Heartburn Remedies Explained

Heartburn is a burning feeling in your chest that rises from behind your breastbone and this fiery feeling may spread to your food pipe, neck and throat. It is accompanied by other uncomfortable sensations of chest pain, coughing, wheezing and a sour taste in your mouth. Read on to know more about what causes this and to find out the many heartburn remedies available today.

The cause of heartburn can be easily explained. When you eat food, it passes through esophagus or the food pipe and enters your stomach thorough a small opening. Usually the opening should open and close immediately as the transfer takes place, but at times this does not happen quickly enough. As a result, some acid from the stomach passes into the esophagus, causing the uncomfortable burning sensation. This is also known as pyrosis or acid indigestion. At times, consumption of many food products like caffeine, chocolate, fatty and fried food or even alcohol and tobacco can cause this.

There are many heartburn remedies ranging from natural to homemade to antacids. An antacid is the most popular method of dealing with acid indigestion. These are Over the Counter (OTC) drugs that come in liquid, tablet or foam form. The drug buffers the acids accumulated in the stomach and gives instant relief to most people. However, it is strongly recommended that you consult your doctor before you take any antacid. For people suffering from high blood pressure and kidney stones, the sodium and the calcium contents in many antacid heartburn relief products can cause other serious health issues.

Apart from the OTC drugs, there are many home remedies for heartburn. Ginger is said to be an effective solution for any acid indigestion. You can take it in capsule form or add it to your tea while brewing. You can also make some light ginger ale and have it with your food. Green tea is another product that aids in the digestion process and is also said to reduce the burning sensation due to pyrosis. Buttermilk can also provide immediate relief, however those with lactose intolerance should not go for this solution.

For those who have the problem on an extremely persistent basis should make some basic lifestyle changes along with normal heartburn remedies (OTC drugs or natural remedies). Eating your meals on time and having smaller meals at regular intervals would help your cause in the long run. You must also avoid going to bed immediately after your meals. Light meditation or a leisurely walk helps too. Trying any one of the recommended solutions in this article will be a good first step to helping reduce the heartburn in your daily life.