Heartburn and abdominal pain
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Heartburn and abdominal pain
Heartburn is a feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain that often starts in the upper abdomen just beneath the lower breastbone (sternum). It is caused by food and stomach juices backing up into the esophagus. If heartburn is your only problem, abdominal pain should not be your main symptom.
Abdominal pain may be a sign of a more serious problem, such as heart attack, heart disease, peptic ulcer disease, gallbladder disease, a tear of the esophagus, pancreatitis, or inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). While antacids, histamine receptor blockers (such as Tagamet or Zantac), or proton pump inhibitors (such as Prilosec) may relieve the discomfort of some of these conditions for a while, the pain will usually come back. Abdominal pain that returns needs to be checked by your doctor.
Credits
| Author | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Updated | September 30, 2005 |
| Last updated: | September 30, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Reviewed By: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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