Heartburn (Acid Reflux) Symptoms And Remedies

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is a sensation of burning in the chest caused by stomach acid backing up into the esophagus (food pipe). The burning is usually in the central part of the chest, just behind the sternum (breast bone). The burning can worsen or can be brought on by lying flat or on the right side. Pregnancy tends to aggravate heartburn.

Many people experience heartburn and there are a large number of over-the-counter medications and home remedies available to treat heartburn.

In most cases you will not need to see a health-care professional, except if the symptoms are frequent (several times a week), severe or increasing in severity.

If heartburn is severe or the pain is accompanied with additional symptoms such as shortness of breath, radiation into your arms or neck, you will need to see a doctor to distinguish these symptoms from more serious medical conditions such as a heart attack.

GERD ( Gastroesophageal reflux disease) can be considered a chronic and more serious form of reflux with heartburn as the major symptom; however, there may be other symptoms or no symptoms at all.

If your heartburn symptoms occur more than twice a week you should see your health-care professional to make sure no serious problems are present.

Heartburn definition 

Heartburn is a feeling of burning in your chest, and is a symptom of acid reflux or GERD. 

Heartburn is most common after meals, but can also awaken people while they are sleeping.

People also may experience heartburn after eating specific foods or drinking certain beverages. 

Symptoms of acid reflux that may accompany heartburn include: 

difficulty swallowing 

chronic cough 

stomach pain or burning in the upper abdomen

persistent sore throat

regurgitation of foods or liquids with a taste of acid in the throat, and

persistent hoarseness or laryngitis. 

Diet and other lifestyle changes can alleviate heartburn for many people.

Heartburn is more common during pregnancy,

Symptoms and Signs

Heartburn is a common cause of a burning sensation in the chest and chest pain. Heartburn can be associated with symptoms such as:
a sour taste in the mouth
dry cough
hoarseness
sore throat and
difficulty swallowing.

Some foods and drinks cause heartburn- 
Alcohol: Alcohol can relax the lower esophageal sphincter. 
Coffee and orange or other acidic juices are some of the beverages that can worse or trigger heartburn. 
Fatty foods, fried foods, and some acidic foods (oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes) as well as spicy foods can cause heartburn.
Additional foods that make heartburn worse.

Every person reacts somewhat differently to specific food groups. To track what foods worsen your symptoms, keep a food journal. In this journal, you should keep track of what you eat, the time you ate, any activity that worsened or made the heartburn better, and indicate which days you have heartburn symptoms. Over time, you will be able to correlate the offending foods with heartburn events.
Treatment and home remedies

Heartburn can be treated with lifestyle changes and medications (over-the-counter and prescription). In rare cases, surgical procedures are available to help with severe and chronic heartburn (GERD).

Lifestyle changes

There are several ways to treat and avoid heartburn with lifestyle changes. 
Weight loss/keeping ideal weight: Excess weight increases the pressure on the stomach, increasing the chance of acid reflux into the esophagus. 
Quit smoking:Smoking interferes with the proper functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter. 
Food control: Avoid foods that trigger heartburn (see previously). Consider keeping a food journal to alert you to foods that make your heartburn worse. Decrease the amount of food you eat. 
Elevate the head of the bed: If you are experiencing heartburn at night, elevating the head of the bed will decrease reflux.

Eat smaller portions spaced throughout the day.

Limit foods that increase stomach acid such as-
fried foods
chocolate
packaged foods with additives
coffee
caffeine
tomatoes
peppermint
citrus fruits
alcohol
garlic 
onion 

Control your stress

Consult your physician if your medications are to be blamed

Best supplements for heartburn
digestive enzymes- 1-2 capsules before starting a meal
HCL with pepsin- 650 mg prior to a meal
probiotics 25-50 billion units per day
magnesium 400 mg once or twice daily
L-glutamine 5 gm twice a day with meals

Some home remedies
soothe your stomach with aloe vera juice
chew gum
get more acid
a spoonful of baking soda mixed in a glass of water will help
mustard
ginger root tea
a cup of chamomile tea
snack on almonds
oatmeal is ideal for breakfast
drink plenty of water

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