Heartburn Symptoms

Heartburn is a condition that affects almost every individual in his or her life. It is a pain or a burning sensation which causes great discomfort to the person.

The burning sensation is usually felt behind the breast bone which is called sternum. It can also be felt in the mid-line of the back at almost the same level and sometimes higher up as far as the neck. This burning sensation is termed as heartburn due to the fact that it is felt in the same region as the heart. However, it has nothing to do with the heart and is generally a result of a posture or a digestive problem.

The heartburn might also be a consequence of the harsh acids from the stomach flowing back into the gullet, also known as the esophagus. It is a tube-like structure connecting the mouth to the stomach and coming into contact with its delicate inner lining.

The pain can be relieved by using remedies for indigestion. Usually heartburn is experienced right after meals or while sleeping and lying down. This is because of stomach acid reflux. The medical terms it is known as Pyrosis. The acid reflux that occurs in the stomach is the reason why we feel this heartburn.

Types of heartburn pain

If a person is feeling pain in the region of the heart it can be one of two possible types.

The first kind is not only felt in the chest but sometimes also in the upper part of the abdomen. This is then called angina and is due to the temporary shortage of oxygen which is supplied by the blood to the muscles of the heart. This type of pain, angina, can be detected when the pain is felt during any type of exercise but is relieved by rest.

The second type of pain is more severe and is experienced for a prolonged period of time. This type of pain is felt in the middle of the chest and sometimes even spreads to both arms, more commonly to the left arm and to the lower jaw. The pain is severe and sometimes gives a feeling of heavy pressure on the chest. This type of pain is an indicator of an imminent heart attack.

Acid reflux (GERD)

Heartburn is a very common symptom of Acid Reflux or Gastro-Esophageal Reflux known as GERD, as well. The reason for this condition is the delayed closing of the specialized muscle called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. When is being swallowed, this special muscle opens up. The opening allows the food to pass from the gullet to the stomach, but sometimes this does not happen fast enough and the stomach juices to enter the esophagus causing heartburn. It is also sometimes called acid Indigestion.

Causes of Heartburn

Large intake of food is sometimes responsible for heartburn. If people eat a large amount of food, especially food with a lot of fat remains in the stomach for a longer time before passing on to the intestines. This condition also increases the risk of stomach acids moving into the food pipe thus causing heartburn. The physiological conditions that cause heartburn are numerous and of a great variety. Pregnancy can cause heartburn. The enlarged womb puts pressure on the stomach, which increases the pressure inside the stomach thereby causing acid reflux.

Obesity may be one of the factors where the fat on the abdomen exerts more pressure on the stomach resulting in high pressure inside. As a consequence of that the contents of the stomach will be pushed into the food pipe causing heartburn.

Hiatus Hernia is another reason for heartburn. In this case as the upper part of the stomach has passed through the hole in the diaphragm and the muscle fibers of the sphincter are not able to put pressure on the lower part of the gullet as a result the lower part of the esophagus remains open even when it is supposed to be closed.

Curing Heartburn

In the majority of the cases, heartburn doesn’t pose a great risk to the life of the person. However, serious cases can occur where acid reflux can result in injury to the lower part of the gullet. Medical treatment will then be necessary for this person.

In general, you can control or avoid heartburn if you pay attention to all of the causes of obesity which were previously mentioned. Eating habits are one of the main causes of heartburn and should therefore be examined by any person suffering from acid reflux problems.

For example, avoiding coffee and other food intake which contains acid content also helps prevent heartburn. There are also a lot of different drugs to cure heartburn available that you might think about if you are looking for relief.

Heartburn should not be ignored and should be given due attention before it burns bigger holes in your pockets and life.