Heartburn: What Is It and Should You Be Worried?

Today, 5 to 15 percent of the adult population experiences severe cases of heartburn. Home remedies will only provide temporary or partial relief and chronic heartburn should be taken seriously as this can really have a negative effect on your life.

So, just what is heartburn and why should you be worried if you experience this condition?

For starters, you have to remember that heartburn has nothing to do with the heart as the name of the condition may suggest. Basically, heartburn is a digestive problem that occurs when the acids inside the stomach comes in contact with the lining of the esophagus. This causes irritation and this will in turn cause heartburn.

Heartburn can happen suddenly and without warning. Usually, this happens after a big meal before bedtime. You will experience a burning sensation that will begin in the upper abdomen and builds up behind the breastbone and makes your chest feels like burning.

The burning sensation and the pain may even travel from your diaphragm to your throat, which may be accompanied by a bitter and sour taste. It can even feel like as if food is reentering your mouth.

If you experience heartburn almost every single day, then you have a chronic case of heartburn. Mild cases of heartburn will mean that you experience this condition once a month.

Mild cases may be treated with simple home remedies, such as changing your diet, over the counter antacids and even by losing weight or by avoiding wearing tight clothes. On the other hand, severe cases of heartburn will require a more comprehensive treatment as home remedies will only provide temporary or partial relief.

If you have a severe case of heartburn, then you have every right to be worried. This may be a sign that you have a condition called Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD. If you leave it untreated, it can lead to severe complications, such as scarring of the esophagus. This will make it difficult for you to swallow food and even liquids.

Severe heartburn can also lead to Barrett’s esophagus. This condition is where cells similar to that of your stomach lining will develop in your lower esophagus. This condition will increase your risk of developing cancer in the esophagus.

There are several ways on how you can manage heartburn. For starters, you have to make a few lifestyles and diet changes. This will include eating frequent smaller meals instead of just three large meals a day. This will help in decreasing the production of stomach acids.

Eating slowly can also help manage heartburn. Also, you have to avoid going to bed on a full stomach. Stay up at least 3 hours after eating your last meal before you go to bed. This will give the acids a chance to decrease before your body is in a position where heartburn will likely occur, which is lying down.

If you are a smoker, then you should quit smoking as the nicotine content in cigars and cigarettes can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, which is basically the muscle the controls the opening between the esophagus and the stomach.

These are some of the ways on how you can manage heartburn.

Having a severe case of heartburn will lead to much worse complications. So, you have to learn how to manage heartburn and you should also visit your doctor in order for you to know exactly what to do to decrease the frequency of heartburn as well as get medications in treating heartburn.

Understanding Heartburn to Treat It Properly

After enjoying a big meal, you sat down in front of your LCD TV watching a football game to relax. Then suddenly, you feel something happen inside your body. You suddenly felt a burning sensation that begins in the upper abdomen and makes its way behind the breastbone. Your chest feels like it’s on fire and the pain is radiating from your diaphragm to your throat.

The pain is accompanied by a bitter or sour taste and you feel as if food is reentering your mouth.

What you just experienced is a severe case of heartburn.

Although the name suggests that it may be related to the heart, you have to remember that heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. This is in fact a digestive problem where the stomach acid comes in to contact with the lining of the esophagus, which causes irritation.

A lot of people suffer from an occasional heartburn. Usually, we experience it right after a meal. However, you have to remember that there is such a thing as a chronic heartburn and this may have a negative effect on your life.

So, how can you tell if you are already suffering from a chronic heartburn?

Well, if you experience heartburn once a month, this is considered to be acute or mild. If you experience heartburn once a week, this is a moderate case of heartburn. But, when you experience heartburn in an everyday basis, this is what is considered as a chronic or severe case of heartburn.

For people who experiences mild cases of heartburn, this can be easily be managed with a change in diet. Over the counter antacids may also help as well as losing weight. People who suffer from moderate cases of heartburn can use these methods to find relief from heartburn. However, the mentioned remedies will only give partial or temporary relief to people suffering from severe or chronic heartburn.

The main cause of heartburn is when the stomach acid backs up or refluxes to the esophagus. This can happen for several reasons.

The first is when the lower esophageal sphincter or LES is weakened or relaxed and doesn’t do its job properly. The LES is what keeps the stomach acid in the stomach. Basically, this is the most common symptom for GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Sugars, fatty foods, peppermint, coffee, chocolate, and alcohol can weaken or relax the LES, which can let stomach acid reflux to the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Eating large meals before bedtime can also cause heartburn. Obesity, frequent bending over, lifting, and wearing very tight clothes can produce pressure on the stomach, which in turn causes heartburn.

