Heartburn is a form of upper abdominal / chest pain. It is important that you take steps to ensure that any discomfort you are experiencing is in fact heartburn, and not another health condition. Medical assistance should be sought urgently if you experience severe chest pain, especially if accompanied by symptoms of shortness of breath, arm pain, dizziness, and/or cold sweats. These symptoms may indicate a more serious medical condition such as a heart attack. Occasional heartburn occurs in most people and does not require a visit to the doctor. However, heartburn that is frequent (more than twice a week) or persists despite the use of over-the-counter medications may indicate a more serious form of heartburn, Gastrooesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), for which you should visit your doctor.

Signs and symptoms
A burning pain in the chest, which usually occurs after eating and sometimes at night, is the most obvious symptom of heartburn. This may be accompanied by a sour taste in the back of the throat and/or a feeling of food being stuck in the throat. The symptoms are often worse when lying down or bending over.

Heartburn Remedies
Here are some of the home remedies for heartburn (and/or myths) that may or may not work for you. You may have even tried some (or all) of them!
-- Peppermint and spearmint have been known to really settle the stomach when taken orally like in a tea; however these and other mints can actually make the condition worse, so they are iffy as an effective home remedy for heartburn.
-- Using Melatonin (the sleep aid supplement) is rumored to help, but there are no studies backing up the claim.
-- You may have tried drinking milk, thinking the base in the milk will counteract the stomach acid. However, drinking milk or having anything with a lot of calcium before bed may actually make it worse.
-- Many people suggest chewing gum as an at home cure. This does work for some people, as it makes your mouth produce saliva which buffers the acid. It also makes you swallow more, pushing the acid down.
-- Using a bed wedge pillow may help if you have more problems at nighttime, as it makes gravity work in your favor.
-- Drinking aloe vera juice has been reported to work for some. The recommended dosage is 2 ounces per day, but beware, as it tastes nasty.