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There it is again. You feel that familiar burning sensation in your chest. You don't have any other symptoms, such as shortness of breath or pains in your arms, so you're fairly certain the burning sensation has nothing to do with a problem concerning your heart. And you did have a rather large dinner at a Mexican restaurant an hour earlier.
Chances are that you have what is commonly known as heartburn. Heartburn can be s symptom of GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. This disease is caused by a disturbance in the digestive system. It means that acid returns from the stomach to the esophagus and causes a burning sensation in the esophagus, or in the chest cavity, usually around the heart. Hence the name heartburn.
Heartburn has become a widespread problem across the United States that many people suffer with every day. The causes of heartburn can stem from something as simple as eating too much spicy foods, fatty foods, or acidic foods; drinking too much caffeinated coffee, or alcohol, or smoking, to a much more serious medical condition called a hiatal hernia. A hiatal hernia is an opening in the diaphragm that must be corrected by surgery. Heartburn is just one of the many possible symptoms of having a hiatal hernia. If you are concerned about this possibility, you should consult with your doctor or healthcare professional. He or she can diagnose the exact cause of your problem by performing some simple medical tests.
You can help to control the number of occurences of heartburn that you may experience, or eliminate the problem altogether by incorporating some simple changes in your lifestyle. These changes include limiting your intake of fatty, spicy, and acidic foods. Fatty foods are harder for the digestive system to digest, and therefore, the stomach releases more acid in order to try and digest the food properly. Spicy foods can irritate the stomach lining, as well as drinking alcohol and smoking cigars or cigarettes. Acidic foods, of course, add even more acid to your stomach than it already has. If cutting down on the amount of these foods deos not help, you might need to totally eliminate these types of foods from your diet. And when you do eat, don't over do it. Too much food in the stomach at once can cause heartburn, as well as cramps, intestinal gas, and other digestive problems.
Stress can also cause a host of problems to the human body, as well as disrupt the digestive system. Heartburn can be a result of this disruption. Try to control the amount of stress that you have in your life as much as possible. Stress can cause heartburn, stomach ulcers, and many other problems. Try to use deep-breathing exercises when you feel stressed or tense in order to relax and calm down.
There are a number of over-the-counter antacids that you can purchase which can help relieve the distress of heartburn. Your doctor or healthcare professional can prescribe many brands of medications such as acid inhibitors for you also, if your heartburn is not relieved by changing your lifestyle habits.
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