1. What does your heartburn feel like?
Symptoms vary widely, and describing yours accurately can help your doctor choose an effective treatment.

2. How frequent are your episodes?
Know the differences between episodic, frequent and severe heartburn.

3. Have there been any changes in your diet? And can you identify any of your food triggers?
Check out our Anti-Heartburn Diet and learn about the most common causes of heartburn.

4. Do you smoke?
Learn about the link between smoking and heartburn.

5. What have you taken for your heartburn, and did it work?
Can’t remember which medications you’ve tried? Check out our guide to heartburn treatment.

6. Do you take medicine for any other kind of condition?
Some medications can cause heartburn (high blood pressure drugs are one type). And whether or not your current medications are triggers, your doctor needs to know about them before prescribing treatment for your heartburn.

7. Have you had any signs of bleeding from your digestive system?

8. Have you had any difficulty swallowing when you eat or drink?

9. Have there been any changes in your daily schedule?
For example, when you eat and when you go to bed.

10. Want to be an A+ patient?
Download our Reflux Record and use the week-by-week chart to track many of the factors above. This will help your doctor analyze your condition more efficiently—and may help you find relief faster!

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis or recommended treatments. For severe heartburn or heartburn that persists after trying over-the-counter treatment or lifestyle modifications, visit your doctor to determine the right treatment for you. See the Terms and Conditions for more information.