Heartburn is not a heart disease. It is a digestive
disorder. Heartburn is both a normal and abnormal condition. It is normal
because the usual causes of heartburn are our lifestyle and/or eating habits.
It is abnormal because it can be a cause of a serious medical condition like
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD.
The simple causes of heartburn are acidic foods, fatty
foods, fried foods, alcohol and caffeine rich drinks, chocolates, smoking,
lying down after a large meal, eating before bedtime, wearing tight fitting
clothes, belts and other garments and etc. these things causes heartburn
because they weaken the lower esophageal sphincter (the LES acts like a gate.
It lets the food from the esophagus in to the stomach). They also cause
pressure on the abdomen and it presses the LES harder that causes the food to
go back up to the esophagus.
If these things are the cause of your acid reflux symptoms, then you
can avoid experiencing heartburn by simply avoiding these things. You can also
take medicines. There are different kinds of medicines that can treat heartburn
like antacids- they neutralize the acid that your stomach makes. H2 blockers-
they reduce the amount of acid that your stomach makes. You can also take omeprazole and lansoprazole
– they also reduce the acids that your stomach makes. You can also take
Metoclopramide – this reduces acid reflux.
Before you decide on what to take, you should consult your doctor for
the right medicine that you should take.
