There are many people who suffer from indigestion. Technically indigestion isn’t a disease, but is a symptom of something that’s causing the indigestion. Indigestion gets thrown around as a general phrase for people who feel discomfort and pain in their abdomen.
For most people, indigestion is not the most serious of conditions. Indigestion comes up after they eat something a little odd and lasts for only a few hours. However, for other people, indigestion can become a huge problem. The consistent and persistent pain can be managed. However when it’s merely warning about potential ulcers or gallbladder disease, it can be a much more dangerous situation!
Heartburn and Acid Reflux
So what exactly is heartburn that causes indigestion? Heartburn is used interchangeably with the condition acid reflux. When someone suffers from acid reflux, they have a serious problem with stomach acid that returns up the esophagus.
When someone has this issue more than twice per week, they are diagnosed as having “Gastroesophageal reflux disease”. This disease refers to consistent and strong acid reflux. GERD, as it’s called, affects many people and is also very common in newborns as well.
Heartburn Symptoms
Since acid reflux and heartburn tend to be used interchangeably, the symptoms are of course the same. Here are some of the symptoms that people should be looking for in regards to heartburn:
- Regurgitation - One of the most constant issues is when food or liquids are regurgitated along with the acid up into the throat. This constant near vomiting is painful and uncomfortable.
- Chronic Sore Throat - Consistent acid reflux does damage to the throat area. This makes it far more uncomfortable while you are swallowing.
- Trouble Swallowing - As mentioned, acid reflux does damage. In addition to causing pain, it can become very difficult to actually physically swallow.
- Stomach Pain - The stomach pain can be one of the worst aspects of indigestion. The consistent and constant pain that is caused whenever food is ingested can ruin one of the simple pleasures of human life.
How to Stop Heartburn
There are a lot of people that suffer from heartburn. Thankfully there are a large number of treatments for it. This goes well beyond popping acid reflux tablets with every meal like many people do. It’s easy to get away from these calcium carbonate tablets.
There are ways to help heartburn both on the interior of the body and the exterior. When it comes to simple exterior things, people can work on posture and wear loose clothing. When people hunch over, their stomach can become prone to acid reflux. Loose clothing removes pressure from the chest and keeps it comfortable.
When it comes to the interior of the body, there’s a variety of ways to avoid heartburn as well. A diet that is low in acid makes things much easier. People can also chew gum. Many gums actually neutralize additional acid in a person’s stomach. Quitting smoking or staying away from secondhand smoke makes a big difference as well.
For those who can’t manage in other ways, there are medications available. There are plenty of over the counter options. There are cheap tablets and more expensive formulated medications. If even those are not enough, there are also prescription options available.