Heartburn Causes:
Heartburn is commonly caused by:

• There are many types of foods and drinks which are known to loosen the lower esophageal sphincter. They include fatty foods, peppermint, chocolate, beverages that have caffeine like coffee, tea, soft drinks, and alcohol.

• Often heartburn is found to be dependant on the body's position. If you are lying down and bending down, stomach acid easily flows back into the esophagus.

• Anything that forces stomach acid backward into the esophagus and boosts the pressure on the stomach such as lifting, straining, coughing, tight clothing, obesity, and pregnancy.

• Medical conditions like hiatal hernia, diabetes, and many autoimmune diseases such as CREST syndrome, Raynaud phenomenon, and scleroderma.

Heartburn Symptoms:
They are:

• You may experience sour or bitter taste if small amounts of food or stomach acid reach beyond the esophagus and up into the mouth. This is called regurgitation and it is common after meals, particularly if you are lying down, bending over, or straining.

• Stomach acid, when affect the respiratory tract, causes asthma, hoarseness, chronic cough, sore throat, or tooth damage (acid removes the enamel on teeth). You may feel like you a lump is there in your throat.
• If the acid exposure continues for long periods of time, the esophagus becomes damaged if the acid exposure carries on for long periods of time. You may then experience difficulty in swallowing. In more severe cases, you may lose some pounds and become dehydrated. On the odd occasion, bleeding may occur from the esophagus or it may completely tear because it is so damaged. In harsh cases, you may have small amounts of blood in your bowel movements or vomit blood.  All these are not common though.