Spinal disc surgery and heartburn connected?

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am 20 years old female. I had spinal disc surgery nearly two months ago (June 9) and for the first week I had constipation and when it passed it turned exactly the opposite and on top of that, I cannot eat anything without heartburn. (I've never had heartburn before from anything else but really spicy food) So my question is, does it have something to do with the surgery?

Dear Nina: Your heartburn symptoms are not directly related to your recent spine surgery. If you were prescribed NSAIDs for pain control  following surgery, you could have suffered heartburn as a side effect of these medications. Examples of these drugs include Ketorolac, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Piroxicam and Indomethacin. These medications can cause inflammation of the stomach and small intestines which presents as heartburn. Treatment for NSAID- induced inflammation is cessation of use of the offending drug along with the use of medications such as Omeprazole (proton pump Inhibitors) to reduce stomach acid production and allow healing to take place.

If you have not taken any NSAIDs, another possibility is that you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or an ulcer. Both if these conditions need to be confirmed by the appropriate diagnostic test after an examination by a doctor. Treatment for both conditions is relatively simple, involving lifestyle modifications and medications.