“We’re in the Heartburn Heartbelt,” says Nicholas Nickl, M.D., a gastroenterologist, a specialist who treats digestive problems, at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center.  “About one in eight Kentuckians suffers severe bouts of heartburn at least twice a week. Two-thirds of Kentuckians take an antacid at least twice a month.”

Heartburn, which often is called acid indigestion, typically feels like burning or pain in the chest, usually felt behind the breastbone. It may last as long as two to three hours and usually occurs, or is worse, after eating.

The burning feeling is caused by acid that escapes from your stomach through a weakened one-way valve near the top of your stomach. The acid can travel up as far as your throat. This acid backup occurs when the muscles operating the valve between the stomach and the esophagus are weak, allowing acid from the stomach to surge upward, or reflux, into the esophagus and cause painful heartburn and indigestion.

The pain can mimic a heart attack. About half of emergency room visits for heart problems actually are due to heartburn, Nickl says.

“We tend to eat more during the holidays, making our waistlines expand—which aggravates heartburn,” says Nickl, an associate professor of medicine in the UK College of Medicine.  “It’s a good idea that if you are going to eat a big meal, you shouldn’t lie down until at least four hours after eating.”

A lot of what we consume during the holidays—foods high in fat, chocolate, alcohol, mints, and caffeine—are the main heartburn-causing culprits. Over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs can help. More than $5 billion in heartburn-controlling drugs are sold each year in the United States, Nickl says.

But experts recommend that anyone who suffers heartburn twice a week or more should have a doctor check it out.

“Especially if antacids aren’t working, you should get it checked out. Most people don’t have complications, but there is that possibility,” Nickl says.

If heartburn goes untreated for a long period of time, it can cause narrowing and scarring of the esophagus, and is even linked to some cancers, Nickl says.

Nickl offers other tips for heartburn sufferers:

• Avoid wearing clothing that fits tightly around the stomach.
  

• Elevate the head of your bed to keep your esophagus higher than your stomach.
  

• Eat more frequent, smaller meals.
  

• Avoid carbonated beverages.

“For most heartburn sufferers, simple steps, such as avoiding foods or beverages that aggravate the problem, can help alleviate the discomfort,” Nickl says. “Of course, that’s harder to do during the holidays, so if you suffer from heartburn, it’s a good idea to keep some medication on hand.”