medical care for food sticking during swallowing, painful swallowing, vomiting blood, black stool, repeated vomiting, unexplained weight loss, anaemia, or steadily worsening pain.

Ask whether your pattern fits reflux, whether a current medicine could be aggravating it, what treatment course is appropriate, and whether swallowing symptoms or bleeding signs require further investigation. Agree on when your response to treatment should be reviewed.