Smoking and certain medications can also trigger heartburn as well as stress as this is known to increase acid production and slows down the emptying of the stomach.

Mild heartburn may be considered to be more of a nuisance than a condition. But, if you are suffering from chronic heartburn, you have to remember that this is a serious condition, which can cause scarring of the esophagus. When this happens, it may be very hard or even painful for you to swallow food. This can also increase the likelihood of developing cancer of the esophagus.

These are the reasons why you should understand heartburn. By knowing about it, you will be able to treat it effectively. A change in diet is enough to treat mild heartburn but if you are experiencing severe heartburn on a daily basis, you may want to set up an appointment with your doctor to diagnose your condition.

How You Can Break Free From Chronic Heartburn

Millions of people suffer from chronic heartburn. This is a very serious gastric disorder that can disable from living your life normally.

Most people think that heartburn is mainly caused by the foods they eat. However, this is not really the cause. You have to remember that heartburn occurs when the stomach acid travels up or refluxes in to the esophagus.

In most cases, this happens when you lie down after having a big meal. Heartburn can cause a painful burning sensation on your chest and this can really prevent you from having a good night sleep. Sometimes, heartburns can be so painful that it can prevent you from living your life normally.

This is mainly the reason why you have to know how to manage or treat heartburn in order for you to live a more normal life. By learning about the different ways to manage and treat heartburn, you will be able to lessen its frequency and also help you break free from having the heartburn condition controlling your life.

Gastric acid reflux or heartburn occurs because of several reasons.

By knowing about the different reasons that causes heartburn, you will be able to know how to prevent it from happening or at least take control of it.

One of the main causes of heartburn is the weakening of the sphincter. Basically, the sphincter acts as a valve that prevents stomach acid from reaching the esophagus. When it is relaxed or is weakened, stomach acid can get through the sphincter and eventually irritate it and cause heartburn.

So, just what causes the sphincter to weaken or relax?

There are certain foods that can weaken the sphincter. Foods such as chocolates, coffee, alcohol, peppermint, fried and fatty food, as well as soda and citric fruits like oranges and pineapple.

You should also avoid spicy foods as they are very difficult to digest, which causes the stomach to produce more acid, which ultimately means increasing the likelihood of heartburn.

Drinking a cup of green tea or any herbal tea will help reduce the frequency of heartburn. This is because the tea will reduce unwanted toxins in your body, which is mainly one of the causes of increased stomach acid production. By cleaning your digestive system from toxins, stomach acid production will decrease, which in turn will also decrease the likelihood of heartburn.

You should also drink plenty of water instead of taking carbonated drinks. If you can, try to drink water that is in room temperature. This will help flush down toxins and it will also help dilute the acid in your stomach. In case you are experiencing heartburn, one great way to get relief from its symptoms is to drink water with baking soda. It may not taste good but it will surely reduce the burning sensation as well as the pain.

These are some of the ways on how you can break free from chronic heartburn. Always remember that the most effective way to treat heartburn is to treat the causes instead of treating the symptoms. By doing so, you will see that heartburn occurrence will be less frequent and you will be able to regain control of your life.

How to Manage Heartburn: Getting Relief from Heartburn & Acid Reflux

First of all, what is heartburn and acid reflux?

Basically, heartburn is a digestive problem where stomach acids come in contact with the esophagus. This causes irritation, which in turn causes us to feel heartburn.

You have to remember that heartburn has nothing to do with the heart as the name may suggest. It is believed to have been named heartburn because of the burning sensation in the chest when the condition occurs.

Generally, heartburn can happen to almost anyone. When you experience heartburn, you will feel a burning sensation that starts in the upper abdomen and works its way up to the breastbone. This feeling will make you feel as if your chest is on fire.

The burning sensation will travel from your diaphragm to your throat and you will taste something sour and bitter on your mouth and feel as if food is reentering your mouth. You feel like vomiting and when you do gag, no food will come out.

Around 20 percent of adults experience a mild case of heartburn. This is easily manageable through changes in diet, antacids, and weight loss. However, for 5 to 15 percent of adults who experience chronic heartburn, home remedies will only provide temporary and partial relief.

If left untreated, chronic heartburn can result in more severe complications.

