Friday, April 23, 2010

Symptoms Of Heartburn

The most common symptom of GERD, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, is heartburn. Symptoms of heartburn are experienced as an acid taste in the throat or a burning sensation behind the breastbone that may rise all the way to the face. GERD is due to regurgitation (backwash) of the gastric (stomach) juices from the stomach into the esophagus (the tube which carries food from the throat to the stomach). When food is swallowed, it travels down the esophagus, and a valve (sphincter) at its bottom relaxes to allow the food to enter the stomach. This valve normally only allows food to move downward, but a drop in pressure in the lower esophagus or a weakening of the sphincter muscle can permit a backflow (reflux) of powerful stomach acids into the esophagus. Unlike the stomach, which is protected by a thick layer of mucus, the esophagus is susceptible to damage due to the strong digestive juices in the stomach and may cause damage over time.

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It is estimated that around 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn at some time. In many cases, an antacid will sort out your problem and there is no need to be concerned. However, frequent bouts of heartburn may indicate something more serious and this is when you should consider taking appropriate action.

Frequent heartburn should be taken seriously and if you suffer from regular bouts of heartburn and alleviate the problem by taking antacids, you should reconsider this course of action, carefully. Antacids simply mask the problem by temporarily dealing with the symptoms of heartburn, while the underlying causes go unchecked. This article considers the importance of taking the correct remedies to deal with the problem.

The most common symptom of acid reflux disease is heartburn. Normally, thirty to forty-five minutes after a heavy meal, you feel heartburn inside your body, a feeling of burning discomfort right behind the heart area of the body, moving up toward the neck and throat.

Heartburn during pregnancy is common complaint with expectant females. Most pregnant women experience heartburn at some point during the nine months they are pregnant. Some women are affected more severely by heartburn during pregnancy than others.

At the first sign of symptoms heartburn sufferers reach for their favorite relief. This is usually an antacid or something that will neutralize stomach acid. Does it work? That depends, that depends on the type of heartburn you have. This important to understand because the treatment is no the same.

If you've never suffered from heartburn, then you are one of the lucky ones. Did you know that each person can have different heartburn signs and symptoms? Did you know that each case of heartburn can also have different causes? It's important to find out what your heartburn causes are so that you can prevent this from happening to you, but you also need to recognize the different signs and symptoms. This way if you begin to suffer from it, you will be able to treat it quickly and get back to enjoying life.