Heartburn – HeartburnSite.com

Symptoms of Heartburn – What Are the Signs of Heartburn?

Heartburn is a painful burning sensation in your chest, which can move upward your throat and neck. This is a common symptom of a variety of medical conditions, including GERD, acid reflux and pregnancy. Heartburn typically comes on quickly and easily, with no warning at all. People experience heartburn throughout their lives, but for some people heartburn attacks can come suddenly and severely. Heartburn typically occurs after a meal or at bedtime. Sometimes heartburn occurs when you are lying down, too, but this isn’t normal.

There are a number of different possible causes of heartburn, and it’s important to identify the cause if you have persistent heartburn, severe heartburn or if you are experiencing frequent heartburn attacks. You might not always have a precise diagnosis, and it could take a visit to your doctor to get a thorough diagnosis. In some cases, heartburn is a temporary condition that is the result of food not passing through the esophagus properly, but it can also be caused by the LES (lower esophageal sphincter).

Heartburn symptoms often include a burning feeling in the chest that begins to rise to the level of your shoulders. This can be accompanied by difficulty swallowing. You might have a sour taste in your throat or trouble talking. Heartburn typically disappears as the stomach acid and food move out of your body, providing you with a soothing feeling. However, if your heartburn is persistent, more severe symptoms may appear such as hoarseness, trouble breathing and pain in the chest area.

When you start experiencing heartburn, you should call your doctor immediately. You will typically be given an over-the-counter (OTC) antacid to help relieve the burning. Sometimes, prescription medications are needed. If you want to avoid having to take medicine, there are several natural remedies you can try. These remedies have been used for heartburn and GERD since the early 1900s.

Heartburn typically feels like a burning pain behind the breastbone, behind the sternum or upper right side of your abdomen. There is usually a sour taste in the throat. Other symptoms may include a sore throat, hoarseness, earaches and pressure. A person with GERD might have trouble swallowing, coughing and wheezing. There are some people who experience heartburn only when they have food or liquid in the mouth, but most people experience it with no food or liquid in their mouth at all.

Although heartburn does not happen too often, there are some ways to avoid it or lessen its severity. For instance, if you experience heartburn frequently, you should consider making changes to your diet. Some foods that cause heartburn are greasy, spicy, citrus, tomatoes and chocolate. Therefore, if you do experience these symptoms, you should eat less of these foods and add more vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains to your daily menu.

Possible Causes Of Heartburn

By Mikael G.J.

Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest, which is caused by stomach acid traveling back up the esophagus and into the throat. This can happen several times throughout the day and can be an unpleasant experience if it occurs more than a couple of times per day. Heartburn is not a disease, but is simply the body’s way of coping with the chemicals that are present when you digest food. If it happens too often, then the stomach acids will damage the sensitive lining of the esophagus, known as the esophageal sphincter.

Finding out what causes heartburn is simple; you just have to know the foods which set off heartburn for most people. There are several over-the-counter medications that can be used to reduce the amount of stomach acid produced, such as Prilosec, Pepcid, and Tagamet. There are also natural remedies available which combine ingredients from your home and local garden to create an antacid, such as baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

However, if the burning sensation occurs too frequently, then your stomach acids are escaping the esophagus and causing a chronic case of heartburn. You could experience heartburn between meals or after you eat a large quantity of foods, such as when you are eating out at a restaurant. Sometimes, heartburn is a side effect of certain medications, such as aspirin, certain antibiotics and antihistamines. In addition, if you are suffering from acid reflux disease, you could also experience heartburn periodically, even if you do not have this condition. Generally, people suffer from heartburn in varying frequencies, some experiencing the discomfort only once in a while and others constantly.

If you have heartburn, then the burning sensation that occurs is actually the reflux of gastric acid from the stomach into the esophagus. The esophageal sphincter – located at the junction between the stomach and the esophagus – helps maintain the stomach content in its place. When the esophageal sphincter is weakened by frequent acid reflux, it allows stomach contents to leak back into the esophagus, thus causing the discomfort. A weak or damaged sphincter can weaken over time and cause the problem to become chronic. Other factors that contribute to the weakening of the sphincter could include physiological problems, such as the buildup of fluid under the skin of the esophagus and the buildup of mucous in the throat, or poor diet and bad habits.

There are a number of possible causes of heartburn, but the common denominator of all of them is the weakening or malfunctioning of the gastroesophageal sphincter. Because it is possible to weaken or damage this important valve with frequent or chronic heartburn, it is necessary to know what causes heartburn so that appropriate treatment can be administered. If you’re unsure whether or not your GERD has a connection to one of the possible causes of heartburn mentioned above, it’s best to visit your doctor.

