What does heartburn feel like?

What does heartburn feel like?

• I'm not sure if I've having a major case of heartburn or something else. It started yesterday night and I was sleeping and suddenly my heart felt like there was something stabbing it from inside. My heart would race suddenly and stop and race suddenly again and stop. I've been feeling like this all day today but mostly after a meal...like few hours later. So, just wondering if this was something serious or heartburn.

• Answer:

  That sounds kind of bad! :( You should visit a doctor if you're having any sort of chest pains like that. Heartburn doesn't really hurt your heart -- what is actually is is too much acid in your stomach splashes up into your esophagus. So it's more like... esophagus burn. It just feels like a burn coming up and down your throat (or sometimes just burning in the upper chest).