The lowdown on heartburn

Heartburn is a burning sensation that can be felt in the chest and throat area. In most cases a person will feel heartburn after a good meal. A lot of people do not know but good food is not always good for them. Almost everybody felt chest pain after a grand meal. That is heartburn. Researches say that 40% of all people suffer from it at one point in life. Even though it is mentioned in the name, heart has nothing to do with this inconvenience. It is the digestion that causes heartburn. The pain occurs behind the breastbone but it can be felt in the mid-line of the back as well.

Causes

The acid that every person has in his or her stomach is the factor that causes heartburn. The acid regurgitates back into the esophagus and that is also known as reflux. Reflux will happen when the muscle at the end of the gullet fails to keep the acid in the stomach. Esophagus does not have the defensive lining like the stomach so it is not protected from the acid and then it gets inflamed and hurting. Apart from the intake of large quantities of food a person can experience heartburn by bending, being pregnant and smoking.

Heartburn is not a disease that can be fatal but it can get worse when the esophagus is damaged. A person may have problems with swallowing. If it is not treated a person may suffer from esophageal bleeding or ulcers or even develop the Barrett's syndrome. Lung problems may occur as well.

Prevention

There are some things a person can do to prevent heartburn from happening. A person should reduce the intake of alcohol, coffee, tea, cola, carbonated beverages, citrus fruits, tomatoes and spicy and fatty foods. Another good advice is to have more small meals instead of 3 big ones. A person should not go to bed right after the meal. If a person enjoys a glass of wine, he or she should drink white and not red.

Most people who suffer from heartburn always go for the antacids to solve their problem. Apart from antacids, there are some stronger medicines which will make sure that it does not come to the forming of acids in the stomach. In cases of hiatus hernia a person will undergo a surgical procedure.

A person should remember that it is very important to pay attention when he or she suffers from heartburn because it might be a heart attack instead. The best option is to go to the hospital.