Posted by the IYD Team in Health Articles

Heartburn, do not let the name confuse you, actually has nothing to do with the heart. Heartburn is simply an irritation of the esophagus due to misplaced stomach acid. Stomach acid is usually kept in the stomach by a valve located in the lower esophagus called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES). This valve connects the esophagus to the stomach below and slightly to the left of the rib cage. Under normal conditions, the LES opens to let food enter the stomach as well as to allow for belching. It then closes promptly. When the LES opens more often than is normal, or does not close tightly, stomach acid can leak out into the esophagus and cause a burning sensation, known as heartburn.

While occasional bouts of heartburn is not considered to be of any concern, chronic heartburn can be a symptom of a more serious problem, and may develop into gastro esophageal reflux disease or GERD. It is estimated that one in ten people, and up to half of all pregnant women, suffer with heartburn on a daily basis. One third of people report cases of heartburn on an occasional basis.

There are two main contributing factors to heartburn: too much pressure on the stomach from carrying extra weight (common in obese people and pregnant women), and too much food in the stomach from overeating. Certain types of food or acidic foods such as coffee, alcohol, tomatoes, citrus, garlic, onions, chocolate, and peppermint can aggravate symptoms. Foods that are high in fat or those that are oily can also cause problems. Stress increases acid production and can also cause heartburn. Smoking relaxes the LES as well as stimulates stomach acid and can be a major factor in cases of heartburn.

When you find yourself suffering from heartburn it is important to identify what may be causing the symptoms so that you can take the proper course of action to prevent it or keep it from worsening. Typical treatment methods include dietary changes, and medication.

Most doctors recommend over the counter antacids for those who suffer with heartburn occasionally. Stronger, longer term over the counter medications such as Tagamet, Zantac, or Pepcid AC may also be helpful to alleviate symptoms that are more severe. Even stronger prescription based drugs, such as Zegerid, Aciphex, or Reglen may be used in more difficult cases.

For people with rare, extremely severe cases of heartburn, surgery may be necessary to repair the LES. Due to many advances in medicine, this procedure is now minimally invasive and carried out with a laparoscope. Patients are released from the hospital after a very short stay and report major decreases heartburn symptoms.

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