Diseases & Conditions
Surprising symptoms of chronic heartburn
Your dentist, cardiologist, or another doctor might spot the signs of heartburn before you do.
- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter
With a name like heartburn, it's easy to assume that the condition always shows up as a fiery feeling in your chest or stomach. While that's certainly the classic symptom, chronic heartburn can also make its presence known in other ways, such as a tingling feeling in the nose, chest pressure, a bitter or metallic taste, a hoarse voice, tooth damage, or a dry cough.
What's the link between these symptoms and that spicy spaghetti you had for dinner? Stomach acid. It can leak up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Chronic leakage is a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and is responsible for symptoms that you might mistake for other conditions.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter
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