by KYW's Lynne Adkins
Just about everyone gets heartburn occasionally, but you should know when it's time for serious treament.
Many of us suffer heartburn after eating that fabulous Thanksgiving meal, but Dr. Joel Richter, chair of the department of Medicine at Temple Univeristy School of Medicine, says occasional heartburn is just annoying:
"True heartburn begins down right below the breastbone, it's a burning sensation. Sometimes it's associated with an acid taste in the back of the mouth, and it's generally brought on after meals or with exercise or if you lay down."
If it occurs often and interferes with your life, it could be GERD -- gastro-esophagael reflux disease.
He says a doctor can diagnose if it's good GERD, which doesn't damage the esophagus, or bad GERD, which can cause bleeding, scarring, and a precancerous condition.
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