What Does Persistent Heartburn Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 17 Sep 2018

Question: I have had bad heartburn, I'm burping 15-20 times an hr and been throwing up about 1 every 2-3 hrs for the last 2 days. I don't have dierreia or stomach pain and I haven't had any fever.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:

Peptic ulcer? GERD? Gastroenteritis?

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Heartburn usually suggests regurgitation of the acidic contents of the stomach into the oesophagus or peptic ulcer. Throwing up is more in favour of an ulcer.

A gastroenteritis with vomiting may also cause both symptoms. Pancreatic inflammation is another potential cause.

Clinical examination may help in such cases.

Until you visit a doctor for assessment you can try a proton pump inhibitor and/or an antacid and a drug to reduce nausea like metoclopramide.

Metoclopramide is contraindicated in case of gastrointestinal bleeding so if your vomitus was red or resembling blood then it shouldn't be used.

So in conclusion, clinical examination and testing are necessary to clarify your situation. You'd better visit a doctor as soon as possible. Until then the aforementioned drugs may help.

Hope I have answered your query.

Take care

Dr Panagiotis Zografakis, Internal Medicine Specialist

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar