Identifying and Treating Heartburn: A Guide
May 8, 2008
Introduction:
Many a time after finishing off our meals we complaint of heartburn. What is this heartburn? Heartburn is a very common ailment, which may strike anyone anywhere. Heartburn is a regular feature and it may be painful most of the time. One good news for those who suffer from heartburn is that it can be treated. The main causes for this modern day problem are the increase in the consumption of junk food combined with highly stressful occupations and an almost complete lack of physical exercise. The result is lack of sleep, high acidity, indigestion and yes, – heartburn. It is as simple as dietary or lifestyle changes and for others, help may be found over the counter at the neighborhood pharmacy. There are plenty of solutions available for treating and reducing the painful symptoms when other remedies have not worked. But most of the time we prefer going to the doctor when heart burn strikes.
Now let’s study what are the symptoms of heartburn? How is it caused and what factors lead to heartburn?
Symptoms of heartburn:
Since many of us have experienced heartburn at one point of time or the other we may all be aware of its general symptoms. Many a times we may have felt a burning sensation in your chest, which occurs within hours after a meal and gets worse when you try to lie down. You may also experience a sour taste in your mouth and painful swallowing if the acid backs up into your esophagus. You may also have trouble swallowing or develop a chronic cough as a result. Often heartburn will not allow one to sleep peacefully and will let you remain awake till wee hours of the morning. So in order to avoid all this it is essential to treat it immediately and effectively.
What Are The Foods That Cause Heartburn?
Dietary changes can often lead to heartburn. So what are the foods that cause heartburn is the question. The most common of all foods that cause heartburn is the orange; in fact all the citrus fruits fall into the no-no category of foods for those who are affected with heartburn. The next on the list are the coffee, tea, all types of aerated beverages, as well as alcoholic drinks. Chocolate and oil are also counted among the foods that cause heartburn. Since, this is one of the factors that could be most easily controlled, it is good to know (and preferably make a list) about foods that cause heartburn particularly for you.
There Are Many Other Reasons That Lead To This Condition:
It is not only what we eat causes heartburn, but what we wear and what we think also lead to this problem.
Like for e.g. if one wears tight inner garments like vests, bras, pants, corsets etc one can still get heartburn. Similarly stress can also lead to heartburn.
Treatment of Heartburn:
The first and the foremost thing to do to avoid heartburn is to avoid all the foods that lead to heartburn. If you suffer from this condition a number of times a week, you may want to begin keeping a food journal that will help you to keep track of what you eat each day and when you experience symptoms. One can also keep a time gap of two hours between the last meal and before retiring to bed. One can opt for an over the counter medication that is used to treat heartburn.
Summary:
Antacids are the most common choice for occasional heartburn, but frequent bouts may require an H-2 receptor blocker like Tagamet or Pepcid or a proton pump inhibitor like Prilosec that will block acid production.
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