This is why you have to know how to manage heartburn in order for you to prevent it from developing more severe complications, which can really have a negative effect on your body.

So, how do you manage heartburn?

For starters, you need to know what causes heartburn in order for you to have an idea on how to manage it. Basically, heartburn is caused when stomach acid refluxes or backs up in to the esophagus. This can occur for several reasons.

The first is that it may be because of a weakened lower esophageal sphincter or LES. This is the valve that keeps the stomach acid inside the stomach and prevents the acid from coming in contact with the esophagus. A weakened LES is one of the most common symptoms of GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

You also have to remember that there are certain foods that weaken or relax the LES. Examples of foods are chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, coffee, sugary foods, and fried and fatty foods.

Smoking also weakens or relaxes the LES as well as certain medications.

Pressure on stomach and eating large meals shortly before bedtime can also cause heartburn.  Stress will also cause heartburn as this increases acid production and slow down the emptying of the stomach.

So, in order to manage heartburn, you may want to start by making some lifestyle changes. This means that you have to try eating frequent smaller meals rather than three large ones. Eating slowly can also help as well as avoiding going to bed right after having a big dinner.

You should also start avoiding foods and beverages that triggers heartburn, such as fried and fatty foods, coffee, peppermint, fatty foods, caffeinated and carbonated beverages, chocolates, tomatoes, and citrus fruits.

You should also quit smoking, lose weight, and wear loose fitting clothes.

Drinking warm liquids can also help dilute and flush out stomach acid in the body. Lukewarm water or herbal teas are great examples of warm liquids that you should drink.

These are some of the ways on how you can manage heartburn. Although this may provide relief for mild cases of heartburn, you have to remember that you still need to visit your doctor in case you have a chronic case of heartburn. You will need to take medications in order to control heartburn and also make huge lifestyle changes.

How to Handle Heartburn: Heartburn Management Tips

After enjoying a big dinner with your family and friends, you decided to go to bed early. However, something happened that you didn’t expect. You suddenly felt a burning sensation building up in your upper abdomen and the pain and the burning sensation is steadily working its way up just behind the breastbone. You also feel it in your throat and it was accompanied by a sour taste. You felt like vomiting but when you gagged, nothing went out.

If all these seem familiar to you, then you are suffering from heartburn.

Although heartburn may suggest a form of heart disease, it really doesn’t have anything to do with the heart. Heartburn is basically a digestive problem, which occurs when the acid inside our stomach comes in contact with the esophagus lining. This causes irritation, which ultimately causes heartburn.

A lot of people suffer from heartburn and it usually happens right after a big meal.

Some people experiences heartburn once a month, which is a mild case of heartburn and others experience it almost every day, which is a chronic case of heartburn.

Mild heartburn is not that serious and you may even consider it more of a nuisance than an actual condition that should be taken seriously. However, if you are suffering from a chronic heartburn, you may want to take this more seriously as this can cause severe complications that can really have a devastating effect on your body.

If you have been diagnosed with GERD or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, the heartburn you will experience will be chronic and severe. This can cause scarring in your esophagus, which will make it difficult for you to swallow food or even liquids.

Chronic heartburn can also lead to Barrett’s esophagus, which is a condition where cells that resemble those of the stomach lining will start to develop. This kind of damage to the esophagus can increase your risk in developing cancer of the esophagus, which is very hard to detect and very hard to treat.

If you experience moderate to severe heartburn, you may want to keep these heartburn management tips in mind. Doing so will enable you to lessen the frequency of heartburn and also provide you with partial or temporary relief.

The first is to eat more meals a day but in smaller servings rather than having 3 large meals a day. This will help in preventing the body to produce excessive stomach acid, which is one of the main causes of heartburn.

Eating slowly will also help in managing heartburn. Try to put your eating utensils down between bites and chew your food at least 14 times.

For dinner, don’t eat too much and never go to bed right after a meal. You have to stay awake at least 3 hours after you eat dinner. This will give the acid levels a chance to decrease before you lie down, which is basically the perfect position for heartburn to occur.

You should also avoid foods that trigger heartburn. This means that you have to avoid ingesting coffee, fatty foods, alcohol, and acidic fruits, such as oranges and other citrus fruits. Chocolates should also be avoided as well as peppermint and onions.

Wearing loose-fitting clothes can also help prevent heartburn. Tight clothing can squeeze the midsection of your body, which will push the stomach content upward.

These are some of the ways on how you can manage heartburn. By following these tips, you can be sure that you will be able to prevent or at least manage heartburn.

