15/08/2021

Understanding Heartburn
Heartburn Causes and Triggers
Facts on Acid Reflux and Anxiety

Anxiety can make you feel terrible, but can it contribute to acid reflux? Learn about the connection between the two and get some tips on managing your stress and heartburn.
Facing stress and anxiety is hard. From stressful world news to current events, a number of factors can put you on edge and make you feel unlike yourself. If you’ve experienced stress or anxiety, you know that the effects are both physical and emotional. They can affect the whole digestive system, in fact. Today, we’re here to discuss acid reflux and anxiety.
Before we dive in, let’s talk about the difference between stress and anxiety. While the two share similar symptoms—like uneasiness, headaches, loss of sleep and, yes, heartburn—they differ in other aspects.1 Stress is characterized as a response to a given situation, while anxiety is a person’s specific reaction to that stress.1 While stress is temporary, anxiety may be prolonged. The line between the two is certainly a little blurry, but it’s important to understand the difference.
Is there a link between acid reflux and anxiety or stress? Explore the information below, and find answers with Nexium 24 HR.
What Is Acid Reflux?
You may be familiar with acid reflux, but if you’ve never heard of it before, you might know it by another name: heartburn. Although acid reflux and heartburn are often used synonymously, heartburn is actually a symptom of acid reflux. Acid reflux happens when stomach acid flows back up into your esophagus. It occurs when the valve that keeps stomach acid from flowing up into your esophagus stops working correctly.2 This occurrence can cause discomfort, such as a burning sensation in your chest or neck, hence its common nickname “heartburn.”
Experiencing acid reflux can happen after eating acidic foods or lying down too quickly after a big meal. Overeating and eating fried, fatty foods are common heartburn triggers, a
