You have to know that there are several causes of heartburn. By knowing about the common causes of heartburn, you will be able to have an idea on how you can prevent it from happening to you or at least reduce its occurrence. First of all, you need to know that heartburn, despite its name, is in no way related to any heart condition. But, it is important that you should try and seek medical attention to treat the underlying causes of chronic heartburn. So, if you are already experiencing heartburn more than twice a week, you should immediately seek medical help. The doctor will diagnose what is causing you to experience heartburn and will give you the necessary treatment to lessen the frequency of heartburn and also treat the underlying causes. Chronic Heartburn: Causes and Effective Treatments Today, around 10 to 15 percent of the adult population has chronic heartburn. While mild heartburn can be treated easily through lifestyle modification and over the counter antacids, chronic heartburn is far more complicated to treat. This is because chronic heartburn may indicate that you may be suffering from other medical conditions that are far more serious, such as Barrett s esophagus, Hiatal hernia, esophagitis, or GERD. When these methods stop working and heartburn continues to bother you despite the fact that you are doing everything you can to manage it, this is the time when you have to seek medical help. You have to call your doctor immediately after you experience heartburn more than 3 times a week for over 2 weeks as this is a sign of a chronic case of heartburn. Now, you have to keep in mind that there are several ways on how you can prevent or at least lessen the frequency of heartburn. By following these tips, you can be sure that you will be able to take control of your life again. You have to remember that in order to prevent heartburn, you have to make some changes with your life. A lot of people suffer from heartburn and it usually happens right after a big meal. Some people experiences heartburn once a month, which is a mild case of heartburn and others experience it almost every day, which is a chronic case of heartburn. Mild heartburn is not that serious and you may even consider it more of a nuisance than an actual condition that should be taken seriously.