Heartburn: When You Should Seek Medical Help

Millions of people today experiences heartburn. And, although it is an uncomfortable and painful condition, most people consider it is a nuisance rather than a condition. Besides, most people only experiences heartburn once or twice every month and it’s really nothing serious.

However, there are cases where heartburn can severely affect your life. Around 10 percent of the adult population experiences a chronic kind of heartburn. Chronic heartburn happens when people start experiencing the condition every single day. And, this can really have the ability to take control of your life.

Chronic heartburn will rob you of a normal life. You won’t be able to sleep because of the pain and also reduce your activities because of the discomfort you will experience from heartburn.

So, if you are experiencing heartburn, you may be wondering when you should seek professional medical help.

You have to remember that heartburn can be managed and controlled through lifestyle modifications as well as the use of antacids or acid blockers. When these methods stop working and heartburn continues to bother you despite the fact that you are doing everything you can to manage it, this is the time when you have to seek medical help.

You have to call your doctor immediately after you experience heartburn more than 3 times a week for over 2 weeks as this is a sign of a chronic case of heartburn.

Your doctor will prescribe medications to manage heartburn more effectively and make other recommendations that will help you control or manage heartburn and let you live a more normal life.

You also have to keep in mind that chronic heartburn can sometimes lead to much more serious complications, which will require you to seek immediate medical attention. If you are already throwing up blood or passing blood in your stools, experiencing dizziness, severe pain or light headedness, have difficulty in swallowing, feeling of dehydration, and you lost weight unintentionally, this is the time that you should call your doctor and go to the hospital.

What the doctor will do is conduct a series of test in order to determine what is causing you to experience chronic heartburn. One of the tests is called the upper GI endoscopy. You will be lightly sedated and a special camera will be used to take a look at your esophagus and your stomach.

This way, the doctor conducting the procedure will be able to see how much damage has been done to the esophagus from stomach acid.

The specialist may also conduct a diagnosis where they will test the strength of your LES muscle, which is basically a valve that separates the stomach acid from your esophagus. This test is called esophageal manometry.

You may also be subjected to a procedure called the 24 hours pH monitoring. This measures the strength of your stomach acid and a thin tube will be passed through your nose and in to your esophagus. The test will measure the amount of acid reflux that occurs while you do your daily and regular activities for 24 hours.

After the diagnosis, you will get treatment for your heartburn as well as for the complications heartburn had on your body, especially on your esophagus.

These are the things that you have to remember if you experience chronic heartburn. Always remember that if you are already experiencing heartburn at least 3 times every week for 2 weeks, this is the time that you should seek medical help. This may be a sign that you may be experiencing a more serious condition.

Heartburn: What Is It and Why Should You Be Concerned

Whenever you drink beer, you feel something burning inside your chest located just behind your breastbone. It’s painful and it rises into the chest and radiates to your neck, throat, and angle of the jaw. You feel like vomiting but nothing comes out but just a bitter taste in your mouth.

You’ve just experienced heartburn or also known as pyrosis or acid indigestion.

Basically, heartburn is often associated with regurgitation of gastric acid or also known as acid reflux. This is why you feel a burning sensation in your chest and in your throat. This is also the reason why you taste something bitter right after the heartburn episode.

So, should you be concerned if you experience heartburn?

For starters, heartburn is a major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease. And, you need to remember that this can be misdiagnosed because the burning in the chest symptom of heartburn is also a symptom of ischemic heart disease, which is a much more serious illness.

This is why you have to go to your doctor when you experience heartburn. This way, you will be diagnosed properly and be given the proper medications for the type of disease you have.

You have to be concerned if you have heartburn because this is one of the major symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, which can lead to the inflammation of the esophagus. Also, heartburn can also be a symptom of acute myocardial infarction as well as angina.

If you have been told to administer vicous lidocaine and it relieved you of symptoms 5 to 10 minutes after the administration, it is very likely that the heartburn is esophageal in origin. But, you still have to keep in mind that this does not rule out that it can be caused by heart related illnesses or diseases.

This is primarily the reason why you have to go to the doctor in order to get it diagnosed properly and determine the cause of heartburn.

The doctor may try to diagnose you biochemically or mechanically. The biochemical method of diagnosing means that a probe will be placed via the nose and in to the esophagus. This will record the level of acidity in the lower of esophagus. This method is called Esophageal pH Monitoring, which can be sued to document acid reflux in real time.

