heartburn also called acid indigestion is a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease often referred to as gerd. it can occur when acid or other contents from your stomach "back up" into the esophagus. that’s the tube food passes through going from your mouth to your stomach. the problem stems from a muscle that may be weak or may relax at inappropriate times. it’s called the lower esophageal sphincter or les and it’s located between your stomach and your esophagus. if it doesn't close quickly enough it can’t prevent the acid backwash. that results in heartburn. when acid reflux is frequent you may have a condition called gerd or gastroesophageal reflux disease. food sensitivities are often the culprit. iif there's shortness of breath palpitations and sweating the problem may be heart-related.
what is heartburn?