A Guide To Causes Of Severe Heartburn

Heartburn is the sensation of warmth, burning, pain or heat in the upper abdomen, just below the breastbone. The pain may spread to the throat, and there may be sour taste in mouth. Heartburn is also called as sour stomach, acid regurgitation, pyrosis or indigestion and it has nothing to do with the heart.

Heartburn may cause some problems such as burping, bloating, nausea or difficulty in swallowing. It may also cause chronic cough, wheezing, choking episodes, asthma or sleeping problems in some people.

Esophagus is the tube that leads from throat to stomach. Heartburn occurs when stomach juices and food go back up in the esophagus, and this process is known as gastroesophageal reflux.

Incomplete closing of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) between stomach and esophagus can be the cause of severe heartburn. Certain foods and drinks such as peppermint, chocolate, sugars, fatty foods, fried foods, alcohol, coffee and carbonated drinks can also be the causes of severe heartburn. If you are already suffering from heartburn, backflow of stomach acids can make esophagus more sensitive to other foods as well, such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, garlic, onions and spicy food.

Frequent bending over, tight clothes, obesity, pregnancy, vigorous exercise and straining bowel movements can put the pressure on stomach and become the cause of severe heartburn. There are certain prescription and non-prescription medicines such as prednisone, aspirin, iron, ibuprofen, antihistamines, potassium and sleeping pills that can be the causes of severe heartburn. Hiatal hernia, which occurs when a part of stomach pushes upward through diaphragm, or stress, which increases the amount of acid in the stomach, may also be the cause of severe heartburn.

Eating too fast, consuming large portions of food at a time, oily or spicy food and eating just before going to bed can also be the causes of severe heartburn.

Most of the babies spit up, but once esophagus becomes more coordinated, the spitting up reduces. Children who vomit more often during first two years of their life are at higher risk of having reflux and heartburn problems later in life.

Knowing the cause of severe heartburn and cause of chronic heartburn can help with quick diagnosis and timely treatment. Avoid foods that cause this problem, and additionally, eat healthy food and exercise regularly. Avoid wearing tight clothes, and maintain good body posture. Try to eat 2-3 hours before bedtime, and take a walk after dinner. Heartburn can be cured with some simple home remedies or over the counter medication, but in case it persists, it is advisable to seek medical help.

Home Remedies Provide Natural Heartburn Treatment

Heartburn can, and does, happen to just about every one of us at one time or another. However, the fact that heartburn is a common problem is hardly a comfort when you are the one suffering from the painful burning in your chest and back of the throat. When those symptoms become a frequent "friend", the need for relief becomes even more pronounced and the search for natural heartburn treatment begins. The good news is that there are many options in heartburn home treatment that sufferers can use to keep those uncomfortable symptoms at bay.

Heartburn can be caused and exacerbated by many different factors, so the first step in natural heartburn treatment is to identify those triggers so they can be avoided as much as possible. Some common culprits include eating too close to bedtime or indulging in alcoholic or carbonated beverages. Lying down right after a meal can make it easier for those digestive acids to work their way back up the digestive tract. It is best to wait two or three hours after a meal before assuming a reclining position. Alcoholic beverages can relax the muscle at the base of the esophagus that is responsible for keeping stomach acids where they belong and away from the esophageal lining. Carbonated beverages like soda can also add pressure to the stomach, increasing the possibility of heartburn. Simply avoiding some of these habits can be an effective method of natural heartburn treatment.

Other things to avoid are some types of pain medication, caffeine and smoking. Medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin can irritate an esophagus that is already tender from acid reflux or heartburn. If you suffer from frequent bouts, it is best to choose acetaminophen for your occasional headaches as a natural heartburn treatment. Nicotine can also irritate the esophagus as well as the lining of the stomach, so kick the habit for natural heartburn treatment. Caffeine, like alcohol, can relax the muscle of the esophagus, making it easier for stomach acids to sneak back up. Avoidance of these substances is one of the easiest and healthiest methods of natural heartburn treatment.

Of course, some foods are known heartburn agents as well, such as chocolate, peppermint, tomatoes, citrus fruits and some spicy foods. Once you identify your heartburn triggers from this list, you can stay away from those foods that cause your painful symptoms as a natural heartburn treatment. If you simply must indulge in your favorite spaghetti sauce or grapefruit, there are medications that will reduce acid production. If you take one of these medications one half hour before a meal, it can help keep your heartburn symptoms at bay.

Heartburn hurts, but help is available. By using a method of natural heartburn treatment, you can prevent heartburn before it begins.

Different Types of Fast Heartburn Relief

Many people suffer from heartburn. It is very uncomfortable pains in the chest that can scare you into thinking you are having a heart attack. Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart even though some of the symptoms are the same as a heart attack. You will immediately want fast heartburn relief if you have ever suffered from heartburn.

Heartburn is caused when the valve between the stomach and the throat does not close completely causing the acid in the stomach to rise up into the throat. The throat then becomes irritated and inflamed causing a burning pain in the chest area. Many people think it is a heart attack because the pain if felt in the chest area where the heart is but it is really the throat that is in pain.

There are many different types of heartburn remedies available for those who suffer from heartburn and many of them provide fast heartburn relief when taken. The best way to give you fast heartburn relief is to understand what heartburn is and what is causing it. Once you understand what the symptoms are you will be better prepared to give yourself fast heartburn relief when you do suffer from an attack.