In the mechanical method, the doctor will try a method called Manometry. This method is where the doctor will insert a pressure sensor or a manometer through the mouth and in to the esophagus. This device will measure the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Another method is endoscopy. This method will allow the doctor to see the esophageal mucosa by passing a thin and lighted tube with a small camera through the mouth. This device is called endoscope and is used to examine the esophagus as well as the stomach.

Endoscopy will help the doctor see if there is any evidence of esophageal inflammation and biopsies may be taken if necessary through this method.

Treating heartburn will depend on the underlying cause. Antacids may be given to treat GERD and gastritis and antibiotics may be given if H. pylori are present or diagnosed.

Heartburn is a serious condition that you have to take seriously. Once you experience heartburn, you better get it diagnosed by your doctor to determine what’s causing it and treat it properly.

Tips That Can Help Prevent Heartburn from Affecting Your Life

If you suffer from heartburn, then you have to remember that you’re not alone. Heartburn is a condition that millions of people today are suffering from. It is also an age-old condition that people have been experiencing. You have to keep in mind that heartburn is a common condition that is treatable and even preventable.

First of all, you have to remember that heartburn is in no way related to any heart condition. As a matter of fact, heartburn is a digestive condition where the acid that our stomach naturally produces to digest food comes in contact with our esophagus. When this happens, we will feel a burning sensation that starts on our diaphragm all the way to our chest. It is also accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in our mouth, which is basically the stomach acid reaching our throat and mouth.

Now, you have to keep in mind that there are several ways on how you can prevent or at least lessen the frequency of heartburn. By following these tips, you can be sure that you will be able to take control of your life again.

You have to remember that in order to prevent heartburn, you have to make some changes with your life. A few lifestyle modifications can really go a long way.

The first is that you have to avoid eating large meals. Instead of eating 3 large meals a day, you may want to eat 6 smaller meals a day. This will keep stomach acid production on a minimum and eventually prevent heartburn.

You should also avoid foods and beverages that reduce pressure on the LES or the lower esophageal sphincter. This means that you have to avoid chocolate, caffeine containing food and beverages, peppermint, and fried or fatty foods.

You also need to avoid or lessen your consumption of foods that can damage your esophagus, such as spicy food, oranges, pineapple or citrus fruits and juices, tomato sauce and foods that contain a lot of tomatoes.

You should also stop smoking as nicotine can damage your LES or the lower esophageal sphincter, which is primarily responsible for preventing stomach acid from reaching your esophagus.

After eating, you need to avoid lying down as this is the best position for the stomach acid to flow back or reflux in to your esophagus. If you are suffering from nighttime heartburn, the best thing that you can do is to elevate your head when you lie down. But, don’t try using more pillows to do this as this can worsen heartburn as it will increase pressure on your stomach. Instead, try to elevate by placing a wedge under the mattress or by placing 6 inch blocks under the head of the bed.

Alcohol is known to increase the frequency of heartburn. So, try to limit your alcohol intake. You should also try to lose weight if you are overweight.

Lastly, you should take antacids whenever you feel the symptoms of heartburn.

Remember these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to prevent or at least control heartburn. And, if none of these tips work, it may be time to consult your doctor as the heartburn may already be a sign of a far worse condition in your body.

Heartburn: Foods to Eat and Avoid For Treating Heartburn

Heartburn is an age old condition that millions of people experiences. Also known as acid reflux and pyrosis, heartburn is in no way related to the heart. As a matter of fact, heartburn is a digestive condition.

Heartburn happens when we regurgitate stomach acid and when it reaches our esophagus. It irritates that esophagus and causes a burning sensation that starts on the diaphragm and make its way up just behind the breastbone. In most cases, it is also accompanied by a bitter and sour taste, which is mainly the stomach acid making its way in to your mouth.

So, what causes stomach acid to flow up to the esophagus?

There are several explanations on why this happens but one of the main reasons is the food we eat.

You need to know that certain foods increase the likelihood of us experiencing heartburn. So, by changing our diet, you will be able to find relief from heartburn and even decrease its frequency. This means that you may need to give up or limit some of the foods you eat in order for you to prevent experiencing heartburn.

So, what are the foods that you can eat and what are the foods that you should avoid?

• Foods To Avoid

If you constantly experience heartburn, you may want to cut down on the consumption of citrus fruits. You have to remember that citrus fruits and juices are acidic in nature. You need to keep in mind that your goal is to stop acid from reaching your esophagus and by eating citrus fruits, which are acidic in nature, you are worsening the problem.

