Also, avoid caffeinated and carbonated beverages as these drinks are known to increase acid production and relax the LES or lower esophageal sphincter. If you experience heartburn while sleeping, try to elevate your head using extra pillows. This way, you will let gravity do its job by keeping stomach acid inside the stomach. Chronic heartburn is also a sign or symptom of a more serious condition called GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Frequent heartburn will prevent you from living normally. It will limit your daily activities and it can also lead to further complications, such as ulcers in your esophagus and Barrett s esophagus. Stress is another known cause of heartburn. It has been found that stress can increase the acid production in the stomach and slows down the emptying of the stomach, causing heartburn. These are the causes of heartburn. Mild cases of heartburn are more of a nuisance rather than a condition. But, if you have a severe case of heartburn, you may want to get it checked and treated by a doctor immediately. In fact, it can be so painful that you may not be able to do any of your activities. You have to know that there are several causes of heartburn. 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. This will cause irritation where you will feel a burning sensation starting in your diaphragm up to your chest. It is also often associated with a sour and bitter taste, which is primarily your stomach acid reaching your mouth. For decades, people have been relying on antacids in order to ease the pain that heartburn causes. In some cases, more than one of these drugs are prescribed in order to cure or treat a case of chronic heartburn. In rare cases, chronic heartburn may be accompanied by a condition called Hiatal hernia. This will require surgery in order to treat heartburn. You also need to keep in mind that lifestyle changes are important in order to treat heartburn permanently.