How many americans have heartburn

When you sit or stand, gravity helps move the food through your esophagus and into the stomach. Laying down also prevents gravity from keeping bile and acids from traveling up into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Because of this, many people find their heartburn is worse at night. This opening usually closes once the food passes through. If it doesn't, acid from your stomach may enter through the opening and travel the wrong way—back into your esophagus and to your throat.

This is called acid reflux. The opening can occur sporadically after a meal leading to multiple reflux events. Occasional heartburn isn't a cause for concern. But if heartburn occurs regularly, interferes with your daily routine, or is caused by GERD, it could damage your esophagus or lead to cancer. Being pregnant or overweight can make you more likely to have heartburn. There are also certain foods and drinks that can trigger heartburn including:. If you're experiencing heartburn, make sure to track your symptoms.

For example, how often does it happen in a day? Does it happen after eating? You can bring this list to your provider to help make a faster and better diagnosis. Learn the connection between these conditions. The terms heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD are often used interchangeably. They actually have very different meanings. The overall health of your gut impacts your mind, mood, and body. These blogs…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Share on Pinterest.

Who gets GERD? What causes GERD? Diagnosis and treatment. Lifestyle changes to ease symptoms. Living with GERD. Written by Jen Thomas — Updated on May 14, Read this next. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. The survey also indicated that certain categories of people, including younger people, women, Latinos, and people with irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn's disease, were less likely to respond to proton pump inhibitors.

The investigators conducted their nationwide survey in October and November using MyGiHealth, a mobile app that asked respondents to select any symptoms they had experienced in the past week or "ever experienced. The symptoms included GERD-relevant ones -- such as heartburn, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux -- plus other general gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation and nausea.

Out of 71, people who responded to the survey, More than a third of the GERD sufferers said they were currently on therapy, mostly involving proton pump inhibitors.