What is Heartburn?
Heartburn affects nearly a million people nationwide. It typically attacks after a big, hearty meal when you are relaxing on the couch watching your television show. At first you feel an uncomfortable pressure in your abdomen that slowly travels up to settle underneath your breastbone. After a while, the uncomfortable pressure gives way to a horrid burning sensation. No matter how much water you drink, you can’t seem to quench that fire burning within your body. This is a common description of a severe case of heartburn.
Despite the name of ‘heartburn’, heartburn actually has nothing to do with your heart. Ironic huh? In reality, heartburn is actually a digestive tract problem. What happens is that when someone eats a certain food, perhaps something spicy, the stomach becomes irritated, and begins to churn up more stomach acid than what is actually necessary. When this happens, the acid has no where to go but up your esophagus. This is why people suffering from heartburn commonly complain of a burning sensation near their heart. Their heart is not being affected. It is their esophagus that is taking the brunt of the pain. In some cases, the stomach acid can travel so far up the esophagus that a person can taste regurgitated pieces of food or drink. This is not a pleasant experience, and many unfortunate souls experiencing heartburn for the very first time have no clue as to how to relieve themselves from the pain.
There are plenty of heartburn remedies out there, from over the counter drugs to antacid to certain kinds of teas. The choices are so vast however that a person can easily become overwhelmed. I suggest making an appointment with your doctor to talk about current heartburn remedies, especially if you suffer from chronic heartburn. There are many remedies. You just need to find the right one.
