Heartburn

About half of North American adults experience occasional heartburn. This growing pain in the upper chest is caused by the movement of acid from the stomach into the esophagus and, so, the more serious form of the problem is called gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD). Unlike the stomach, the esophagus produces very little mucus to protect it, so acid quickly erodes the lining of the esophagus, causing pain. Symptoms may also include nausea, gagging, coughing, or hoarseness. GERD is characterized by such symptoms of acid reflux two or more times per week. People who have GERD experience occasional relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Typically it should be relaxed only during swallowing, but in individuals with GERD it is relaxed at other times as well.

Certain physical conditions can lead to heartburn. For example, both pregnancy and obesity result in increased production of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones relax the lower esophageal sphincter, making heartburn more likely. In the latter case, adipose tissue turns certain circulating hormones into estrogen; thus, the more adipose tissue the more estrogen is produced.

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