Heartburn. How to choose a remedy for heartburn?

For many people, the sensation of heartburn - an extremely unpleasant burning sensation or even pain in the chest area (namely behind the sternum) - is a phenomenon that is known not by hearsay. It arises as a result of irritation of the walls of the esophagus under the influence of acids of gastric juice.

Causes of heartburn.

Often the causes of heartburn are such factors as overeating; Poor chewing food; Excessive consumption of spicy, sweet and fatty foods, coffee, chocolate, tomatoes, citrus fruits; Use of carbonated and alcoholic beverages; smoking; Stress; Medicinal preparations (for example, ibuprofen or aspirin, etc.); Weakening of the muscles responsible for opening the esophagus; Lifting weights immediately after eating; Excess weight; pregnancy. As you can see, this phenomenon can be caused by many reasons, so the question, rather than relieve heartburn, is very relevant.

How to deal with heartburn?

1. When heartburn occurs, doctors are not advised to take a lying position, this can cause deterioration.
2. Take an effective remedy for heartburn - some antacid drug, for example, "Maalox", "Gaviscon", "Almagel", "Rennie", etc. And drugs in a liquid form begin to act much faster than in the form of tablets.
3. It is believed that milk is a good remedy for heartburn, but it is not. Of course, in the first few minutes the enveloping effect will bring relief, however, then deterioration will fade, as the milk can strengthen the secretion of gastric juice, and, as a consequence, acids.
4. Give up tight, squeezing clothes, for example, the belt, and try not to make sudden movements and do not bend to prevent squeezing the stomach.

It is necessary to mention and folk medicine. The most common remedy for heartburn is a solution of baking soda. For its preparation, a spoon of soda is dissolved in a glass of boiled warm water. However, doctors do not recommend using it, because this method only brings a short relief. Soda and gastric juice as a result of the interaction produce carbon dioxide, which in turn causes the release of even more hydrochloric acid, which only makes heartburn worse. In addition, this remedy for heartburn with repeated or prolonged use can lead to very unpleasant consequences, such as weakness, headache, vomiting. These are symptoms of the so-called alkalization of the body or alkalosis. There are many other folk remedies that can get rid of heartburn, however, they need to be used only after consulting with a doctor to avoid negative consequences for the body.

Prevention of heartburn.

To prevent the occurrence of heartburn, you should eat a little, while carefully chewing food. It is best to follow the rules of healthy eating, limiting yourself to eating sharp, fried and fatty foods, alcohol, soda, coffee and chocolate. After eating, do not lie down, lift weights and bend over. Avoid clothing that squeezes the abdominal cavity. Get rid of bad habits and watch your own weight.

In case if heartburn has become for you the phenomenon usual and constant, not dependent on food intake and its quality, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Heartburn can be a symptom of a variety of diseases, such as chronic gastritis and duodenitis, erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach, as well as duodenal ulcers, functional disorders in the biliary system, chronic cholecystitis. It is worth noting that burning behind the sternum can be a symptom of violations of the activity of not only the digestive, but also the cardiovascular system. So, burning can be a sign of angina or increased blood pressure.