First of all, heartburn occurs when partially digested food mixed with stomach acid or gastric juice escapes the stomach and comes in to contact with the esophagus. This causes pain and a burning sensation behind the breastbone in the chest, which is what we all know as heartburn. A lot of people experiences heartburn at some point in time but if you experience this problem frequently, such as 3 times a week, this means that you have chronic heartburn. However, this is not always true as there are quite a lot of people who have successfully treated heartburn without depending too much on medications. A lot of heartburn sufferers today are what you can call pill poppers because they are told by medical professionals that taking drugs is the only way to alleviate the symptoms associated by heartburn. But, for some people, this doesn t work. If you still suffer from heartburn symptoms despite making lifestyle changes and using antacids, it may be a sign that you are suffering from a more serious condition where heartburn is only a symptom. If this is so, then your health care provider or doctor may prescribe you some of these drugs. This way, you will be able to track down food that causes you to experience heartburn. Cut down on foods that triggers heartburn and you will be able to prevent heartburn from taking control of your life. You really don t have to give up eating your favorite food. But, you do have to limit it. Also, increasing fiber intake will help bind stomach acids together, which will help in preventing heartburn. Heartburn: What Is It and Why Should You Be Concerned Whenever you drink beer, you feel something burning inside your chest located just behind your breastbone. It s painful and it rises into the chest and radiates to your neck, throat, and angle of the jaw. You feel like vomiting but nothing comes out but just a bitter taste in your mouth. It can cause scarring of the esophagus, which can make it difficult for you to swallow food and even liquids. Leaving it untreated can also lead to a condition called Barrett s esophagus. This condition is where cells similar to the lining of the stomach start to develop in the lower esophagus. This condition can increase your risk of developing cancer of the esophagus, which is very hard to detect and very hard to treat.