Another possible cause of heartburn that is more likely than others to cause symptoms is nighttime eating. You may have had experience heartburn several times a week while on an overnight vacation, but if you were to return the next day, you might experience heartburn again. Because it takes longer for stomach acids to travel to the esophagus, eating late at night can increase the amount of acid produced. This in turn can lead to esophagitis – a painful, swollen condition that can lead to permanent damage to the esophagus. To avoid experiencing heartburn during your next trip away from home, plan a little extra time to take a nap if you feel the need to eat before bedtime – or better yet, prepare some overnight snacks to bring with you if you can’t stomach the wait.

Acid Reflux and Heartburn – What’s the Difference?

By Mikael G.J.

People suffering from acid reflux consume acid reflux medication in order to control the condition. This type of medication can be taken in two ways. First, it can be taken as oral medications, by drinking the medicine as pills or dissolvable tablets. Second, acid reflux medication can also be applied to the skin, for topical use. Topical acid reflux medication usually comes in the form of creams, ointments, and gels. Both types of acid reflux medications have similar effects in that they counteract the harmful effects of acid reflux has on the esophagus, stomach, and pancreas.

Some common medications used for acid reflux are Pepcid, Protonix, Prilosec, and Maxolon. Pepcid, Protonix, and Prilosec contain the alpha antagonism enzyme. This enzyme occurs naturally in the stomach and the intestines and it results in acid reflux by weakening the muscle that separates the stomach contents from the acid content of the esophagus. Maxolon and Protonix contain the beta2 antagonism enzyme, which results in less acid reflux. Another acid reflux medication, Digoxin, decreases the acidity of the esophagus, which helps reduce the symptoms of heartburn. However, some patients may experience adverse side effects from these medications.

How does one person treat acid reflux? There is no single drug that can cure acid reflux syndrome. The acid reflux condition varies from one patient to another; thus, the acid reflux medications that work best for one patient may not necessarily work for another. It is important to note that the effectiveness of acid reflux drugs differs from one person to another.

Is there a way to determine if acid reflux has caused my heartburn or if I’m just experiencing acid reflux symptoms? The only way to tell for sure is with the help of endoscopy. Endoscopy is a procedure wherein a doctor inserts a light into your esophagus to get a closer look at your stomach. If the endoscope detects the presence of gastric acid in your stomach, then it means that you have experienced heartburn. In this situation, the doctor will recommend you to undergo some lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking, and reducing your alcohol intake. These factors are considered preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.

There are people who experience acid reflux on a more frequent basis and they choose to undergo proton pump inhibitors or PCOS for short. Although acid reflux and heartburn are synonymous, it is still best to consult your doctor before taking any form of medication. In women, acid reflux and heartburn usually occur during pregnancy. This is because the placenta is developing and thickening due to the amniotic fluid that surrounds the developing fetus.

There are also conventional medications for acid reflux disease. Although these medications are effective in relieving symptoms, there is no cure. However, these medications can provide relief from the discomfort that accompanies acid reflux by giving the patient a more comfortable and relaxed state. If you experience acid reflux and heartburn, you can always consult your doctor and ask for medications and treatments.

Common Heartburn Symptoms Everyone Gets

By Mikael G.J.

Many people throughout the world suffer from heartburn. Not only is it annoying, but it can also cause a number of medical issues. To get a diagnosis and stop heartburn from affecting you, you ought to know the symptoms. Here are some of the most common heartburn symptoms.

A burning feeling in the chest is perhaps the most common symptom of heartburn. This is caused from the stomach acid rising from the stomach into your esophagus. It commonly occurs after consuming a meal and can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

You may feel burning in your throat if you have heartburn. The burning sensation is caused by irritation from the acid rising through the esophagus into the throat. Swallowing may cause the pain to become more intense.

If you have heartburn, you may experience a bitter taste in your mouth. When the acid comes up through the esophagus and reaches the throat, this is when the taste occurs. The taste is often describes as being sour and bitter.

Troubles with swallowing are common for those who have heartburn. This is because food does not properly pass through the esophagus into the stomach. You may feel as though something is stuck in your throat or that you are shocking.

You should, however, see a doctor if you experience this symptom often, as it could be a sign of something worse than heartburn.

