Heartburn Relief and Prevention

Heartburn Relief and Prevention

A burning in the throat and belching is a symptom of heartburn. When the valve (the lower esophageal sphincter) between the esophagus and stomach malfunctions, it lets stomach acids come up and reroute back through the esophagus. Pain is experienced from the middle of the chest toward the throat. Sometimes the acid will make it all the way into the mouth. Heartburn can be very painful. The good news is that you can prevent it by watching what you eat.

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Instead of large portions, eat small portions several times a day. Avoid the foods that trigger heartburn such as caffeine, tomatoes, chocolate, citrus fruit, salty, fatty and spicy food. High-fat foods and being over weight can cause or worsen the problem. Having an excess of fat in the belly puts pressure on the stomach. That pressure pushes the stomach up into the esophagus. So losing weight might relieve your heartburn altogether.

More people have heartburn at night. When you are lying down gravity pushes the acid into your throat. Raising the head of the bed several inches will help. An even better solution is to refrain from eating for three hours before bedtime. If these changes don’t relieve your heartburn, your doctor might prescribe an acid reflux medication or even a proton pump inhibitor. Although, the FDA has warned about risks of wrist, hip and spine fractures from using the proton pump. Use it as a last resort and if you do use it, take extra calcium and vitamin D.

Before considering more drastic measures you can try more traditional remedies like chewing a stick of non sugar gum. Chewing brings up saliva and when you swallow it pushes acid down. Licorice can form a protective barrier against stomach acid. Chamomile has shown some success for heartburn. Check with your doctor to be sure these remedies are safe for you.

The constant flow of stomach acid can scar the esophagus, causing it to narrow and cause trouble swallowing. In rare cases it can turn cancerous. Watch for unexplained weight-loss, anemia or food getting stuck in the throat. Above all use caution and stay away from foods likely to cause heartburn.

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