Heartburn Indigestion Symptoms

Heartburn is a feeling that people can get after eating too much food or food that does not agree with them. Even though it is called heartburn it doesn't actually have anything to do with the heart. The burning sensation we feel is actually stomach acid that moves up to esophagus and therefore feels like it's in the chest.

The effect of heartburn is different for different people; the types of heartburn are mild, moderate or chronic and depending on the person, can occur more often or not. Also depending on the type of heartburn that the person suffers from it can be classed as a simple discomfort or as a serious effect on their health also the pain can be more or less, therefore causing more discomfort and the sensation of burning in our stomachs and esophagus.

Mild heartburn can normally occur approximately once a month and the sensation of discomfort is not that high, people who suffer with mild heartburn hardly need any medications to stop the pain as it is not very long lasting. The easiest way to cure mild heartburn is with over the counter antacid medication and a moderate change in their diet.

Moderate heartburn can normally occur several times a month where the sensation of discomfort is higher then those who suffer with mild heartburn. Most of the remedies are the same as those who suffer with mild heartburn but most be taken more often. People suffering with moderate heartburn should consider changing various aspects of their diet to identify what causes the heartburn.

People suffering with severe or chronic heartburn will normally suffer at least once a day with it and the pain and discomfort is a lot higher than any other type of heartburn. The same medications that are used for mild and moderate heartburn can also be used for this type of heartburn, but it will only have a temporary effect on the discomfort and burning. This type of heartburn can be caused by a number of things and in some cases can be very serious and have serious effects on the person's health.

There are many type of things that can cause heartburn, these can include a bad diet, going to bed with a full stomach, excessive smoking, a high intake of alcoholic beverages, stress and certain medications. If you suffer from any type of the heartburn stated above, it is recommended to visit your doctor for a full check up and determine what is the best treatment for you.

Generally, what is heartburn is not dangerous, but an annoyance that most people resign themselves to as being a fact of life. But, it is important to consult with your health care provider at the first signs of major discomfort that does not go away or respond to standard remedies such as antacids.

What are Naturnal Treatments for Heartburn?

Most people experience heartburn at one point or another in their lives. It disturbs the sleep of many unfortunate sufferers. You might think, then, that the question "what does heartburn feel like?" is a simple one. It can be misleading, however.

Heartburn is typically felt as a burning sensation in the chest. It can also burn in the throat as well. While it feels like it is in the chest, heartburn has actually nothing to do with heart health. It is actually the esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach, that's filling with acid and causing that pain. It usually hurts in the area near the heart, however, so that leads to confusion.

The problem with heartburn is that other, more serious problems feel just like it. Many diseases actually involved with the heart hurt in similar ways. Heart attacks and angina can feel similar as well. If your family has a history with heart disease, it may be wise to play it safe. If you have a history, you better be very careful not to dismiss pain as heartburn.

If you typically have problems with heartburn, and nothing feels different than any other type of heartburn, you might be safe to continue to think that is what it is after first getting your doctor's diagnosis. If you are confident enough that what you have is simply just a little burn, there are ways you can treat the symptoms.

If you are trying to sleep, try to prop you body up so it's not lying flat. Adding 2 to 3 inch blocks to head of your bed may be simple solution. This may help keep the acid in the stomach. Some say that water helps to dull the pain; you may want to try drinking a couple of glasses of water if you haven't tried this before. The problem with this is that you don't want to drink a lot of water right before going to bed.

If you want to try something else, there are plenty of over-the-counter medications. You can even try to make your own anti-heartburn concoction with water and baking soda (be careful if sensitive to sodium or if you are pregnant or nursing). Antacids are commonly used for treating heartburn, just know that they don't tend to work for very long. Other pills can try to actually keep your stomach from making the pesky acid, although some report these take a long time to START working.

If you are having continuous problems, you should always consult a doctor, as with any other health issue. Only your doctor can give you advice on how to treat disease. There are some examples of heartburn progressing to something worse (like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)), so you should avoid ignoring constant heartburn trouble.

