The Saudi Health Council clarified cases in which heartburn is a pathological condition and calls for a visit to a doctor to find out its causes and how to treat it.
The council said that heartburn is satisfactory when exposed to reflux and normal heartburn for two or more days a week, and when exposed to severe heartburn for more than one day a week.
Heartburn is a symptom of various health conditions such as acid reflux, in which the patient feels a burning sensation in the middle of his chest behind the breastbone, and it may last from minutes to hours.
Among the factors that cause heartburn are spicy food, onions, acidic foods, tomatoes and tomato products such as ketchup, fatty or fried foods, mint, chocolate, alcohol, alcohol-containing drinks, and large meals.
There are also some factors that increase the incidence, namely, smoking, excess weight, stress, not getting enough sleep, and wearing tight clothes and belts.