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. It irritates that esophagus and causes a burning sensation that starts on the diaphragm and make its way up just behind the breastbone. There are several ways on how you can manage heartburn. For starters, you have to make a few lifestyles and diet changes. This will include eating frequent smaller meals instead of just three large meals a day. This will help in decreasing the production of stomach acids. Eating slowly can also help manage heartburn. This will cause burning chest pain and it can also damage the esophagus, which can lead to bleeding and scarring. It will also make it harder for you to swallow and if GERD is left untreated, it can lead to more serious medical problems, such as cancer of the esophagus and even stomach cancer. People with this disease will suffer many sleepless nights because of the pain. If left untreated, chronic heartburn can result in more severe complications. This is why you have to know how to manage heartburn in order for you to prevent it from developing more severe complications, which can really have a negative effect on your body. So, how do you manage heartburn? For starters, you need to know what causes heartburn in order for you to have an idea on how to manage it. This way, you will avoid putting pressure on the stomach, which will help in avoiding stomach acid from flowing back in to your esophagus. The fifth is to drink plenty of water instead of drinking carbonated drinks. Carbonated drinks increase the amount of gas in the body, which will eventually put pressure on the stomach. It is a clear indication that you are suffering from a more serious medical condition, such as GERD. There are factors that can contribute to chronic heartburn. For example, it can be because of gender. Women tend to be more prone to chronic heartburn than men. Some speculate that a woman s lower esophageal sphincter malfunctions more frequently than men, which means that gastric juices or stomach acid flows back in to the esophagus.