You're not the only one asking yourself what does heartburn feel like. If you think you're suffering from heartburn, you have plenty of company. With a little help from the doctor and a little help from medications, you can skip a lot of the pain of heartburn that many people miserable, the important thing is to not delay seeking treatment.

You may experience the symptoms of heartburn on a regular basis, but do you know how to tell if it is a sign of something far more dangerous? In most cases heartburn is nothing more than an annoyance and discomfort, but it can in fact be a sign of something more serious, such as a heart problem.

Typical heartburn is a burning or stinging sensation that starts somewhere in the top of your stomach or lower chest. It may just remain in the chest area or could rise up into the bottom of your throat. You may get a strong acid taste in your mouth as well. This burning sensation is a result of stomach acids or food and drink escaping your stomach and going up through the digestive tract. If this occurs right after a meal or even when you are leaning forward then chances are it is nothing more than a mild case of heartburn.

So, what are the symptoms that may tip you off to a more serious condition? For starters, if you do not have a history of heartburn and suddenly start experiencing it on a regular basis, you may want to visit your doctor. This is especially important if you have not changed your eating habits to something that may be upsetting your stomach.

If you experience a lot of chest pain with the heartburn you may want to see your doctor as well. This is especially true if the chest pain and burning sensation is happening even when you have an empty stomach.

Remember, symptoms of heartburn should go away rather quickly with an antacid. If it lingers or continually comes back right away, you may have a more serious condition to get checked out. You can manage heartburn with the proper attention and not have to suffer needlessly.

If you are experiencing it more than a couple times a week you should see your doctor and discuss a remedy for the condition. If left untreated, more serious complications could develop in the future. Even the common symptoms of heartburn can lead into a more serious condition if you suffer it regularly and do nothing about it. Stomach acid backing up into your esophagus is not healthy for your body and will eventually have consequences.

If you pay attention to what you are eating right before you get heartburn, you may be able to diagnose the problem and fix it yourself. Carbonated beverages and certain foods are the most common culprit for most cases of heartburn.

What are Natural Cures for Heartburn?

There are many individuals that do not suffer from heartburn during the day but frequently experience nighttime heartburn. The reason that you may experience nighttime heartburn and not during the rest of the day is that fact that you are lying down at night when you sleep. This makes it much easier for pressure and increased stomach acid to escape out of the sphincter into your esophagus. Many times if you have just eaten or had a very large meal you will have nighttime heartburn.

One of the best ways to not have nighttime heartburn is to not eat within 2 to 3 hours of going to bed. This means those late night snacks are prohibited. If you tend to eat a large dinner you should try to change your main meal to lunch and have a lighter dinner so your body will be able to digest the food faster and you will have less acid production.

You should have your largest meal in the middle of the day instead of at night, or your can spread your meals out to 4 or 5 smaller ones throughout the day. This will reduce the pressure in your stomach at night.

As with any type of heartburn you need to avoid those foods that give you heartburn. Every individual will have different foods that bother him or her and cause heartburn. You should keep a food diary to determine which foods cause problems. Foods such as citrus fruits, coffee, spicy foods, juices, beans, and chocolate have all been known to aggravate heartburn.

Sleeping on a slight incline, so your head and shoulders are above your stomach, can also help stop nighttime heartburn. This can help add a bit more gravity pull to your stomach so it has a harder time pushing up to the esophagus. Also it has been scientifically proven that sleeping on your right side makes heartburn worse. You should sleep on your left side as this does not impede digestion and can decrease you nighttime heartburn.

You should never sleep in tight or restrictive clothing as they will squeeze your stomach, which can force food and acid into your esophageal passage. Alcohol can also increase acid production in your stomach and it also relaxes your sphincter so you need to either avoid alcohol or consume it early enough in the day that it will not affect you at night.

You can take an antacid when you have nighttime heartburn but if your heartburn is frequent you should see a doctor as antacids can hide other more serious symptoms.