can you have frequent heartburn without actually having gerd?
Friday, November 20th, 2009 at
2:38 am
I HAVE FREQUENT HEARTBURN AT LEAST TWICE A DAY BUT NO ACID REFLUX. i NORMALLY DONT EAT SPICY FOODS SO IM NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT IT COULD BE. IVE TRIED ZANTAC, ROLAIDS, TARGAMENT(I THINK THATS WHAT ITS CALLED). ANY CLUE WHAT I MAY BE GONG THROUGH?????(NOTICE HOW THE LAST SENTENCE RHYMES?LOL)
Filed under: Heartburn Questions
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
BK,
The only way to be 100% certain you don’t have reflux is via EGD (a scope passed through your esophagus and stomach and duodenum).
The second way is a 24 hour pH probe (a wire inserted through your nose into the esophagus that measures ph – so when acid is "refluxed" from the (very) acidic stomach into the esophagus – it is detected by the probe.
Likely, if you "feel" heartburn – you do have reflux.
In general – food does NOT cause this.
In fact, countries with the spiciest foods (like Latin America) have the lowest rates of heartburn and ulcers.
As the poster above me mentioned – use Prilosec OTC (although I would suggest at least 1 month to assure healing of any erosions which might be there).
You didn’t mention age or risk factors for heart disease…
But a HUGE number of people who are experiencing angina (a potential precursor to a heart attack) think it is just "heartburn."
If you aren’t better in 1 -2 weeks on Prilosec – see your doctor asap!!
You say you have frequent heartburn, but do not have acid reflux. How do you know? have you had an endoscopy? Anyway, take Prilosec OTC daily for 14 days, and see if that helps, if not see your doctor. Uncontrolled heartburn can lead to barretts esophagus, a precancerous condition. Good Luck!!
BK, several other possible causes come to mind, but the one that probably should be of most concern is angina. Angina is pain caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. It often presents as "heartburn." I don’t know how old you are or what your family history is, and I don’t know what you’re normally doing when these symptoms occur, but that is what leaps to the front of the possibilities that you should probably attend to. Good luck.