What should you know about constant heartburn after eating?

Heartburn is a burning feeling behind the breastbone caused when stomach contents move upward into the food pipe. Meals can trigger it when the stomach is very full, particularly after rich, spicy, acidic, or late-night food. Acid reflux is a common explanation, but inflammation of the stomach, a hiatus hernia, or a peptic ulcer can also produce upper abdominal or chest discomfort. A symptom pattern alone cannot identify the cause.

Notice whether the burning comes with sour fluid in the mouth, burping, nausea, pain when swallowing, or food seeming to stick. These details help a clinician separate reflux from other problems. Chest pressure, breathlessness, sweating, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw should be treated as an emergency rather than assumed to be heartburn.

Try smaller meals, eat slowly, and stay upright after eating rather than lying down soon afterwards. Identify personal triggers in a simple food and symptom diary; common triggers vary between people. Avoid tight clothing around the abdomen and raise the head end of the bed if symptoms disturb sleep. Do not stop prescribed medicines without advice, and check with a pharmacist or clinician before using an acid reflux medicine regularly, especially if you take other medicines or are pregnant.

Arrange a routine appointment if heartburn is frequent, keeps returning, affects sleep, or is not settling with sensible changes. Seek prompt medical help for difficulty or pain with swallowing, repeated vomiting, vomiting blood, black stools, unexplained weight loss, or persistent severe pain. Call emergency services for chest pressure or burning with breathlessness, faintness, sweating, or pain in the arm, back, neck, or jaw.

Ask what is most likely causing the pattern, whether you need testing, which treatments are suitable, and how long to try them. Bring a list of medicines and supplements, plus notes about meal timing, sleep disruption, swallowing symptoms, and any warning signs.