By knowing about the common causes of heartburn, you will be able to have an idea on how you can prevent it from happening to you or at least reduce its occurrence. First of all, you need to know that heartburn, despite its name, is in no way related to any heart condition. Heartburn is primarily a digestive condition where stomach acid comes in contact with the esophagus. Over the counter antacids are the oldest and also one of the most effective treatments for heartburn. Hundreds of years ago, people chewed on chalk to ease heartburn. This is because chalk contains calcium carbonate, which is a very effective acid neutralizer. Antacid tablets may be effective but they are slow to act. Although mild heartburn is more of a nuisance than a real condition, chronic or severe heartburn can be something much more serious. Chronic heartburn will not only prevent you from living a normal life, but it can also be very dangerous to your overall health. You need to remember that when acid reflux or heartburn occurs, your esophagus will get damaged. You also need to keep in mind that lifestyle changes are important in order to treat heartburn permanently. This will involve losing weight, avoiding foods that cause heartburn, avoiding cigarette smoking, drinking of alcohol, and it will also involve eating smaller meals instead of 3 large meals a day. First of all, you need to know that heartburn is in no way related to any heart related diseases. As a matter of fact, heartburn is a digestive condition where stomach acid comes in to contact with your esophagus. This will cause irritation where you will feel a burning sensation starting in your diaphragm up to your chest. Smoking also weakens or relaxes the LES as well as certain medications. Pressure on stomach and eating large meals shortly before bedtime can also cause heartburn. Stress will also cause heartburn as this increases acid production and slow down the emptying of the stomach. So, in order to manage heartburn, you may want to start by making some lifestyle changes.