Heartburn Pain - Common Causes and How to Cure It

What Exactly Is Heartburn?

You know that burning sensation you get after a huge meal - it begins in the upper abdomen, behind the breastbone, and makes your chest feel like it's on fire. The burning and pain may travel from your diaphragm all the way to your throat, and maybe you have a sour taste and the sensation of food re-entering your mouth - That's Heartburn!

Heartburn is caused when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, which is a really sensitive organ. This can occur for a number of reasons:

1. When the valve that keeps stomach acid in the stomach, is weakened or relaxed and doesn't do its job properly. This is the most common symptom of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

 2. Certain foods, such as chocolate, fried and fatty foods, peppermint, coffee, alcohol, and sugar, can weaken or relax the valve.

3. Eating large meals or to close to bedtime.

4. A hiatal hernia.

5. Pressure on the stomach, including frequent bending over, tight clothes, lifting, and obesity.

6. Certain medications.

7. Smoking.

8. Stress can increase acid production and slow down the emptying of the stomach.

Is Heartburn Dangerous?

For most people who suffer from mild heartburn only occasionally, it is more of a nuisance than a condition that can cause any serious complications. However, for those who suffer from chronic heartburn, episodes occurring from several times a week to several times a day, it can lead to severe complications if not treated.

For people who suffer from Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), heartburn can be chronic and severe. This can cause scarring of the esophagus, which narrows the esophagus and makes it difficult to swallow. It can also lead to Barrett's esophagus, a condition where cells similar to those of the stomach lining develop in the lower esophagus. This damage to the esophagus is severe and increases your risk of developing cancer of the esophagus.

What to do About Your Heartburn

You can find relief from your heartburn with a few self-care remedies. This involves making a few lifestyle and diet changes. Here are a few suggestions:

* Eat frequent smaller meals instead of three larger ones. This will help prevent excessive production of stomach acid.

* Eat slowly. One way to help you slow down while eating is to put your fork or spoon down between bites.

* Don't go to bed with a full stomach. Stay up at least three hours after eating your last meal or large snack before going to bed. This gives acid levels a chance to decrease before your body is in a position where heartburn is more likely to occur.

* Raise the head of your bed several inches. With your head elevated, it will help prevent reflux during the night.

* Avoid your heartburn triggers. Examples of foods and beverages that can trigger heartburn are coffee (including decaf), alcohol, fatty foods, caffeinated beverages and foods, onions, peppermint, chocolate (yes, ladies - chocolate!), citrus fruits or juices, and tomatoes. If you aren't sure what your heartburn triggers are, try keeping a food diary for a week or two.

* Stop smoking. Nicotine can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that controls the opening between the esophagus and stomach and prevents the acid of the stomach from entering the esophagus.

* Wear looser-fitting clothes. Tight clothing squeezes the midsection and tends to push stomach contents upward.

* Lose weight. If you are overweight, losing weight can help relieve your symptoms.

* Chew gum. Chewing gum can provide short-term heartburn relief by stimulating the production of saliva, which dilutes and flushes out stomach acid.

* Drink warm liquids. Drinking a glass of lukewarm water or herbal tea after a meal can dilute and flush out stomach acid.

There is a program called "Heartburn No More (tm): Heartburn Cure" which teaches a proven holistic 5-step system for curing Acid Reflux and Heartburn. With the use of these strategies, thousands of Men and Women worldwide have been successfully eliminating their heartburn pain within 2 days, and curing the root cause of acid reflux permanently!

I have suffered from acid reflux and Hiatal Hernia for more than two decades and, unable to find a "natural cure," was finally forced by the severe pain and threat of esophageal cancer to begin taking prescription medications to manage the condition. Within 2 weeks with this program, my chest pain and constant burning were completely gone! Because I'm finally sleeping through the night, I have more energy and feel and look like a new person! I have actually thrown away the prescription drugs and chemicals I was poisoning my body with.

I highly recommend checking out Heartburn No More (tm), and making the changes recommended... you'll be amazed how it feels to reclaim your life Heartburn Free!

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The 4 Categorical Causes of Heartburn

The name "heartburn" is really a misnomer, given that it is completely unrelated to conditions of the heart. But the causes of heartburn can make you feel like your heart is burning up, especially just behind your solar plexus. It is a burning sensation that becomes worse when you lie down or bend over. Heartburn affects about 50% of pregnant women and almost a third of the U.S. population.

These causes can be divided into 4 broad categories. Becoming aware of these can be the first step in avoiding them or treating them.

1. Physiological Causes

Understanding some general realities about how the human body functions can help us to appreciate how our own bodies can be instrumental in producing heartburn. The physical part which plays the most important role is the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This is a valve-like mechanism which is located at the junction of the esophagus and the stomach (just below the rib cage). It momentarily opens and closes to permit food to go into the stomach, and to allow gas to be released out from it. It also serves to prevent the stomach contents from backing up into the esophagus. Heartburn can be attributed to a few of the following physiological causes;

PregnancyHiatal HerniaInsufficient saliva productionAgingDelayed gastric emptyingLow stomach acid (Hypochlorhydria)

All of the above causes have numerous potential extenuating circumstances.

Acid reflux is usually the result of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) not functioning properly due to physiological reasons. It may be opening too often or just not shutting properly. Either way, the end result is heartburn. It is a dysfunctional LES which causes GERD more than anything, although the LES can be compromised by non-physiological factors related to lifestyle.

2. Diet:

Heartburn can still occur among people with a normal LES as a result of our food choices. These typically bring about indigestion by overly-acidifying the stomach which creates a drop in stomach pressure, thereby weakening the LES at which time reflux can occur. Although this is not chronic, it may become so over time if the causes are not stopped.

Certain dietary choices can also inflame a pre-existing case of heartburn because of the extra stomach acids produced. Let's look at a number of the substances that trigger heartburn:

Coffee, tea and other beverages containing caffeine including chocolate due to the fact they impair the LES.Greasy and fried foods, along with foods high in fat tend to clog up the digestive system. The food subsequently remains inside the stomach for an extended time period putting too much stress on it which further compromises the LES.Alcohol relaxes the LES and heightens the production of stomach acid.Tomatoes and tomato by-products along with onions, garlic, mints, and citrus fruits all have substances that irritate the stomach if you are vulnerable to reflux.Spicy foodsVinegar products

Your doctor will instruct you to refrain from the short list of usual suspects which are known to be causative. But you should also pay close attention to any reactions you may have to whatever you eat since many people have different reactions to the same foods.

3. Lifestyle:

Another major cause of heartburn involves the lifestyle adopted by the individual. Here is a list of several of the most typical causes:

Not letting the stomach to rest between mealsDisproportionate strain on the stomach as a result of being overweight or obeseGoing to sleep for the night on a full or partially full stomachWearing tight outfits that put pressure on the waistTension and stressTobacco addiction

4. Drugs and Medications:

Just a few of the most common medications that can cause heartburn are;

Pain KillersAsthma InhalersCalcium Channel BlockersTranquilizersNitratesOpiatesAnti-Depressants

These can all have a direct impact on the LES and the stomachs ability to process food.

Being aware of the causes of heartburn will allow you to avoid a lot of heartache (and heartburn). If you are prone to reflux or have it already, you can find out how to lessen its effects or wholly free yourself from its influence, which leads to an improved quality of life for you and those close to you.

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