Understanding Heartburn/Acid Reflux/GERD
Do you know what heartburn is? Do you want to get more information about heartburn? Are you looking for effective remedies to cure heartburn?
Understanding-heartburn.com is your best resource when it comes to heartburn and acid reflux disease. Anything about heartburn whether it is symptoms, causes, remedies or tips are available to keep you informed all the time. It is our goal to provide you with the best heartburn information in order to help you get a better picture of what heartburn is all about.
Understanding-heartburn.com is committed to help people who suffer from heartburn. Frequent heartburn may be an indication of reflux disease. This condition may give rise to other medical complications. That’s why heartburn caused by acid reflux should be given serious medical attention. For that reason, we offer you comprehensive heartburn facts encompassing various issues regarding acid reflux disease, natural heartburn remedies, heartburn treatments and many more. All these information are intended to let you know the causes of heartburn and how to combat it.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn is a health condition that involves pain in the upper portion of the digestive system. People often misconstrue it as a condition affecting the heart but it’s not. Actually, it happens during digestion because the stomach acids have a strong reaction to the foods that you eat. As a result, you experience some pain that spreads out from the mid area of the chest.
In ordinary situations, the esophagus must not be exposed to the acids in the stomach. The stomach has a mucus coating that shields its inside layer from the harmful effects of gastric acids. But unlike the stomach, the esophagus does not have such kind of protection. It only has a sphincter muscle that functions as a valve close to the stomach. Once the sphincter weakens, the contents in the stomach will reflux back to the esophagus, thereby resulting in soreness or burning sensation. This type of condition is what we call GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Causes of Heartburn
Studies show that more than 90% of heartburn sufferers get the disease because of their food and liquid intake. Here are the usual foods that trigger heartburn:
- Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks
- Fried and fatty foods
- Chocolates
- Citrus fruits or juices
- Tomatoes and tomato-based products
In some cases, people suffer from heartburn because of eating too much, eating 3 hours before going to sleep, and wearing very tight clothes.
Understanding Heartburn Recommended Resources:
University of Maryland Medical Center
Harvard Health Publications