There are many different types of pharmaceutical drugs that you can take either over the counter or prescribed by a physician. There are also natural remedies that can be taken to help treat and prevent heartburn from occurring. When you experience a heartburn attack all you can think about is getting fast heartburn relief immediately. There are three basic types of drugs that can be taken to help give relief to heartburn symptoms. Understanding the difference will help you to decide which is the best heartburn relief for you.

H2 blockers do not necessarily provide fast heartburn relief but they will provide the longest heartburn relief from the pain. The can provide relief for up to twelve hours and can also help in preventing heartburn from occurring. They basically work by reducing the amount of acid that is produced in your stomach. Alginates will not last as long as H2 blockers, providing relief for only four hours. They are faster heartburn relief then H2 blockers because they block the acid from re-entering the throat. Antacids are the best for really fast heartburn relief. They will immediately decrease the acid in the stomach. The do not last as long as H2 blockers or alginates but they do provide the fastest heartburn relief of the three.

Homeopathic Remedies for Heartburn

Homeopathic remedies for heartburn are, like all homeopathic remedies, based on the same principle as "hair of the dog" for curing hangovers. That is to say, just as a small quantity of alcohol can help undo the effects of too much drinking the night before, the homeopathic principle states that substances that might actually produce heartburn in larger quantities are beneficial when taken in very small, very dilute doses. Let us look at some of these homeopathic preparations that provide an effective home remedy for heartburn.

Arsenic is commonly known as a poison: who could forget the two dear little old ladies sweetly murdering their guests in the classic black comedy Arsenic and Old Lace? But ten drops of arsenic in a wine glass of warm water taken after meals is a common homeopathic remedy for heartburn. However, caution is recommended when dealing with such a toxic substance. A dose of more than 70 micrograms could be fatal. It is also worth bearing in mind that the average American consumes 12 to 60 micrograms of arsenic daily as part of his or her diet anyway, with fish, grains and cereals being the most common source. This needs to be taken into account when calculating the dosage.

Another poison used as a homeopathic remedy for heartburn is nux vomica, better known as strychnine. The seeds of the strychnine tree are rich in copper, which can cause stomach cramps when ingested in large quantities. Based on the homeopathic principle that "like cures like", this makes it an ideal candidate as a homeopathic remedy for heartburn.

There are also a couple of common household supplements that are used by homeopaths to treat heartburn. Zinc is best known as a cold remedy, but taken after a rich meal, it can also provide heartburn relief. Zinc helps to heal the gastric tissues that are damaged by heartburn. As with the other remedies mentioned above, it is important not to overdose, as too much zinc can be toxic.

Vegetable charcoal is made from the ashes of certain trees or vegetables such as oak or bayberry tree barks. A teaspoon of these ashes can be stirred into a glass of water, and this helps absorb certain toxins that can cause heartburn and other digestive disorders. Take a glass every hour until the symptoms subside. Charcoal can also help absorb gases, so this remedy is useful for gas as well as heartburn.

Managing Pregnancy Heartburn Symptoms

Heartburn, also known as pyrosis or acid indigestion, is a burning sensation in the center of the chest that as much as half of the world’s population suffers at some point in their lives. Many women suffer pregnancy heartburn symptoms, which can make getting rest a nightmare, as heartburn attacks usually occur when the body is in a horizontal position. At least 25% of pregnant women experience heartburn on a daily basis.

Pregnancy heartburn symptoms can occur for two reasons. First, the increase in estrogen and other hormones increases the production of stomach acids, which then leak into the esophagus, producing heartburn. Second, as the pregnancy advances, heartburn symptoms may be caused or exacerbated by the fetus growing and pressing against the stomach, which can cause the stomach to churn out excess acid.

Pregnant sufferers of heartburn symptoms often treat their heartburn the same way as chronic sufferers. An important first step is to reduce intake of certain foods that cause and exacerbate heartburn. These foods cause the muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach to relax, which results in gastric acid leaking into the esophageal tube. These foods include coffee, soft drinks, acidic fruit juices, sweets, chocolate, alcohol, and spicy foods. Reducing intake of these foods, or avoiding them altogether, dramatically reduces the incidence of heartburn symptoms during pregnancy.

Another way pregnant women can prevent the onset of heartburn is to not eat within an hour of bedtime. Gastric juices are most active during and immediately after a meal, so waiting for the stomach to settle down reduces in less acid leaking into the esophagus while lying down.

Drinking plenty of water between, but not during, meals can also help alleviate the suffering of pregnancy heartburn symptoms. Sufferers should avoid drinking more than a glass of fluids with meals. Drinking too much with food can overfill the stomach, causing a gastric eruption into the esophagus.

Eating smaller meals more frequently can also help ease the pain of pregnancy heartburn symptoms. Again, this has to do with not overfilling the stomach. In addition, the stomach tends to over-produce acid when it is hungry, so keeping the stomach fuller more times of the day will decrease the built-up acid.

Anyone suffering heartburn symptoms during pregnancy should make sure they keep their physician informed about this. While it is a common occurrence, doctors may be able to prescribe treatments for more serious cases. Under no circumstances should heartburn be left untreated, as this can lead to more serious health issues.