Coughing could be an issue if you have heartburn. Many assume they have or are developing a cold when the cough. However, it could be backed up acid trying to get out of the throat. Studies have shown that 41% of cases of chronic cough in people who do not smoke are because of heartburn and GERD.

Symptoms similar to asthma such as difficulty breathing and wheezing can happen if you have heartburn. When excess acid gets into esophagus and finds it way into the lungs, it can make it hard to breathe.

You may feel as though your throat is closing and you try to gasp for air. Since this is a very serious symptom, your doctor may prescribe you a breathing medication.

Symptoms of heartburn are quite tough to identify in children and infants. These symptoms may vary from the typical adult symptoms. In children, it usually exhibits itself with repeated vomiting, coughing, effortless spitting up, as well as other respiratory problems.

Inconsolable crying, refusing food, failure to increase or gain adequate weight, and bad breath are also some of the common symptoms that appear in children. No single symptom is universal to all children that suffer from heartburn.

Babies have immature digestive tract and this is normally the cause, but most infants will stop having acid reflux before they reach their first birthday. However, some will not outgrow acid reflux and will continue to experience it even in their teenage years.

You have just been provided with the most common symptoms of heartburn. Though many do not believe it, heartburn can cause other health problems. If you have these symptoms and think you may have heartburn, see your doctor.

Treatments for Heartburn During Pregnancy

By Mikael G.J.

One of the most joyous occasions in life is the expectation of having a new child. For the pregnant woman, there are a large number of changes that occur in her body. The new life causes hormonal and other alterations that can sometimes be difficult to cope with.

One of the most troublesome of these is heartburn. Even women who have never experienced it before may find that pregnancy causes incredible heartburn. While there are ways to treat it, the options for a pregnant woman are limited.

Every person has a lower esophageal sphincter, which is a valve between the esophagus and the stomach. It is located just below the rib cage and slightly off center. It opens each time a person swallows their food and whenever an individual needs to belch.

When functioning normally, it provides a barrier between the stomach and the upper portion of the digestive system. There are, however, a number of things that can interfere with proper functioning. One of the temporary causes of this is pregnancy. For a woman experiencing heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, it can be alarming.

There are certain things that a woman can do to minimize her heartburn during pregnancy. For one, it is a good idea to monitor diet.

Some foods are triggers for heartburn. Meals that contain a great deal of fat are more likely to trigger symptoms than those comprised of healthier foods. HOWEVER, there are foods that will actually stop heartburn pain.

Here is a Great Recipe that worked for me that I hope you really like… —> Heartburn Relief Recipe #1

Though the term heartburn sounds like it relates to the heart, it really just refers to stomach acid pushing past the lower esophageal sphincter or LES causing a burning sensation in the throat.

The symptoms can be similar to heart issues, which is the reason for the name. Anyone experiencing heartburn should confirm with a doctor that this is the cause of their discomfort and not a more serious heart related issue.

There are several reasons that the LES may not be functioning properly. If it does not close completely, small amounts of stomach acid leech into the esophagus.

While over indulgence and certain foods can trigger this, pregnancy is one of the causes that can not be controlled. The reason that pregnant women suffer from heartburn is that the fetus puts pressure on the entire abdominal area. The pressure on the stomach can push food and digestive acids upward.

There are still many healthy selections that can relax the LES and increase the risk of heartburn. This includes citrus fruits, tomatoes, and chocolate. While all of these are fine in moderate consumption, a pregnant woman suffering from heartburn may want to find alternatives that are not triggers.

There are other causes that should be avoided by pregnant women anyway. This includes alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking.

If you are pregnant and dependent upon either of these substances, you need to discuss it with your physician. They will be able to assist you with getting rid of the habit while protecting your unborn child. Your overall level of health will be improved, including your heartburn.

If you are experiencing heartburn, you want to make certain that anything you take for it is safe for your unborn child. Many medications that are available are not.

Therefore, you need to find natural remedies that will help you. One of them is fresh ginger. You can purchase it at virtually any produce department. Simply cut a small piece off and eat it. If you like, you can grate it and put on your meal. It will decrease the severity of your symptoms.

There are so many joys associated with pregnancy. However, heartburn is not one of them. You need to find ways to minimize the effects it has on you while pregnant.

Paying attention to the foods you consume will prove beneficial. If you find that certain meals trigger it more, eliminate them from your diet.

Pregnancy lasts for a short period of time. Do everything that you can to take care of yourself and your unborn child. Remember that no matter how bad your symptoms, the heartburn will eventually pass.