To better understand heartburn, it helps to understand the anatomy of the esophagus and stomach.

The esophagus is a muscular tube that propels food down to the stomach. It begins in the pharynx, just below the base of the tongue. The esophagus then passes through the chest, next to the spine. It then passes through the diaphragm, before connecting to the stomach.

The esophageal sphincter is a ring of muscle that opens during swallowing, and then closes, in order to prevent food from leaking back into the esophagus after it has entered the stomach.

Anatomy examples:

• Junction of esophagus and stomach
• Entire intestinal tract