What You Need to Know What is Heartburn? According to the
National Heartburn Alliance, approximately 25 million adults
experience heartburn on a daily basis. Heartburn is a condition
wherein gastric juices back up into the esophagus and create a
burning sensation that eventually radiates upward. It is usually
part of a broader condition known as dyspepsia or indigestion,
and the medical term for chronic or frequent heartburn is
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Reflux occurs when the
lower esophageal sphincter (LES)—the muscle that connects the
esophagus to the upper portion of the stomach—malfunctions,
allowing the contents of the stomach to flow backward into the
esophagus. Normally, the LES opens to allow food from the
esophagus into the stomach. It then closes immediately to
prevent food and digestive secretions from the stomach from
entering the esophagus. In cases of reflux, the LES doesn’t
close properly and remains open after food has entered the
stomach. A malfunctioning LES can be caused by a