That burning, pressurized sensation in your chest after eating has a lot of different names: heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).
Whatever you call it, it amounts to pain and discomfort for millions of people every single day. It keeps them from enjoying their food and even prevents some sufferers from sleeping well at night.
In the past, all you could do was self medicate with antacids and hope the heartburn went away quickly. Now, the focus has shifted towards prevention with products like Nexium entering the market and proving effective.
What Causes Heartburn and Acid Reflux
When stomach acids back up, they inflame and irritate the esophagus, the tube between the throat and stomach. Because the esophagus is just behind the heart, the condition came to be known as heartburn. (It’s also why the pain of heartburn is sometimes mistaken for a heart attack.)
These factors can increase your risk of having acid reflux:
* Smoking.
* Drinking alcohol.
* Obesity.
* Slouching, poor posture.
* A poor diet.
* Eating large meals shortly before bedtime.
* Certain medications.
* Certain health conditions like pregnancy, diabetes and hernia.
Having heartburn once in a while is normal. But having heartburn frequently (twice a week or more) could indicate that your esophagus has been damaged by stomach acids and you should seek treatment.
Heartburn / Acid Reflux Treatments
For minor heartburn, popping an antacid tablet might work just fine. But for serious acid reflux disease, you may need to try something more long term such as lifestyle changes and prescription medication.
Medical science has provided us with products that not only treat acid reflux, but help prevent it.
Preventing Acid Reflux Disease: Nexium
Nexium is a once-a-day pill that prevents acid reflux / heartburn attacks by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. That, in turn, prevents stomach acids from backing up into and damaging the esophagus.
Nexium has been shown to be more effective than other prescription and over-the-counter formulas because it works for almost everyone. Other products only help about half of the people and only give short-term relief.
Nexium is tolerated well by most patients over short and long term use. Nexium also helps heal damage to the esophagus that can result from acid reflux disease. And now it’s been proven to help prevent stomach ulcers associated with taking certain kinds of pain relievers.
Nexium is tolerated well by most patients over short and long term use. Nexium also helps heal damage to the esophagus that can result from acid reflux disease. And now it’s been proven to help prevent stomach ulcers associated with taking certain kinds of pain relievers.
Lifestyle Changes
Another way to help prevent heartburn / acid reflux and alleviate the painful symptoms is to make some changes in your habits — changes that will also improve your overall health:
* Quit smoking.
* Lose weight.
* Reduce or stop drinking alcohol.
* Eat smaller meals.
* Don’t lie down immediately after eating… wait at least 3 hours.
* Don’t wear tight-fitting clothes.
* Raise the head of your bed about 6 inches off the floor so you’re lying at an angle.
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There are several causes of acid reflux. One cause of GERD is eating foods that irritate your digestion system. Spicy foods are known to give a person indigestion and heartburn. It is important to know what foods cause you to have heartburn. Other causes of acid reflux can be damage that has occurred to the lining of the esophagus, poor diet drinking a lot of carbonated beverages. All three of these factors can contribute to GERD.
There are several acid reflux symptoms to pay attention to. One symptom of GERD is a burning sensation between the chest and the throat. This is a type of burning that is in the esophagus. The burning sensation that people feel is also known as heartburn. Other heartburn symptoms include indigestion, gas, burping and trouble eating. The level of heartburn depends on how many of these symptoms an individual experiences. There are several ways in which an individual can prevent GERD from occurring. One way an individual can prevent heartburn from occurring is by following a GERD diet. An individual on a special acid reflux diet should eat smaller more frequent meals. A full stomach puts added pressure on the esophagus. This can cause heartburn.
Also, on an acid reflux diet an individual should limit the amount of acid stimulating beverages and food that are consumed. It is better to eat lesser amounts or totally avoid foods that cause heartburn. Another tip in preventing heartburn is to not eat within three hours before going to bed. An individual’s stomach has a harder time digesting the food when lying down. This is another cause of GERD.
If you do have GERD when in bed it is important to elevate your head a few inches with the help of a pillow. This elevation allows gravity to lessen the pressure on your stomach which decreases your chances of experiencing heartburn.
Other tips for preventing acid reflux are wearing loose fitting clothing, maintain a healthy weight, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke and relax as much as possible. Stress is often a big contributor to GERD. When an individual is stressed out that individual may experience severe heart burn and indigestion.
