Heartburn - what does it feel like? The burning sensation behind the breastbone (sternum) is what’s commonly known as heartburn. It can be mild or can cause quite a lot of discomfort. If you’re experiencing heartburn, particularly if you’ve never had it before, you may be wondering, how long does heartburn last?

There is no given time frame for heartburn, unfortunately. Each episode may last for only a few minutes, but for others, it can cause major problems which can last for months or sometimes, years. In severe cases, episodes can last for several days, but in a lot of cases they can last just a few minutes. A more serious condition, such as gastro esophageal reflux diesease (GERD) can be diagnosed if heartburn occurs frequently.

How long does heartburn last; this depends on a number of factors. Your heartburn will have an underlying cause which will give you an indicator of how long the symptoms may last. If acid is creeping up into your esophagus from your stomach, this can be a sign that you have GERD. This means your symptoms may last longer due to the fact that the lower esophageal sphincter is not functioning properly.Added pressure on the stomach for e.g. through obesity or pregnancy will cause heartburn for a longer period.

If you have been eating spicy foods, then your heartburn is not likely to last as long as heartburn which is caused by other conditions. Heartburn that has been caused by food is usually gone within the space of several hours although some minor pain may linger for a day or so. Once the offending foods have been given the opportuntiy to digest, the heartburn should go away.

While individual episodes of heartburn may come and go, those who suffer from frequent bouts of heartburn will continue to experience attacks until the cause is identified and treated. Some people are extra sensitive to certain types of foods and can eliminate heartburn simply by identifying their triggers and eliminating them from the diet.

The contribution of certain foods can bring on an heartburn episode. Foods such as chocolate, hot, saucy or spicy foods can be common culprits. You can begin eliminating foods one by one if you have kept a record of what you have eaten prior to each heartburn attack. You need to keep an eye on everything you eat prior to a heartburn attack as certain medications and certain drinks and foods i.e. alcholol and caffeine can trigger an attack.
Heartburn that lasts longer than several days or does not respond to antacids should be evaluated by a medical professional. In some cases, more serious conditions, including heart attack, can be disregarded as heartburn. You should learn to differentiate between the symptoms for heartburn and the symptoms for angina, especially if you are at risk of heart conditions. This way, you can seek medical attention when it is required.

Heartburn - how long does it last? Is a frequent question by many sufferers?” Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. Different remedies will work differently on each individual as we all respond differently. This is also the case for the time length of the episode as we all act differently. Fortunately, there are natural remedies and solutions that can help reduce the number of heartburn episodes you experience and the severity of those that occur.