Heartburn, also known as pyrosis, cardialgia or acid indigestion,is a burning sensation in the central chest or upper central abdomen. Heartburn is usually due to regurgitation of gastric acid (gastric reflux) into the esophagus. It is the major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Other common descriptors for heartburn (besides burning) are belching, nausea, squeezing, stabbing, or a sensation of pressure on the chest. The pain often rises in the chest (directly behind the breastbone) and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the arm. Because the chest houses other important organs besides the esophagus (including the heart and lungs), not all symptoms related to heartburn are esophageal in nature.[citation needed]
The cause will vary depending on one's family and medical history, genetics, if a person is pregnant or lactating, and age. As a result, the diagnosis will vary depending on the suspected organ and the inciting disease process. Work-up will vary depending on the clinical suspicion of the provider seeing the patient, but generally includes endoscopy and a trial of antacids to assess for relief.[citation needed]
Treatment for heartburn may include medications and dietary changes. Medication include antacids. Dietary changes may require avoiding foods that are high in fats, spicy, high in artificial flavors, heavily reducing NSAID use, heavy alcohol consumption, and decreasing peppermint consumption.Lifestyle changes may help such as reducing weight.
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Take a bite of warm, gooey pepperoni pizza, and your digestive system kicks in. Acids go to the stomach, ready to break down your meal. In many people, a faulty valve-like structure lets these acids run amok, leaking into your esophagus and triggering a burning feeling in the chest. Heartburn is a very common symptom. More than 60 million Americans have it at least once a month. The following slides show where heartburn starts and how to stop it.
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To understand what causes heartburn, let's trace the path of that pepperoni pizza. Once you swallow a bite, it travels through the esophagus to the stomach. A valve-like ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter opens to let the food in. Then it's supposed to close again to prevent stomach acids from sliding up into the esophagus.
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In some people, the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus doesn't work as well as it should. This allows acid to seep into the esophagus (called acid reflux), where it can cause pain and irritation. Not everyone with acid reflux suffers from heartburn, and some people with "heartburn" symptoms don't actually have acid reflux but may have some other condition causing this pain.
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The hallmark of acid reflux is heartburn -- a painful burning sensation in the middle of the chest. Heartburn typically strikes after meals and can last several hours. The discomfort may be worse after bending over or lying down. Other symptoms of severe acid reflux include a sour-tasting fluid in the back of the throat, difficulty swallowing, or feeling that food is stuck in the chest or throat. A chronic cough or asthma attacks can also be caused by acid reflux. A description of heartburn symptoms is usually all that’s needed to diagnose acid reflux.
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You may be able to manage mild heartburn with a few changes to your daily routine. Start by eating smaller meals. Finish dinner at least three to four hours before bedtime and avoid late-night snacks. (Having food in your stomach when you lie down can worsen acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn.)
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For occasional heartburn, take something that works immediately, like a liquid antacid. Just like the name suggests, an antacid neutralizes stomach acid. This provides temporary relief from heartburn, and is emptied from the stomach quickly. It's important to follow the directions carefully, because the overuse of antacids can cause serious side effects. And with more prolonged heartburn symptom, antacids may not help.
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Proton pump inhibitors, available over-the-counter and by prescription, are a class of drugs that block the production of stomach acid. They are more effective at decreasing acid production than H2 blockers.
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The heartburn treatment that's best for you depends on many things. How often does heartburn happen? How bad is it? Do you want fast relief or prevention? Antacids offer fast relief for mild heartburn. H2 blockers can stop the burn before it starts, but only if you know when to take them, and they may take longer to work. Proton pump inhibitors can tackle really stubborn heartburn. Your doctor can help you pick the treatment that's right for you.
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