Preventing heartburn before it starts
Tips on alleviating the symptoms of heartburn
Heartburn is commonly defined as a burning feeling in the lower chest. This is usually accompanied by a bitter
taste in the throat and mouth. Heartburn, despite its name, doesn't affect the heart. It usually occurs after
eating a big meal. Sometimes spicy or rich foods can trigger heartburn. The feeling can last anywhere from a few
minutes to a few hours.
Causes of heartburn
As you eat, food passes down a tube called the esophagus. The food passes through an opening between the esophagus
and the stomach, and this opening usually acts as a kind of gate. While this opening is supposed to close as soon
as food passes through, sometimes it doesn’t close. When this happens, acid from your stomach can get through the
opening and into your esophagus, causing reflux and irritating the esophagus.
Other causes of heartburn include hiatal hernia, which is a condition in which part of the stomach is pushed up
through the diaphragm (the muscle wall between the stomach and chest) and into the chest. This may cause heartburn
as well.
Other factors that contribute to heartburn include overeating, pregnancy, tight clothing, stress and certain foods.
These factors can also make preexisting heartburn worse. Other causes that can aggravate heartburn include coffee,
alcohol, cigarette smoking, tomato products, citrus fruits, chocolate, mints, fatty foods, spicy foods, onions, or
aspirin and ibuprofen.
When to consult a doctor
Occasional heartburn is not serious. However, if you have heartburn frequently, it can lead to esophagitis (an
inflamed lining of the esophagus). If esophagitis becomes severe, your esophagus might narrow and you might have
bleeding or trouble swallowing.
Frequent heartburn can also be a symptom of acid reflux disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), an
inflamed stomach lining (gastritis), hiatal hernia or peptic ulcer.
Prevent heartburn with these tips
You can try to prevent heartburn altogether by making a few lifestyle changes. For example, you can raise the head
of your bed by placing six inch blocks under the legs. You can also try to eat two to three hours before lying
down. You should also avoid overeating, and try to stick to low-fat high-protein meals. You can also avoid tight
clothes and tight belts. Losing weight if you’re overweight is also a good idea.
Treating heartburn with antacids
Antacids can give fast, short-term relief by neutralizing the acid that your stomach makes. However, antacids can
also cause diarrhea or constipation since its neutralization partially disables your stomach’s natural digestive
abilities. You can avoid this by looking for antacids that contain both magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide.
This alleviates the problem because one causes constipation while the other causes diarrhea so they counteract each
other.
Ranitidine 150mg Tablets 95ct Heartburn Relief 150 mg
PREVACID 24HR OTC CAPSULES 42ct FOR FREQUENT HEARTBURN
Acid Reducer 20mg Cheap than PRILOSEC OTC 100ct 16c/Pill for Heartburn, Reflux
Acid Heartburn Reflux Reducer 20mg Cheap than PRILOSEC OTC 300ct Only 15c/Pill
Reflux Elimination System-Treat the Causes of Heartburn, Indigestion,Acid Reflux
3 month-Reflux Elimination System-Treat the Causes of Heartburn,Acid Reflux
Acid Heartburn Reflux Reducer 20mg Cheap than PRILOSEC OTC 300ct Only 15c/Pill
Acid Reducer 20mg Cheap than PRILOSEC OTC 100ct 16c/Pill for Heartburn, Reflux
Zantac 150 Maximum Strength Ranitidine Tablets 150mg; Heartburn, Acid Reducer
90 Generic Pepto-bismol Chewable Tablets heartburn indigestion nausea diarrhea
30 Generic Pepto-bismol Chewable Tablets heartburn indigestion nausea diarrhea
Ranitidine 150mg Tablets 95ct Heartburn Relief
Prilosec OTC Heartburn medicine 112ct.
Prevacid OTC Heartburn medicine 224ct.
Zegerid OTC Heartburn medicine 84ct.
A simple over the counter acid reducer is often effective for most peoople.
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