Heartburn can cause a burning sensation in your chest or difficulty swallowing and up to 20-percent of us suffer. Dr. Steven Lichtenstein, DO, the Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at Mercy Catholic Medical Center says if you suffer more than once or twice a week, you should seek treatment. Treatment can be as simple as dietary changes, cutting out things that cause the problem, such as alcohol, chocolate or caffeine. If that doesn't work, there are medications to try and if all else fails, surgery is an option.
He says that untreated heartburn can lead to damage in the esophagus as the refluxing stomach acid can damage the cells. The treatment to decrease the acid production will give the esophagus time to heal, he says that normally takes a couple of months. If the damage is not given time to heal, it could worsen and lead to a cancer causing condition. He adds, the only way to determine if there's damage is to undergo endoscopy. That's a quick procedure where doctors place a tube into the esophagus to look for damage and take biopsies, if necessary.
When most of us think of heartburn, we think of that nasty, burning sensation from the reflux of the stomach acid. Dr. Steven Lichtenstein, DO says there are some unusual symptoms to keep in mind, excessive cavities caused by the acid, a persistent cough, hoarseness and even shortness of breath. He says if there's any question, see a doctor.