In addition to heartburn, you may have experienced a bad taste in your throat or belching at one time or another.
Regurgitation (yuck!)
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You know the taste—that sour, bitter liquid in the back of your throat. The proper
term for this is regurgitation. It often causes a burning sensation because the
liquid that backs up into your throat actually consists of stomach acid.
If your stomach acid is not staying where it belongs—in your stomach—and
is giving you a bad taste in your throat, it’s because the valve at the end of your
esophagus (the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) is not closing properly at the
right time.
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Belching (excuse you!)
Also known as burping, belching simply means that your body is bringing up air from
the stomach.
Every time you swallow and bring in air, the air builds up in the upper stomach.
This causes your stomach to stretch, which triggers the LES to relax. When that
happens, air escapes up your esophagus and out of your mouth. And we know too well
what kind of sound that makes.
Next: When to See Your
Doctor