What Is Heartburn? Reasons, Terms, Dangers and Treatment
Jeff Martin
June 20, 2008
To start with, we can define Heartburn as the discomforting burning feeling in the throat or chest area often produced during or after eating. It is the refluxed gastric acid that makes contact with the lining of the esophagus, which then produces an esophageal inflammation.
If, like many healthy people, you get heartburn from time to time, this may not mean that you have a medical problem. It is when it becomes persistent that it suggests a condition of acid reflux disease, or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). This painful and weakening condition has become very common for inhabitants of western countries.
GERD symptoms are not limited to heartburn. They can also include problems in swallowing, regurgitation, asthma attacks, chest pain, hoarseness and dry cough, amongst others.
GERD can cause even more suffering if it is ignored and left untreated, and even evolve into more serious problems. Medical research done not long ago links GERD to cancer of the esophagus. This explains the necessity of treating acid reflux in a timely and effective way.
To treat GERD in an effective way, it is imperative to identify and treat the underlying causes of this medical condition. Some causes cannot be suppressed or controlled, for example, inherited characteristics that encourage the phenomenon of heartburn. Other causes may be interrelated, such as bad sleep habits, too much stress, build up of toxins, Candida infections and bad diet habits which can all either directly or indirectly lead to acid reflux.
To combat heartburn, there are three major kinds of treatments that a sufferer can consider. Medications, whether prescription or over the counter, form the first category. Examples for acid reflux relief are antacids, H2 blockers and PPIs. These products target the relief of the symptoms of GERD by canceling out or decreasing the production of stomach acid. Sadly, these medicaments are only a short-term solution and may even have undesirable side effects.
Surgery is the second category for treating acid reflux. The aim is to reinforce the LES muscle that seals off the esophagus from the stomach to stop gastric acid from getting back into the esophagus. When GERD happens, this muscle is typically failing to close properly and it thus lets gastric acids escape backwards into the esophageal cavity. There are however serious drawbacks to surgery. Because it is intrusive it can cause health complications, and because it only treats the physical cause of heartburn (a weak LES), it does nothing to treat the underlying factors that are really at the root of the problem.
The third possibility for victims of heartburn is the all-natural, holistic approach. It is possible to cure GERD permanently, safely and effectively by following a program that is designed to tackle the underlying causes of acid reflux. This makes such an approach the most effective and the most efficient, because it is the only one to fight the internal dysbiosis in a holistic manner, while at the same time alleviating the symptoms and bringing back the natural inner equilibrium of your body.
Jeff Martin is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Heartburn No More- Open The Door To an Acid Reflux Free Life". Jeff has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
To Learn More About Jeff Martinīs Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Heartburn No More.
For further information visit: Severe Heartburn
If, like many healthy people, you get heartburn from time to time, this may not mean that you have a medical problem. It is when it becomes persistent that it suggests a condition of acid reflux disease, or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease). This painful and weakening condition has become very common for inhabitants of western countries.
GERD symptoms are not limited to heartburn. They can also include problems in swallowing, regurgitation, asthma attacks, chest pain, hoarseness and dry cough, amongst others.
GERD can cause even more suffering if it is ignored and left untreated, and even evolve into more serious problems. Medical research done not long ago links GERD to cancer of the esophagus. This explains the necessity of treating acid reflux in a timely and effective way.
To treat GERD in an effective way, it is imperative to identify and treat the underlying causes of this medical condition. Some causes cannot be suppressed or controlled, for example, inherited characteristics that encourage the phenomenon of heartburn. Other causes may be interrelated, such as bad sleep habits, too much stress, build up of toxins, Candida infections and bad diet habits which can all either directly or indirectly lead to acid reflux.
To combat heartburn, there are three major kinds of treatments that a sufferer can consider. Medications, whether prescription or over the counter, form the first category. Examples for acid reflux relief are antacids, H2 blockers and PPIs. These products target the relief of the symptoms of GERD by canceling out or decreasing the production of stomach acid. Sadly, these medicaments are only a short-term solution and may even have undesirable side effects.
Surgery is the second category for treating acid reflux. The aim is to reinforce the LES muscle that seals off the esophagus from the stomach to stop gastric acid from getting back into the esophagus. When GERD happens, this muscle is typically failing to close properly and it thus lets gastric acids escape backwards into the esophageal cavity. There are however serious drawbacks to surgery. Because it is intrusive it can cause health complications, and because it only treats the physical cause of heartburn (a weak LES), it does nothing to treat the underlying factors that are really at the root of the problem.
The third possibility for victims of heartburn is the all-natural, holistic approach. It is possible to cure GERD permanently, safely and effectively by following a program that is designed to tackle the underlying causes of acid reflux. This makes such an approach the most effective and the most efficient, because it is the only one to fight the internal dysbiosis in a holistic manner, while at the same time alleviating the symptoms and bringing back the natural inner equilibrium of your body.
Jeff Martin is a medical researcher, certified nutritionist, health consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Heartburn No More- Open The Door To an Acid Reflux Free Life". Jeff has written dozens of holistic health articles and has been featured in ezines and print magazines, as well as on hundreds of websites worldwide.
To Learn More About Jeff Martinīs Unique 5-Step Holistic Acid Reflux Cure System Visit: Heartburn No More.
For further information visit: Severe Heartburn
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