1. Heartburn: Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow Pictures
2. Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the GERD Quiz

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Bhupinder Anand, MD

Call your health care professional if heartburn continues despite lifestyle modifications and use of antacids or low doses of acid blockers. Call a health care professional if a person has heartburn more than three times a week for over 2 weeks. The health care professional will prescribe medications or make other recommendations to help the pain.

Seek emergency medical care. Chronic heartburn can sometimes lead to serious complications that require immediate medical attention. Go to a hospital's emergency department if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Throwing up blood or passing blood in the stools
• Chest pain
• Severe pain, dizziness, or lightheadedness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Dehydration
• Unintentional weight loss

NOTE: The pain of heartburn can often be confused with pain that is actually due to more serious heart problems, such as a heart attack. If you or a family member has a history of heart disease, be aware of this possibility. If pain is accompanied by sweating, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, or worsens with activity, you may need your heart evaluated immediately.

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