text: The burning sensation in your stomach is the horrible guilt you carry for whatever it was that you did!\n\nJust kidding!\n\nBurning in the stomach usually is due to some form of irritation of the lining of the stomach. This may be due to increased acidity or a decrease in the protective barrier of the stomach. In the beginning this inflammation of the stomach is referred to as gastritis. If the protective barrier of the stomach becomes overwhelmed and the stomach acid and digestive enzymes start acting on the stomach wall itself, you may eventually develop a gastric ulcer (stomach ulcer). This is different than a peptic ulcer which may also present with these symptoms.\n\nIf you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages (coffee, sodas) and/or alcohol or smoke (nicotine does it), or take a lot of a certain class of medications called NSAIDs (the Motrin/Advil/Aleve or aspirin kind of medications) that may cause it.\n\nDepending on your age, this sensation may actually be due to problems with your heart. If you do have problems with your heart, certain types of heart attacks may be felt as stomach pains.\n\nThe best thing to do is to consult with your doctor.