Heartburn is the most searched for health condition on the NHS website during the festive season. New figures from the National Health Service covering the last two years showed that an estimated 13,200 visits are made to the heartburn and acid reflux webpages on Christmas and Boxing days. This is equivalent to 13 seconds.
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Festive concerns
The data from the NHS indicates that apart from Covid-19, heartburn and acid reflux were of topmost concern to people who visit the website on December 25 and 26. During this 48-hour period, other people also tend to visit NHS webpages that offer advice on diarrhoea and vomiting (11,600 visits) and stomach ache (11,000 visits). Others also visit pages on the NHS website during this period.
The NHS website is the biggest health website in the UK with an estimated 27 million visits each week. Robert Cleary is the NHS Digital’s content director, and he said:
The NHS website is available every day of the year for anyone who needs it, including during the festive season. The site provides information and advice on a wide range of conditions, from heartburn to mental health, in easy-to-understand language.
The site also offers relevant information on how to stay well in winter which covers getting vaccinations, keeping warm and looking in on vulnerable neighbours and relatives.
Heartburns and acid reflux
According to the NHS, Heartburn is a burning feeling in the chest caused by stomach acid travelling up towards the throat (acid reflux) with the main symptoms being heartburn and an unpleasant sour taste in your mouth caused by stomach acid. Symptoms are often worse after eating, when lying down and when bending over. It could be caused or made worse by:
- certain food and drink – such as coffee, tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods
- being overweight
- smoking
- pregnancy
- stress and anxiety
- an increase in some types
The NHS advises on its website:
Speak to a pharmacist for advice if you keep getting heartburn. They may recommend medicines called antacids or alginates that can help ease your symptoms.
Sources used:
NHS Digital: NHS website’s heartburn advice viewed once every 13 seconds at Christmas
NHS: Heartburn and Acid Reflux
