What Is Heartburn? A Brief Explanation

Even though the condition is very common, many people still ask, "what is heartburn?" Some think that this is a mild condition of a heart attack because the symptoms happen around the chest area.

If you know what heartburn is, you will not feel panic when you or your loved ones experience the condition. You will not mistake it with a dangerous heart attack. Heartburn can be easily cured with antacids and other prescribed medicines to relieve the pains. On the other hand, if you know the differences between heartburn and heart attack, you will know when the time to seek immediate medical attention is.

Heartburn and heart attack

The stomach use the acid to digest the foods and it has been designed to tolerate the acid. Heartburn happens because the stomach acid reacts strongly towards certain foods that you consume. When this scenario happens, the stomach acid is pushed upward and flow to the esophagus. The esophagus cannot tolerate the acid, thus you feel a burning sensation around your chest.

When the digestion process happens normally, the esophagus that is located between your mouth and stomach should not be exposed to the stomach acid. The stomach has a certain type of mucus that protects its lining from the destructive capability of the acid, thus the stomach can easily stand the acid.

On the other hand, the esophagus does not have this essential protection. Therefore, it is very sensitive towards acid exposure. The esophagus works differently to prevent the condition. It has a sphincter muscle that serves as a one-way valve. In some cases, this muscle is damaged or weakened, which allows the stomach acid to enter the esophagus and cause heartburn problem. The medical term for this condition is gastroesophageal reflux disease or commonly known as GERD.

A heart attack also manifests itself in the form of chest pains, which can spread to the back and even the arms. Heartburn symptoms, on the other hand, only happen in the central of the chest and they cause sharp chest pains. When you know how to differentiate between the two, you will immediately know what you experience and what the right thing to do to find relief.

However, when you are in doubt and do not know whether you are suffering from heartburn or heart attack, it is a wise choice to seek immediate medical attention. However, there is nothing wrong if you know the answer of what heartburn is.

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