Heartburn Cause

Heartburn Cause: Not One, But Many Reasons

Heartburn is characterized by feeling of a searing pain at the back of where your breastbone is situated and also close to the ribs and this pain will then radiate in the direction of your throat. The most obvious heartburn cause is when hydrochloric acid spills out of the stomach and into your esophagus and the pain is felt because there is no protective lining in the esophagus to dampen the pain felt from acid that enters into it.

Corrosion, Inflammation And Irritation

It is this stomach acid that has corrosive properties and which also causes inflammation and irritates the patient’s esophagus that is why it is considered the main heartburn cause. Furthermore, it is also necessary to study the anatomy of the lower esophageal sphincter that lies between the esophagus and the stomach and which, when it malfunctions, leads to heartburn. It follows then that a weak lower esophageal sphincter is also a major heartburn cause because in its weakened state this sphincter is unable to keep the acid from flowing out of the stomach and into the esophagus.

Other possible heartburn causes include certain types of foods that, when consumed, act on the lower esophageal sphincter in a manner so as to cause the sphincter to relax and thus allows acid out of the stomach and into the esophagus. These foods include citrus fruits as well as alcohol and even mint as too chocolates. Furthermore, acidic foods can irritate the esophagus are also possible heartburn causes and these foods include tomatoes and foods that contain much spices in them.

Even overeating can be considered as a heartburn cause because the more food you have in your stomach the greater is the pressure on the stomach and to ease this pressure the stomach may find it necessary to expel acid into the esophagus. Other possible heartburn causes include certain kinds of exercises, too tight clothing, bending over, as well as too much stomach fat; and, in some cases even pregnancy can be considered as a heartburn cause.

Even smoking and too much of stress are possible heartburn causes and the same goes for people who go to bed immediately following having eaten a meal. Finally, aging is also considered a possible heartburn cause because with age the lower esophageal sphincter will loose its strength and so, allow acid to regurgitate into the esophagus.

Having understood what causes heartburn you should then make it a point to take preventive action so that you do not do anything or eat foods that will lead to heartburn. In any case, it is easy to deduce after looking at the different heartburn causes that it is possible to avoid this condition by doing simple things such as changing your diet, lifestyle as well as avoiding smoking or consuming too much of alcohol. Even a simple act such as changing your sleeping habits can help you avoid suffering from heartburn.

Heartburn

Heartburn Is Unfortunately A Very Common And Painful Problem

There no doubts the fact that among the most common diseases affecting people in all parts of the world today, heartburn is a very common one. The reason why people suffer from this disease is because they eat the wrong types of food. Heartburn or pyrosis as it is known in medical terminology is also referred to as GERD or gastro esophageal reflux disease.

Regardless of how you call this disease, it will cause you to feel pain in your chest region and in most instances the pain begins from your esophagus or the area that lies just beneath your breastbone. Many times, this condition has also been associated with gastric acid regurgitation.

Pain In The Chest Region

Heartburn leads to pain that typically is felt in the patient’s chest and there is even a chance of feeling supplementary pain as well that touches other parts of the body including the throat, neck and even jaw. Fortunately, the heart is not affected by heartburn – even though strangely the name of the disease contains the term heart in it. Perhaps the reason for calling this disease heartburn is because the pain is felt close to where the heart is located.

As far as treating heartburn goes there are more than a few options available including taking antacids as well as sodium bicarbonate; proton pump inhibitors are also useful and so too is alginates. However, each treatment method is unique and it is up to your doctor to diagnose the condition and then recommend a suitable method.

You can also get relief by buying over-the-counter medications and the good news for someone suffering from heartburn is that these medications and other treatment options will provide you with quick relief. If you research the topic beforehand and do your homework regarding causes and treatments of heartburn you can easily avoid having to suffer unnecessary pain from this disease.

The online world provides numerous good resources for you to learn all that there is to know regarding heartburn and in addition, you can also try checking out discussion boards or visit Ask a Nurse Websites or even try sites that provide Doctor Question and Answers. If you act wisely and spend your time in the right way there is no reason why cannot avoid end up suffering needlessly from the pain of heartburn.

Finding out more about possible heartburn causes will also help you prevent the problem from arising in the first place, and in addition, it should also enable you to do what it takes to cope with the problem - should it arise. As long as you know what foods or lifestyles cause the condition, you will be able to take appropriate steps that will ensure that the risks involved are minimal.