Frequent Heartburn Assessment:
Are You a Frequent Heartburn Sufferer?
More than 50 million adult Americans suffer from frequent heartburn. But not all heartburn is equal and not all Americans suffer to the same degree. A frequent heartburn sufferer is one who feels the pain or distress of heartburn - a burning sensation in the mid-chest and/or throat two or more days per week - or one who takes medication for heartburn, two or more days per week.
The National Heartburn Alliance (NHBA) is offering more specific guidance to help you determine whether you fall into the category of a frequent sufferer. A past NHBA survey* of frequent heartburn sufferers revealed that heartburn interferes daily with their lives, affecting their ability to:
- enjoy food
- get a good night's sleep
- concentrate at work
- enjoy family and other social activities
Within these categories, frequent sufferers cite specific foods and beverages, lying down too soon after a meal, physical activity and stress as triggers for their heartburn. Many have found ways to avoid heartburn incidents. Some common measures taken to offset the discomfort of heartburn are listed below. You may engage in some of these behaviors, while not realizing that you, too, are a frequent heartburn sufferer. Read the following list and identify behaviors that have become a part of your daily routine in order to avoid heartburn pain.
Compensatory behaviors
- I avoid eating certain foods for fear of resulting heartburn (such as chocolate, fatty or greasy foods, citrus fruits, spicy foods and tomato-based foods).
- I avoid certain beverages for fear of resulting heartburn (such as coffee, tea and caffeinated soft drinks).
- I drink carbonated beverages after a meal to help myself belch or burp to feel relief.
- I always carry antacids or acid blockers (H2s) in my purse or pocket.
- I avoid wearing close-fitting clothes and/or belts.
- I avoid physical activity that may induce heartburn.
- I take a combination of heartburn medications to relieve heartburn.
- I take heartburn medication, but my heartburn comes back later in the day.
- I take heartburn medication during the day but need to take additional medication at night so that heartburn won't interfere with my sleep.
- I sleep with the head of the bed elevated and/or use multiple pillows or a wedge.
- I avoid going to sleep for fear of being awakened by heartburn.
- I avoid consuming alcohol or have decreased my intake because I associate it with heartburn.
- I avoid exercising or lying down 2 to 3 hours after a meal.
- I avoid certain kinds of physical activity and exercise that trigger heartburn or make my heartburn more severe.
- I take medication before exercising but experience heartburn just the same.
If you engage in three or more of the behaviors listed above, you may be a frequent heartburn sufferer. Because of all the things you do to compensate for frequent heartburn, you may not always feel the pain, but the potential for heartburn remains. The NHBA offers strategies to help you manage heartburn more effectively (click here for Self Care Tips).
To properly manage frequent heartburn, sufferers may want to follow a daily routine that includes attention to diet, exercise and medication. Studies have shown that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective medication for frequent heartburn. The FDA recently approved the proton pump inhibitor Prilosec (omeprazole), as an OTC medication for the treatment of frequent heartburn. With appropriate lifestyle adjustments and the right medication at the right time, even frequent sufferers can effectively manage their heartburn symptoms.
- NHBA survey of frequent heartburn sufferers conducted by Sigma Marketing Group, January 2000.
