‘Not all heartburn is harmless’, experts warn – the 3 signs you need to get immediate help
HEARTBURN - known as acid reflux - is an unpleasant burning feeling in the chest caused by stomach acid travelling up the throat.
In most cases, this nasty symptom is exacerbated by eating fatty or spicy foods and can be managed with medicines, portion control and minimising stress.
But health experts have warned that, in some cases, heartburn can be a symptom of something more serious.
Mimi McCord, founder and chairman of the charity Heartburn Cancer UK, said: “People don’t always realise it, but not all heartburn is harmless.
"While they keep on treating the symptoms, the underlying cause might be killing them."
She said frequently experiencing heartburn could be a sign of oesophageal cancer - this is a type of cancer affecting your oesophagus or gullet.
“Cancer of the oesophagus is a killer that can hide in plain sight," Mimi added.
It comes as the charity called for a "pill-on-thread" sponge test that that could halve oesophageal cancer deaths to rolled out more widely in Britain.
The NHS recommends you speak to a GP if you have heartburn along with these three other symptoms:
- Food getting stuck in your throat
- Frequently being sick
- Losing weight for no reason
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From cancer, to a stomach infection or hernia, here are five serious health conditions that heartburn could be tipping you off about.
1. Oesophageal cancer
The oesophagus is the food pipe that connects your mouth to your stomach.
Heartburn is one of the symptoms caused by the spread of this little-known cancer, which some 9,200 Brits are diagnosed with every year - 8,000 pass away because of the disease yearly.
Most people don't realise they have the cancer until they struggle with swallowing, at which point the disease may be too advanced to treat easily, experts say.
This was the case with Mimi's husband Mike, who passed away from oesophageal cancer in 2002 just nine weeks after he choked on a piece of toast.
The cancer can affect your digestion and symptoms can include:
- Having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
- Feeling or being sick
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot
Other symptoms include:
- A cough that is not getting better
- A hoarse voice
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- Pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
- Black poo or coughing up blood - although these are uncommon
2. Hiatus hernia
A hiatus hernia is when part of your stomach moves up into your chest, a condition that's very common in people over 50, according to the NHS.
It doesn't normally need treatment if it's not causing you problems.
With a hiatus hernia you may:
- Have a painful burning feeling in your chest, often after eating (heartburn)
- Bring up small amounts of food or bitter-tasting fluids (acid reflux)
- Have bad breath
- burp and feel bloated
- Feel or be sick
- Have difficulty or pain when swallowing
But you should see a GP if you have these symptoms for over three weeks, or is they get progressively worse.
4. A stomach ulcer
Stomach ulcers, also known as gastric ulcers, are sores that develop on the lining of the stomach.
Their most common symptom is a burning or gnawing sensation in the centre of your tummy - but that being said, they aren't always painful.
Some less common symptoms of a stomach ulcer include:
- Indigestion
- Heartburn
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling and being sick
- Weight loss
- Burping or bloating after eating fatty foods
You should see a GP if you experience these symptoms persistently.
5. A heart attack
For some people, symptoms of a heart attack can be similar to indigestion.
For example, you may experience a feeling of heaviness in your chest, a stomach ache or heartburn.
If heart pains - a feeling of pressure, heaviness or tightness across the chest - last longer than 15 minutes, this may be a sign that you're suffering a heart attack.
Other symptoms include:
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- Pain in other parts of the body – it can feel as if the pain is travelling from your chest to your arms, jaw, neck, back or stomach
- Lightheadedness
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Breathlessness
Call 999 immediately if you think you're having a heart attack.