Does heartburn feel like a heart attack?

Ask the doctor

Where the esophagus enters the stomach, there is a circle of muscle that clamps down to prevent stomach acid from backing up, or refluxing, into the esophagus. It normally relaxes only when you swallow, to let food into your stomach. However, sometimes the muscle fails to tighten enough to prevent acid reflux. When acid hits the inner lining of the esophagus, it injures the lining and causes pain — heartburn. If this happens regularly, the problem is called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.