Heartburn Pain
Natural Remedies for Heartburn Pain
WARNING: IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING UNUSUAL HEARTBURN PAIN, AS WELL AS SYMPTOMS LIKE DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, A CONSTRICTING CHEST PAIN, A PAIN THAT GOES TO YOUR LEFT ARM OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH, YOU MAY BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND SHOULD SEEK PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ATTENTION NOW!
If you experience heartburn pain after meals, it is due time that you seek some solutions to your acid reflux. As you probably already know, acid reflux (heartburn) is a medical condition in which the stomach acids that aid you in digestion are released back up into your esophagus where they irritate it causing the burning discomfort we call “heartburn”.
Over time this condition can cause severe damage to the lining of the esophagus, so you do need to treat this condition preemptively.
Before you seek medical attention, however, you may want to try some natural remedies that many have found effective.
Watch your diet:
One of the very best practices to help fight acid reflux is changing your diet. Certain spicy or excessively rich foods will tend to cause acid reflux more frequently. Avoid these foods whenever possible.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine:
If you suffer from heartburn pain, then the doorway that separates your stomach from your esophagus already has a tendency to malfunction, allowing acids back into your esophagus. The last thing that you want to do is get this doorway drunk or hype it up. Studies have shown that alcohol intake will weaken the doorway increasing the chances of heartburn. Caffeine has a similar effect.
Physical Activity after Big Meals:
At Thanksgiving or other similarly large meals one of the best things that you can do after you eat is to go for a walk. Physical activity will tend to ward off heartburn pain. If you sit or lay down, this increases the chances that you will suffer an acid reflux attack. Therefore you should try to remain active after an attack.
Exercise and Maintaining Your Body Weight:
A long-term solution to heartburn is good diet and exercise. Studies have shown that people who are overweight and exercise less than a half an hour per day have far greater incidents of acid reflux and a far greater chance of experiencing the stronger forms of heartburn that are accompanied by heartburn pain.
As a rule, it is a good idea to get at least half hour of exercise every day and to eat well not only so you do not ingest foods that will cause you heartburn pain, but also so you maintain a manageable and healthy weight. Obesity is one of the leading causes of not only heartburn but several other health conditions.
A proper night’s sleep:
Getting a good night’s sleep also helps relieve the symptoms of heartburn. Unhealthy sleep habits can lead to stomach pains, which will help increase heartburn pain. Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders will increase the chances of your having heartburn.
Reduce stress:
As with a host of other health conditions, stress is often at the root of the problem. Look to deal with the root of your stress and to take action to reduce it. Learn relaxation techniques, avoid stress inducing situations and do all the other things that help minimize the stress in your life.
Some Other Simple Methods of Relieving Heartburn:
Here are some other remedies that work for some people:
Milk: A cup of low fat milk just after a meal sometimes helps reduce the incidence of acid reflux.
Pineapple: Some heartburn suffers swear by slices of pineapple, saying they magically reduce the heartburn pain.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Another remedy that many sufferers use is vinegar of the apple cider variety.
If however, you find that none of these methods work for you, you should seek the help of a medical professional. There is nothing wrong with taking a medication for acid reflux if that’s what works best for you.