What Is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a very common problem, over seventy million people suffer from this. It starts in the upper abdomen and works its way up into the back of your throat. Some people mistake this, or heart ache, with angina. Laying down or leaning forward can make the symptoms of heartburn, or heart ache, worse.
A person’s lifestyle and the way they eat can cause heartburn, or heart ache, it may also make symptoms worse. Heartburn or heart ache can actually affect the jaw, arms and back. While suffering from this illness itself could be easy to treat, people who suffer from other medical problems could have a hard time finding the right treatment for them. Acid reflux is a problem associated with this illness, and can cause damage to the esophagus, but most of the time the damage can be reversed if treatment is started early.
Heartburn Symptoms
The symptoms of this can be wide in variety, and may make someone think that they are having a different problem when in fact it is the heartburn, or heart ache. This is caused mostly because of fatty and acidic foods. Some symptoms of this illness can include the burning in your abdomen, burning in the esophagus. Sometimes it can cause pain and discomfort in the arms, jaw, and back. You should always discuss any symptoms with your doctor.
Not getting treatment could cause damage to the esophagus, due to the acid reflux. Report any symptoms that you are having to your doctor so treatment can get started as soon as possible. Sometimes the symptoms are subtle, and usually ignored, but ignoring any type of illness could be harmful to your health. Sometimes a heart attack can be mistaken for this, so if you have chest pain, or a chest squeezing sensation, you need to get to a physician quickly.
Heartburn Treatment
Treating a simple case of heartburn or heart ache can be done with over the counter medications, such as antacid tablets and liquid. These medications can be purchased in regular and extra strength depending on the type of heartburn treatment you need. These medications are usually taken when the heartburn treatment is needed immediately. There are also over the counter medications that you take about an hour before you eat, or an hour after you eat.
This type of heartburn treatment will usually be taken everyday. There are also heartburn treatment medications that can be prescribed by a healthcare provider. Some of these medications can also treat and possibly heal any damage that has been caused by the acid. People that have other medical problems like high blood pressure should talk to a doctor before taking the over the counter antacids. Heartburn treatment should be tailored for the person, because the medications may not work for everyone.
There are things that can be done to prevent this, such as changing your diet. Most of the time this is caused by the foods you are eating and what you are drinking. Stress can also be a cause of this illness, so by reducing your stress you can decrease symptoms. If you smoke, you should stop, because smoking increases symptoms also. Weight loss can be a treatment for the symptoms you are experiencing. If your symptoms tend to increase when you are asleep, make sure that you don’t eat right before laying down, and keep your head raised with a pillow to decrease the acid coming up into the esophagus. Eat small meals, and avoid caffeine to help with the symptoms. If symptoms don’t get better in a week, see a doctor.
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