If an individual follows these suggestions heartburn should quickly become a medical problem of the past. Remember that the most important tip is to follow an acid reflux diet. This is the most effective measure in preventing GERD from occurring.
Chronic inflammation is known to be the most common cause for serious painful conditions within the human body. The usual response of the body’s immune system can make the condition even worse if there are additional factors such as lack of physical activity, poor diet, additional health conditions or bad environment.
In case you have chronic pain conditions caused by an inflammatory process such as joint pain, arthritis or tendonitis, it would be helpful if you include certain herbs to your regimen in order to control these processes. Of course, expecting immediate relief like with ordinary painkiller medications is not the smartest thing to do, however you will surely notice beneficial effects over a longer period of time. And if combined with special techniques and exercises, herbal solutions could be a very effective alternative or addition to common medical treatments.
Still, bear in mind that herbs with anti-inflammatory action aren’t enough to treat the condition on their own. Moreover, taking the condition seriously and treating it effectively is very important for improving the overall health of your body, reducing the risk of developing such diseases as cancer, diabetes and heart problems.
And before you start taking any herbs, make sure to consult with your family doctor if they are safe for you. It all depends on the conditions you have, so don’t make the common mistake and ask your doctor first in order to avoid serious problems later.
Here are some of the most widely-used and effective herbs for pain relief you can use with inflammatory conditions. Of course, they can’t compete with drugs like Tramadol but you sure will get additional relief the natural way with them:
White Willow Bark
A 2008 clinical study has indicated that this herb can be very effective in cases of mild to severe knee and hip chronic pain problems, causing pain relief due to certain compounds contained by it that are similar to aspirin. White willow bark is also known to be beneficial in cases of back and joint pain, as well as osteoarthritis.
Boswellia
Compiled from frankincense tree bark resin, this herbal solution is known to be very effective in preventing and suppressing inflammation-causing chemical reactions. Those who employ ayurvedic medicine strongly use boswellia for treating arthritis, as well as helping those who have inflammatory bowel problems.
Devil’s Claw
Usually employed in cases of rheumatoid arthritis, this herbal solution is also known to be helpful in cases of osteoarthritis, tendonitis, and neck and back pains. A 2007 study of rheumatic condition patients has shown that 60% of participants have shifted from their usual painkiller medications (such as Tramadol) or lowered their dosage in eight weeks after starting the course of devil’s claw. It has also manifested an overall improvement of the life quality in those who were taking it.
Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme produced from pineapple stems, which is known for reducing the levels and activity of prostaglandins – the hormones responsible for inflammation processes. This herb can be very helpful to those who have arthritis or musculoskeletal tension conditions, as well as post-traumatic pains. Moreover, bromelain was observed to improve healing processes in muscles and connective tissues.
There are more herbs that can help you with pain relief, so ask your doctor about them before you buy Tramadol or any other medication. You can always use chemical preparations, but why putting your body through stress if you can help it with a natural product first?
Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat. So if you eat too many highly acidic foods like tomato sauces and/or fatty, fried foods, the stomach has to process an overabundance of acid. Too much acid can push back through a valve between the stomach and the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Acid reflux culprits include but are not limited to tomato based sauces, fried and fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, peppers, and caffeinated beverages.
Along the same lines as diet, overeating also causes reflux. When you overeat, the stomach can’t keep up with the demand to process all the acids. So food gets backed up, and digestive acids infiltrate the esophageal valve to cause that unpleasant burning feeling centered in the chest.
Also diet-related, another acid reflux cause is being overweight. There is a clear correlation between being overweight and a notable increase in the occurrence of acid reflux. Many believe this is because the extra weight puts more pressure on the stomach and esophagus. This pressure has been known to open the lower esophageal sphincter (esophagus valve), when the valve should be closed. This allows acid to escape into the esophagus.
Other factors that create a predisposition for acid reflux include smoking, use of alcohol, food allergies, certain medications, and lying down after meals. As you can tell, most of these factors can be overcome by practicing some behavioral modifications. In fact, in many cases of recurrent acid reflux, lifestyle changes are all that is necessary in preventing heartburn from becoming a chronic disease.
Further reading: Acid Reflux Symptoms.
Read more about what foods to avoid if you have acid reflux: Acid Reflux Diet.
More about acid reflux symptoms: What does acid reflux feel like?.