What Is Heartburn?

Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus and it is nothing to do with the heart. Although there are some symptoms that are quite similar to heart attack or heart disease, it is quite different from a sudden heart attack or any heart disease.

The esophagus is a tube that connects the throat and stomach. It is caused by stomach acid. It leads to burning discomfort in the upper belly or below the breastbone.

What Causes Heartburn?

Heartburn causes because of the problem with a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). It is located below the rib cage and slightly left of center, where the esophagus meets the stomach.

With the help of gravity, the LES keeps stomach acid right where it should be in the stomach. When it is working properly then it enables the LES to get opened and allow food into the stomach, then it closes again and if the LES opens and doesn’t close tightly enough, then the stomach acid can seep into the esophagus and causes a burning sensation.

If the LES doesnt get tighten as it should be then there are two things that can cause problems. One is overeating and other is too much of pressure in the stomach due to obesity, pregnancy, or constipation.

Certain foods can relax your LES or increase stomach acid, including:

• Tomatoes
• Citrus fruits
• Garlic and onions
• Chocolate
• Coffee or caffeinated products
• Alcohol
• Peppermint

A meal that contains too much quantity of fat and oil often leads to heartburn and later, people need to do medication to get rid of the irritation. Stress and lack of sleep are also causes of raising acid and it causes heartburn. If a lady is pregnant and the hormone progesterone relaxes LES then also it leads to heartburn. Smoking also relaxes the LES and increases stomach acid.

How Long Does Heartburn Last?

It doesn't have a fixed time, as it varies from person to person. For some, it remains for a few minutes whereas for some it lasts for several hours. Heartburn is common among most of the people and pregnant women as well.

Occasional heartburn is dangerous as it is long-term heartburn known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). And sometimes it can leads to serious problems also. Some of the problems are as follows:

• A long-term cough
• Laryngitis
• Inflammation or ulcers of the esophagus
• Problems swallowing because of a narrow esophagus
• Barrett's esophagus, a condition that can make it more likely to get esophageal cancer

Remedies

• It is important for people to avoid heavy lifting and straining
• It is important to monitor and avoid triggers, such as alcohol, caffeine, spicy food, full cream milk, gassy foods, such as soft drinks, and acidic food, such as tomato, lemon, or orange juices.
• Avoid Smoking
• Start having small meals more often
• Be fit by doing exercise
• Take a review of existing medication
• Follow healthy diet
• Avoid eating before lying down and sit up straight while eating

These precautions may help people in avoiding the heartburn, so one must try once to get the experience.