What does heartburn feel like?

Heartburn is usually felt as a burning pain rising from the stomach to the esophagus. Other symptoms may include:

• A feeling that food is stuck behind your breastbone or feeling like there is a lump in your throat
• Chest pain
• Feeling sick after eating food.

Other not-so-common symptoms include:

• Bringing food back up (regurgitation)
• Coughing or wheezing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hiccups
• Hoarseness or a noticeable change in your voice or developing a sore throat.

Heartburn is a common symptom of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). This is a condition caused by a weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES is a ring of muscle fibers that prevents swallowed food from moving back up the esophagus and normally remains tightly closed... until we swallow. People with heartburn and GERD have a weakened LES that allows partly digested stomach contents to leak back up the esophagus - causing symptoms.