This means that you may need to avoid fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits. Tomatoes are also acidic and it should also be avoided. However, keep in mind that consuming these fruits is still important as they are very rich in vitamins and minerals. But, you have to limit yourself in consuming these fruits.

Spicy foods can also increase the risk of acid problems. If you love spicy food and you have a problem with heartburn, it may be time for you to limit your consumption of food containing chili, peppers, and hot curries to name a few.

Chocolate is another type of food you should avoid as it is a known trigger for heartburn. This is because chocolate relaxes the LES or the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. The LES acts as a valve to keep stomach acid from pouring in to your esophagus. When it is relaxed, stomach acid can freely bypass the LES and reach your esophagus, which in turn causes heartburn.

Fatty foods should also be avoided. This is because they are hard to digest. And, when the stomach is having a hard time digesting food, it will produce more acid, which is what you don’t want your body to do if you are suffering from heartburn.

• Foods To Eat

Apples and bananas are great for helping you deal with heartburn. This is because they help dissolve acid in your stomach.

Vegetables are also great for controlling acid problems in your stomach. Eat vegetables that are alkaline in nature, such as green cabbage, carrots, broccoli, and sprouts. Not only that they will help you with your heartburn problem, but these vegetables will be beneficial for your overall health.

You should also increase your daily water intake. This will help dilute the acid in your stomach, which will make it less potent.

Lastly, if you must eat meat, you have to eat lean meat that has little fat on it. Chicken, fish and turkey are acceptable meats that can help decrease the likelihood of you experiencing heartburn.

These are the foods that you can and cannot eat. By following these tips, you can be sure that you will be able to solve your heartburn problem. Just remember that if you experience heartburn despite the changes you made in your diet, you have to see your doctor. This may already be a sign of a more serious health problem.

Heartburn: Drugs and Surgery

Like you, millions of people today suffer from heartburn and most of them are constantly searching for drugs and treatment methods for relief. You have to keep in mind that heartburn is a condition that existed for thousands of years and modern medicine have yet to find a cure for this condition.

You also have to understand that heartburn is in no way related to the heart. It’s simply called heartburn because you will feel a burning sensation on your chest. Heartburn is in fact a digestive condition. This is where the stomach acid comes in contact with the esophagus causing irritation and ultimately causing heartburn. And, you will also taste something bitter or sour when you experience heartburn. This is mainly the stomach acid reaching your throat and mouth.

Most people treat heartburn symptoms through lifestyle modification and the use of antacids. But, for some people, this doesn’t work. If you still suffer from heartburn symptoms despite making lifestyle changes and using antacids, it may be a sign that you are suffering from a more serious condition where heartburn is only a symptom.

If this is so, then your health care provider or doctor may prescribe you some of these drugs.

After antacids, the next group of drugs that you may need to take for easing heartburn symptoms is histamine-2 blockers. Most drugs of this type may be purchased over the counter and what it does is that it decreases the amount of acid that your stomach produces.

Usually, they are taken twice a day and they provide relief from heartburn within 30 minutes of taking it. You have to remember that although it can be purchased over the counter, you still need a doctor’s prescription for higher doses.

If you still continue to experience heartburn, the doctor may recommend adding a drug, such as metoclopramide. This drug will empty food and acid from your stomach quickly. This will lessen the amount of food and acid traveling back in to the esophagus. It will also help tighten the LES or lower esophageal sphincter muscle to keep stomach acid inside the stomach.

Proton pump inhibitors may also be prescribed by your doctor if you continue to experience heartburn. This type of drug will prevent the stomach from secreting acid. Usually taken once a day, these drugs are usually very effective in easing heartburn symptoms. And, these drugs are usually prescribed if no other drugs helped your heartburn condition.

There are also surgical procedures that can help your problem with heartburn. Surgery is usually done if no prescription drugs helped in relieving heartburn or if you are already experiencing serious complications from heartburn. The surgery is a simple procedure and is called fundoplication. This procedure will tighten your LES muscle and the muscle will be tied in such a way to prevent acid from flowing back in to the esophagus.

This surgical procedure produced 85 percent success rate and is the last resort for treating heartburn.

These are the different types of drugs and surgery that you can consider if you are suffering from heartburn. If antacids no longer work, you may want to try and consulting your doctor about your heartburn problem. They may prescribe the mentioned drugs and may even recommend surgery if the drugs no longer work in providing relief from heartburn.