Heartburn is a physical condition which has been observed to have affected scores of people globally and is a very common complication these days given the fact that life has become super-fast and our schedules have gone for a toss.

Heartburn is an uncomfortable, burning and a warm sensation in the chest, particularly just behind the sternum or the breastbone and comes in waves. It may also move further from chest to throat, neck and jaw. When the patient lies down or bends over, the pain aggravates and is a very common phenomenon observed immediately after eating.

Heartburn is medically called acid indigestion or pyrosis but has nothing to do with the heart as the name may suggest a link to it. It is generally linked to gastric reflux, symptom of ischemic heart disease.

It is very common these days for people to experience heartburn, but basically there is nothing to worry about.

Common Signs & Symptoms Of Heartburn

• Uncomfortable warmth or a sensation or burning in the chest and could happen during eating or sleep lasting few minutes to several hours



• Pain gets worse when lying down or bending over



• Some people may feel a burning sensation in the throat



• Chronic cough, hoarseness and sore throat



• Food swallowing issues

A condition of heartburn can be diagnosed via several methods such as X-ray, endoscopy, pH probe test, esophageal motility testing and manometry.

Some Treatment Options For Heartburn

Other than taking generally prescribed medicines such as Nexium to treat heartburn there could be many treatment options to keep the effects of heartburn in control. Let'EUR(TM)s have a look!

• Lose weight- Obese or people with extra weight than their limits are more prone to develop heartburn over a period of time



• Shun smoking- Smoking can play havoc on the digestive system and worsen the symptoms of it and GERD must be left.



• Go for smaller meals- It would be better that you go for small meals than going for one big meal at a time as heartburn symptoms would surely improve.



• Make way for an early evening meal- Have your evening or night meal at least three hours before you hit the bed



• Avoid food triggers- Avoid having some foods such as coffee, alcohol, tomatoes, chocolate, spicy or fatty foods. Also identify what food type triggers you have and identify it.



• Keep the head end of the bed bit elevated- Heartburn symptoms may improve if you raise the head side of the bed slightly.

Thus, if you are suffering from heartburn, you can make these lifestyle changes and also be positive that it would heal with time obviously under the supervision of a qualified medical practitioner or help someone who is in need.