Many of us have suffered from causes of heartburn at one time or another. But do you know why you have it in the first place? There is not one specific cause; there are many contributing factors. The reason is the digestive juices from the stomach flow into the esophagus. This causes the burning sensation which occurs near the heart.

Everyone who has ever suffered from heartburn knows how uncomfortable this is and wants to do anything they can to avoid this problem. Learning a few simple things about the causes of heartburn can help you to ease this problem. Once you learn what to avoid you may find that you have less frequent heartburn or it may go away altogether.

Although there are many reasons for heartburn, there are a few that are considered more apt to be the culprit. Here is a list of the top eight causes of heartburn.

1) Caffeine drinks – Tea, coffee and soda which contain caffeine can cause the lower esophageal (LES) sphincter to relax. This in turn lets stomach juices into the esophagus.

2) Chocolate – Chocolate contains theobromine, which is also found in caffeine plants also relaxes the LES muscle. This permits the stomach juices to flow into the esophagus.

3) Fatty and fried foods – This type of food has a slow digestive rate. The food stays in the stomach longer than normal which increases pressure. The pressure allows the acid to head straight for the esophagus.

4) Tomatoes and tomato products – Products containing tomatoes as well as the tomatoes themselves can allow the LES to relax. These foods produce more stomach acid than normal.

5) Alcohol – This is another culprit when it comes to relaxing the LES and allowing stomach acids to flow into the esophagus.

6) Tobacco – The chemicals contained in tobacco allows the LES to weaken.

7) Eating too much – When you eat large quantities of food, this puts extreme pressure on the LES which allows digested food into the esophagus. This happens more often at night than during day. The large dinner you eat and go to bed on can cause the food that is digesting in the stomach to push against the LES.

Clothing that is too tight – If your pants are too tight they can cause heartburn. The constant pressure against the stomach will put pressure on the LES and will allow food to go into the esophagus.

The heartburn you are experiencing may be the result of acid reflux. If you have heartburn quite often and have tried all the solutions recommended, you may want to consult your doctor. The real culprit may be acid reflux. Knowing for sure what is bothering you will put you one step closer to solving the problem.

The symptoms are quite similar to the causes of heartburn, but acid reflux will sometimes cause difficulty when you swallow. Acid reflux is an ongoing problem with symptoms that are usually very severe. This is not the occasional heartburn you experience.