Heartburn Relief

According to medical researches, nearly 70 million people suffer from heartburn complications in the United States. The burning sensation that starts in the upper abdomen slowly reaches to the chest. Further, it moves to the throat area, neck, jaw, arms and back. Heartburn has become a very common problem in the recent years and the need for effective relief medicines has hence increased significantly.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is a medical condition that is characterized by feeling of a burning sensation in the upper abdominal areas and stomach. Contrary to the name, heartburn has nothing much to do with the organ heart instead, it is a digestive problem. The name "heartburn" is given to this disease because the stomach acid refluxes back into the esophagus. The term acid is associated to something that causes inflammation of the stomach lining or digestive tracts.

There are various reasons for heartburn like eating large meals before bed time, poor lifestyle habits, smoking and drinking. Heartburn can also occur during pregnancy so to provide relief from it during pregnancy, it is ideal to seek medical supervision instead of giving the normal antacid medicines. This is necessary to ensure health and safety of both, the mother and the child.

Even stress, pregnancy, obesity and emotional turmoil can cause heartburn. Some medical conditions that can cause heartburn are hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux disease. Discomfort and burning pain in the area behind breastbone and sternum is the most common symptom of heartburn. The condition of acid reflux occurs due to poor function of lower esophageal sphincter muscle to prevent the back flow of acid into the stomach or due to over excess production of stomach acid. The fact is that heartburn is a common problem and it does occur to majority of us, at least, once in a month.

Home Remedies

Visiting a medial expert and taking medicines is always advisable however, there are various home remedies that have been tried, tested and used since thousands of years. Relief from heartburn can surely be achieved through these remedies.

Use Baking Soda
Known as a popular antacid, baking soda neutralizes stomach acids and provides temporary relief in cases of heartburn. However, you have to be very sure of the right concentration of the baking soda you are going to mix. Generally, 1 tbsp of baking soda in 8 ounces of water is a proper mixture. For heart relief, baking soda helps in occurrence of burping thereby providing relief in bloating and gas. However, it's recommended to consult a doctor to determine the amount and dosage of baking soda because every individual's needs vary depending on the intensity of the problem.

Change Your Lifestyle
A change in the diet is considered to be one of the most effective home remedies for heartburn. These changes demand avoiding foods that trigger heartburn causes and including those foods that are effective in providing relief to the heart. Some foods and supplements that can be helpful in this condition include ginger root and green tea. Ginger has been known to have stomach distressing effects and there are several health benefits of green tea. Other supplements for relief include peppermint, anise or lavender in diets. Preparing tea including these ingredients is also helpful in heartburn cures. Mix equal amounts of peppermint, anise or lavender and pour a two and a half cups of boiled distilled water in bowl containing the aforementioned herbs. Let the mixture settle for 5 minutes and after that add a small amount of honey to it. Drink this mixture twice a day in doses of equal amounts. Using betaine and papaya fruit has also been found to be very effective in the problems related to acidic stomach. Chicory root and pineapples are also useful for inflammation and in relieving heartburn pain.

Although heartburn is not a critical medical condition, it can lead to various types of discomfort in normal living like complains of gas and bloating, vomiting and less appetite. And since majority of the causes for heartburn are lifestyle related, avoiding unhealthy habits, drinking plenty of water and following a natural lifestyle is the safest way to prevent the body from heartburn.