The NHS has warned that a common symptom, often experienced over the festive season, could be a sign of a deadly disease. According to the health body, heartburn can be a symptom of oesophageal cancer, which kills around 8,000 people in the UK every year.
Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat.
It can be caused by eating too much food, consuming too many rich foods, or drinking too much alcohol – all things that are easy to do over Christmas.
If this is the case, cutting back on what you eat and drink can help as well as over-the-counter medications like Gaviscon and Rennies.
However, if you find your heartburn persisting for weeks it could be time to speak to your GP.
The NHS recommends seeing your doctor if you have heartburn “most days” that lasts for three weeks or more as this could be linked to oesophageal cancer. As its name suggests, this disease starts in the oesophagus – the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.
As a result many of the symptoms affect your ability to eat. However, the NHS warns that they might be “hard to spot”.
Symptoms affecting your digestion include:
- Having problems swallowing (dysphagia)
- Feeling or being sick
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Symptoms of indigestion, such as burping a lot.
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Other symptoms include:
- A cough that is not getting better
- A hoarse voice
- Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
- Feeling tired or having no energy
- Pain in your throat or the middle of your chest, especially when swallowing
- Black poo or coughing up blood (although these are uncommon).
However, these symptoms don’t necessarily point to cancer as they can have many causes. The NHS explains: “If you have another condition, such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, you may get symptoms like these regularly.
“You might find you get used to them. But it’s important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.”
The NHS says you should see your GP if:
- You have problems swallowing
- You’ve lost a noticeable amount of weight
- You have heartburn most days that lasts for three weeks or more
- You have symptoms of oesophageal cancer that get worse
- You have a condition that causes digestion symptoms and they’re not getting better with your usual treatments.
You should call 111 or book an urgent GP appointment if you’re being sick for more than two days, your poo is black or dark red, or you have symptoms of oesophageal cancer you’re worried about, but are not sure where to get help.
It’s not always clear what causes oesophageal cancer. Anyone can get it, but you might be more at risk if you:
- Are over the age of 75 (it’s not very common in people under 45)
- Are a man
- Have certain conditions, such as long-term, severe acid reflux (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease), or Barrett’s oesophagus.
Many oesophageal cancers are also linked to lifestyle. For example, you’re more likely to get it if you’re overweight, smoke or drink too much alcohol.