Heartburn Pain: Don'T Be A StatisticHeartburn pain is quite a common problem with approximately 60 million people in the United States alone suffering from it. Heartburn pain occurs right behind the breastbone and is because of the acid reflux. Though the level of pain varies depending on the amount of acidity in the stomach even mild cases are quite uncomfortable because they are quite similar to what happens during a cardiac arrest. Most heartburn attacks happen immediately after a meal though there is a full possibility of random attacks. When heartburn pain becomes too severe and frequent it is diagnosed as GERD, Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. There are several reasons for heartburn including overeating, eating spicy, sugary, or fatty foods, alcohol, smoking, citrus fruits including tomatoes, chocolate, and so on. Besides these foods there are medical conditions like hiatal hernia, allergy, stress, ulcers, and enzyme deficiency that can also cause heartburn. It is important to identify the cause of heartburn because there is no cure for it, only relief measures and preventative actions. If you do feel heartburn pain then you should consult your doctor to find out why it is happening rather than start taking over the counter medication. Once you know the cause you can use the right remedy or medication. In case you have regular heartburn pain then you should get yourself checked for GERD. In the meantime you must keep a strict watch on what you eat at what time as well as keep other habits in check. When you maintain a written record of what you ate and when you had a heartburn attack you will quickly identify what types of foods and spices trigger an attack. Obviously you have to give up on those foods or lower the quantity. Switch low sugar, low fat, less spicy food. Also watch the amount of food you take in one sitting. Overeating can also cause heartburn pain. The point here is that you do not have to make huge sacrifices in your favorite edible items list. You will just have to cut back to a safe limit so you can continue enjoying your meals without the risk of heartburn. If you smoke and drink then here is another good reason to quit those habits. Avoid lying down in bed or bending after you have had a meal. Stay upright for at least 3 hours after supper and physically active if possible so that the food is completely digested and your stomach is empty when you go to sleep. Most of the time such simple measures are more than enough to be rid of heartburn pain. |