This is what you will feel when you experience heartburn. In most cases, heartburn occurs a few hours after eating. The pain can last for many hours and this condition will make you feel as if food is stuck on your chest or your throat. If not treated, heartburn can result to a more serious condition, such as scarring of the esophagus and on rare cases, it can even cause cancer of the esophagus. But, if you experience heartburn on a regular basis, you may need to take this more seriously as repeated heartburn attacks will prevent your esophagus lining from recovering and cause serious damage to it. In extreme cases, it may lead to the scarring of the esophagus. You may also develop Barrett s esophagus, where you will be at risk of getting esophageal cancer. Heartburn is a condition that millions of people today are suffering from. It is also an age-old condition that people have been experiencing. You have to keep in mind that heartburn is a common condition that is treatable and even preventable. First of all, you have to remember that heartburn is in no way related to any heart condition. So, if you are already experiencing heartburn more than twice a week, you should immediately seek medical help. The doctor will diagnose what is causing you to experience heartburn and will give you the necessary treatment to lessen the frequency of heartburn and also treat the underlying causes. Your doctor may give you medications to stop the stomach from producing excessive acid and they may even suggest surgery to treat your heartburn problem as well as the condition causing it to happen. The pain is accompanied by a bitter or sour taste and you feel as if food is reentering your mouth. What you just experienced is a severe case of heartburn. Although the name suggests that it may be related to the heart, you have to remember that heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. This is in fact a digestive problem where the stomach acid comes in to contact with the lining of the esophagus, which causes irritation. Treating heartburn will depend on the underlying cause. Antacids may be given to treat GERD and gastritis and antibiotics may be given if H. pylori are present or diagnosed. Heartburn is a serious condition that you have to take seriously. Once you experience heartburn, you better get it diagnosed by your doctor to determine what s causing it and treat it properly.