Well, if you experience heartburn once a month, this is considered to be acute or mild. If you experience heartburn once a week, this is a moderate case of heartburn. But, when you experience heartburn in an everyday basis, this is what is considered as a chronic or severe case of heartburn. For people who experiences mild cases of heartburn, this can be easily be managed with a change in diet. In more serious cases, you may even lose weight and become frequently dehydrated. In rare cases, you may vomit blood or have small amounts of blood in your stool. However, these are uncommon but you still have to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms. These are basically the symptoms that you have to watch out for. After the diagnosis, you will get treatment for your heartburn as well as for the complications heartburn had on your body, especially on your esophagus. These are the things that you have to remember if you experience chronic heartburn. Always remember that if you are already experiencing heartburn at least 3 times every week for 2 weeks, this is the time that you should seek medical help. This method is where the doctor will insert a pressure sensor or a manometer through the mouth and in to the esophagus. This device will measure the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter. Another method is endoscopy. This method will allow the doctor to see the esophageal mucosa by passing a thin and lighted tube with a small camera through the mouth. You may also develop Barrett s esophagus, where you will be at risk of getting esophageal cancer. This is mainly the reason why you may want to prevent heartburn especially during nighttime when you are going to bed. People are more prone to experience heartburn during the night when they lie down. This is because when we lie down, it s easier for the acid to reach our esophagus because gravity will no longer be of any help when we are lying down. Heartburn: Foods to Eat and Avoid For Treating Heartburn Heartburn is an age old condition that millions of people experiences. Also known as acid reflux and pyrosis, heartburn is in no way related to the heart. As a matter of fact, heartburn is a digestive condition. Heartburn happens when we regurgitate stomach acid and when it reaches our esophagus.