The pressure and burning pain of heartburn can occur frequently and generally become worse after eating, while lying down at night, or when bending over. Almost everyone has occasional symptoms of heartburn. In fact, more than 60 million Americans have heartburn at least once a month, and some studies have suggested that over 15 million Americans have heartburn each day. During the day, frequent heartburn after meals is common for erosive GERD sufferers. When you eat, special cells in your stomach start producing more acid to help digest food.
Nighttime heartburn is also very common.
Heartburn occurs more frequently at night because the acid stays in your esophagus longer when you are lying down than when you are standing. In an upright position, the force of gravity helps to push the acid back into your stomach. When acid stays in your esophagus for a long period of time, such as during sleep or while lying down, more damage can occur. Aciphex is generally well-tolerated, but is not for everybody. For more information about the safety profile of Aciphex and possible side effects, talk to your doctor, healthcare provider or pharmacist, or refer to the full product information .