Information for Heartburn Sufferers

Picture a greasy diner that serves the most ghastly array of comfort food possible. Picture yourself eating chili, hot dogs with onions, greasy cheese fries, or a triple decker hamburger slathered with mayonnaise, onions, and cheese. Now picture yourself with a burning pain in your chest. Do you need to call the ambulance? Are you having a heart attack? Are you taking your last breath? Is your life flashing before your eyes? At least you had a great last meal. Now wait a minute. The intense pain might just be heartburn. Do you know the difference? You should. It could save your life.

If you've ever suffered from heartburn, then you know how uncomfortable it can be. This condition occurs when the LES, or lower esophageal sphincter, does not close as it should. Because of this, the contents of the stomach come up into the esophagus. This is what causes the discomfort that you feel. There are a variety of symptoms you may experience.

There may be a burning sensation in the chest, which may spread upwards to the neck. Your chest may hurt when you lie down. In addition, you may experience hot, bitter acid coming up into the throat. Sometimes, these symptoms can be mistaken for a heart attack. If you do experience unexplained chest pain, it's prudent to seek medical attention just to be on the safe side. Your doctor can determine whether or not your pain and discomfort is due to indigestion or a more serious problem.

Now that you know what heartburn, or acid reflux is and what it feels like, let's look at the different reasons why it happens. Diet can play a large role. Some people experience discomfort after eating spicy or acidic foods. Certain other foods can aggravate the problem, including caffeinated beverages, tomatoes, chocolate, alcohol, and fried foods, to name a few. Others experience the problem because the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, lacks proper muscle tone. Another cause is dysfunction with the operation of the esophagus. Yet another cause can be certain prescription medications.

There are several different ways to treat the causes and symptoms of this problem. Watching what you eat is one of the most simple ways to prevent the discomfort of acid reflux. Eating smaller, more frequent meals as opposed to three large ones can often help as well. Antacids in tablet, chewable or liquid form can offer fast relief from uncomfortable symptoms and can be purchased over the counter at your local pharmacy or supermarket. You should consult with your doctor before deciding to take antacids, especially if you take prescription medications because of interaction risk. There are also prescription medications that can help chronic conditions, so be sure to ask about them.

Heartburn doesn't have to ruin your life. Your doctor can help you devise a plan that may include lifestyle changes, dietary modifications and medications to alleviate your uncomfortable symptoms. By following the instructions of your doctor to the letter, you will often find you are able to live your life free from the pain and discomfort of indigestion.

Copyright 2006 Jim Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Heartburn News:
Diet For Heartburn | Weight Loss Diet
1160 What is heartburn? How is it related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD and hiatal hernia? What type of diet is best for heartburn and associated...

Stomach bugs up risk of heartburn woes years later - Reuters

Spicezee

Stomach bugs up risk of heartburn woes years later
Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A serious bout with a tummy bug may mean heartburn years later, new research shows. Serious bacterial or viral infections of the .
Gut infections up heartburn riskPress TV

all 8 news articles »
..

Best Herbal home remedies for heartburn | OnlineHealthTips.net
Heartburn is the name of very uncomfortable chest or abdominal ailment that a person suffers from after consuming food or liquids. It may cause burning...

UK Alleges Heartburn-Drug Price Abuse - Wall Street Journal

Mirror.co.uk

UK Alleges Heartburn-Drug Price Abuse
Wall Street Journal
LONDONEUR”The UK Office of Fair Trade alleged Reckitt Beckiser Group PLC "abused its dominant position" in supplying antacid heartburn .
Gaviscon accused of rigging the heartburn medicine marketMetro
Gaviscon 'cheats' rival marketBBC News
OFT alleges Reckitt Benckiser abused positionMarketWatch
Mirror.co.uk -BusinessWeek -Marketing Week
all 79 news articles »
..

Stop Smoking | Change Your Lifestyle First Begins Heartburn .
Heartburn remedies can range from making small life style changes to prescription medications. The best way to start is to make adjustments in your lifestyle. The first step is to maintain a healthy weight. ...

Why would being pregnant give me heartburn? - WBRC

Why would being pregnant give me heartburn?
WBRC
Entertainment News from AP A: You probably expected morning sickness, but pregnancy heartburn may come as a surprise. Nevertheless, "most pregnant women .

and more »
..

10 Paths To Discover Heartburn In Youngsters | thetrendyfish.com
Acid reflux illness or GERD is a condition where the contents of the belly enter into the esophagus and cause distressing symptoms in the upper chest area...

Takeda renames heartburn drug to avoid errors - The Associated Press

ABC News

Takeda renames heartburn drug to avoid errors
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON EUR” Federal regulators said Thursday that Takeda Pharmaceuticals will change the name of a heartburn drug that has repeatedly been confused by .
Name Change Approved for Heartburn Drug KapidexMedscape
Heartburn Drug Kapidex Renamed to DexilantBusinessWeek
FDA Okays New GERD Drug NameMedPage Today
PharmExec.com (blog) -About.com: Health -TopNews United States
all 191 news articles »
..

Technorati Tags: , ,