Heartburn Treatments - Some Work

After a heavy meal you’ve decided to relax in front of the TV when suddenly something is amiss. You are feeling a burning sensation which slowly begins in your upper abdomen and slowly spreads. The burning sensation and chest pain soon travels from your diaphragm all the way to your esophagus which may be accompanied by an acidity taste and the feeling that a portion of your food is coming back up into your mouth.

You may be suffering from heartburn. Heartburn, also known as pyrosis or acid indigestion, is a burning sensation in the chest just behind the breastbone or in the epigastrium. Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid which is the major symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is a digestive problem that occurs when stomach acid comes in contact with the lining of the esophagus, causing irritation. It however may also be a symptom of ischemic heart disease so concluding that it is gastroesophageal reflux disease prematurely may lead to misdiagnosis.

The terms dyspepsia and indigestion are often used interchangeably with heartburn. Some sources emphasize that there is a distinction between the two. Dyspepsia is defined as a combination of epigastric pain and heartburn. When you are suffering from heartburn, whether it may be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or some other digestive disorder, it is important to know how to treat it. Untreated acid reflux can lead to further complications including esophageal cancer. Here are some most used heartburn treatments for acid reflux. It is always important that you discuss any heartburn treatments with your doctor before starting one.

Lifestyle Change

One of the first steps doctors would advise you to take is change your lifestyle. Heartburn symptoms can often be relieved if patients change some of their routines.

Surveys show that 94% of the patients suffering from heartburn associate their symptoms with certain kinds of foods. Therefore, it is important that heartburn patients treat their heartburn through diet. Patients should avoid eating foods that can trigger major heartburn symptoms.

Medication

Doctors often prescribe Histamine Receptor Antagonist drugs for heartburn treatments. This type of drugs functions by decreasing the amount of the acid the stomach produces. It is used to treat conditions where the stomach produces too much acid or where acid comes up into the esophagus and causes heartburn. Antacids can also be used for heartburn treatments. Antacids work by neutralizing the acid in the stomach providing heartburn relief.

Another prescription medication called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) is widely used for heartburn treatments. These medications prevent the release of acid in the stomach and intestines. These medications are also used to treat people with ulcer and excess stomach acids.

Herbal and Natural Remedies

More and more people are turning to natural remedies to use for their heartburn treatments. Like any other drugs, heartburn medication can have serious side effects. If you can cure your heartburn using only natural remedies you will come out way ahead in the long term. There are many natural remedies given in other articles on this website.

Surgical Options

Fundoplication is the standard surgical treatment to treat GERD. The purpose of this surgery is to reduce heartburn due to acid reflux.

Radiofrequency Treatments

Radiofrequency treatment is a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure performed on an outpatient basis; the Stretta Procedure is used to treat GERD.