The terms acid reflux and heartburn are interrelated. But these two terms, though related, are quite different from each other.
Key Takeaways
- Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, irritating its lining.
- Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest or throat resulting from acid reflux.
- Acid reflux is the underlying condition, while heartburn is a symptom of that condition.
Acid Reflux vs Heartburn
Acid reflux is a medical condition in which the stomach acid and partially digested food flow back from the stomach into the esophagus. It can be caused by various factors, etc. Heartburn is a burning sensation that occurs in the chest or throat after eating or lying down.
Acid reflux refers to a chronic disease that occurs when bile or stomach acid flows into the food pipe, irritating the lining.
The burning sensation lasts for a few minutes to a few hours. Heartburn can be treated at home with the help of over-the-counter medications.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Acid Reflux | Heartburn |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Acid reflux is a chronic disease where the acid from the stomach flows up into the esophagus, into the gullet, causing a burning sensation in the middle of the chest. | Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux. It is a sensation of burning behind the breastbone or the center of the chest. |
| Symptoms | The symptoms of acid reflux are heartburn. Other symptoms of heartburn are bloating, sore throat, nausea, abdominal pain, acidic or warm taste at the back throat, and so on. | The symptom of heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone or the middle of the chest. The burning sensation makes an uncomfortable burning sensation around the heart. |
| Causes | Common causes of acid reflux are obesity, smoking, eating fried and fatty foods, eating a large amount of food, drinking alcohol, diabetes, pregnancy, and hiatal hernia. | Common causes of heartburn are smoking, drinking alcohol, diabetes, obesity, eating a large amount of food, eating fried and fatty food. |
| Aggravating foods | Fatty and fried foods, onions and garlic, mint, spicy foods, chocolate, acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits can cause acid reflux. | Spicy foods, chocolate, fatty, and fried foods, mint, onions, and garlic can cause heartburn. |
| Treatment | Acid reflux is treated by modifying the diet, losing weight, taking medicines like antidiarrhoeal, a proton-pump inhibitor, and antacid. | To prevent heartburn, lying down after eating must be avoided for at least two hours. Avoiding chocolates, fatty and fried foods is important to prevent heartburn. |
What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is a chronic disease where bile or stomach acid flows up into the esophagus into the gullet, causing a burning sensation in the middle of the chest. The symptoms of acid reflux are heartburn.
If the LES (Lower esophageal sphincter) opens too or doesn’t close properly, acid produced in the stomach flows up into the esophagus, causing acid reflux.
Common causes of acid reflux are obesity, smoking, eating fried and fatty foods, eating a large amount of food, drinking alcohol, diabetes, pregnancy, and hiatal hernia.
Acid reflux is treated by modifying the diet, losing weight, and taking medicines like antidiarrhoeal, a proton-pump inhibitor, and antacids. It’s better to take antacids that contain both aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).
The symptom of heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone or the middle of the chest.
Heartburn is treatable at home with the help of over-the-counter medications.
Having severe heartburn regularly can be an indicator of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), which is a chronic acid reflux condition.
Main Differences Between Acid Reflux and Heartburn
- Fatty and fried foods, onions and garlic, mint, spicy foods, chocolate, and acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits can cause acid reflux.
- Acid reflux is treated by modifying the diet, losing weight, and taking medicines like antidiarrhoeal, a proton-pump inhibitor, and antacid.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2003.01423.x
- https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4fzDuNJoICcC&oi=fnd&pg=PT4&dq=heartburn&ots=woSDkgizbE&sig=WsbNUp5NCgKEiEhmEDjARmH8Dig&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=heartburn&f=false
Last Updated : 14 October, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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