Occasional Heartburn Facts and Information

These compounds are usually flavored with peppermint, to give respite from the vile taste that comes to the mouth during heartburn. There is a muscle located at the base of the esophagus, called the sphincter, which normally will prohibit acids from coming back up. It can just be a hotdog or a greasy hamburger that can do the trick! If you are one of those people who have experienced frequent heartburn, then read on for some tips that may help you prevent this in the future - and let you enjoy food. Acid reflux occurs when acids in the stomach are allowed to come up from the stomach into the esophagus. Normally, a muscle at the base of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter or LES, contracts to keep the acids in the stomach where they belong. Many people wonder how heartburn got its name, since heart and heartburn as diseases are not related in any way.

It is very common to get occasional heartburn. Every one in four people in the world experience this symptom at least once in a month. This is usually caused by heavy eating, oily foods, or eating too late past the meal time. There is absolutely nothing wrong experiencing occasional heartburn. However, if the occasional heartburn becomes a constant feature, then it can become a very serious problem.

What is Heartburn and what are the Remedies for it?

Heartburn is the burning sensation that you get when the acid in the stomach escapes in the form of bubbles through the esophagus. Medically speaking, it is known as GERD which is short for gastrointestinal acid reflux disease. As the name indicates, acid reflux means ‘acid flowing backwards’.

This symptom is seen occasionally in every human being. It is the result of indigestion which in turn provokes formation of gas in the stomach with high acidity. This is when one feels that the upper part of the alimentary canal or the heart region is burning - hence the common name, heartburn.

People will mostly experience occasional heartburn after a large meal, oily foods (like burgers, french-fries, pork with a lot of fat, etc). It looks like people in the US are more prone to occasional heartburn than people in Asia. This is because in Asia, food is spiced up with the help of ginger which is a herb that soothes indigestion and heartburn.

The problem is that the esophagus is so inconveniently close to the sphincter that opens and closes to allow food into the stomach. Heartburn is rarely serious, but it can be extremely uncomfortable and even painful at times. If you suffer from chronic heartburn, the ongoing discomfort can be very difficult to cope with. How strong a treatment is needed is determined by the severity of the heartburn. Enjoying a special dish or meal is something we all look forward to once in a while.

The best way to prevent the occurrence of the occasional heartburn is to avoid fatty foods and/or late meals. In case these cannot be avoided, then you should have on hand the required antacids to get instant relief when the occasional heartburn occurs. If this symptom becomes a common feature, then you might have a serious digestion problem and you should seek doctor’s advice at the earliest.

Prevent occasional heartburn from turning into a chronic affliction by cutting out the foods that provoke gas, indigestion and acidity. Chronic heartburn can be very painful, besides being a serious health hazard. Therefore, take utmost care to prevent it so that you can live a more carefree life.

This gives a highly unpleasant burning sensation in the chest region, following the regurgitation of certain amounts of acid from the stomach, back into the esophagus, sometimes right up to the throat. It can be confused with acid indigestion, a more serious condition in which the stomach or intestine is injured by excess acid. Normally the LES only allows food from the esophagus to go into the stomach. This is usually caused by heavy eating, oily foods, or eating too late past the meal time. For some people, every meal seems to lead to painful heartburn and for others, only certain foods bring the agony.