The Causes And Treatments Of Heartburn
Pyrosis or heartburn is a burning or painful sensation around the esophagus area. This condition is caused by the regurgitation of gastric acid. The esophagus is located directly below the breastbone. The pains from heartburn rise in the chest and they spread to the throat, neck, and even jaw. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people are afraid of heartburn because they think that they experience a heart attack. What you need to understand is that this condition is not related with your heart. It is called heartburn only because of the burning sensation near the heart. On the other hand, you also should know that some heart diseases show similar symptoms like heartburn. Sometimes heartburn is identified as chronic cough and it also can mimic the symptoms of asthma. Heartburn can be caused by stress-related conditions. Certain foods, like chocolate, alcoholic beverages, wine, carbonated drinks, tomatoes, oranges, spicy foods, and fatty foods, can also contribute to this condition and thus should be avoided if you experience chronic heartburn. Treating heartburn It is common for heartburn to attack when you are lying down. Therefore, when you are experiencing its symptoms, you should raise your head. You can use pillows to do this and relieve the pains. Furthermore, you should avoid strains on the neck and abstain from eating foods immediately before bedtime. If these preventive measures do not help your heartburn condition, you should consult your doctor to get proper medications. Common medications to treat the condition are antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and h2-receptor antagonists. Around 25% of people who experience mild forms of heartburn condition indicate that antacids and other acid-blocking medications are effective for them. When those acid blockers do not work, proton pump inhibitors are another alternative for treating heartburn. They directly block the acid production in the stomach and provide instant relief. They work by disabling the protein proton pumps that control the stomach pH level. Another alternative medication is h2-receptor antagonists which can decrease the acid production of parietal cells in the stomach. This medication is rarely used because of the popularity of the proton pump inhibitors. If you are suffering from heartburn and have no medication available, drinking plenty of water is a good alternative. Water is used to dilute acid in the stomach and help to provide immediate relief. If you do not want to use medications and prefer natural alternatives, then you should change your dietary habits. Avoid fatty foods and those foods that can cause heartburn. It is believed that 90% of heartburn condition is caused by certain foods.
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