If you have ever woken up in the middle of the night with burning pain that radiates from your throat down to your upper abdomen, then you know what heartburn feels like. It can be scary the first few times, because you often assume it is much worse than it is. But even though it isn’t a serious condition, it can be very uncomfortable and sometimes last for quite a while.
What is Heartburn?
Heartburn occurs when the acid in your stomach starts to irritate the esophagus. You might experience the burning in your chest, throat, or upper abdomen area. Some people experience the pain in one location, while others have it throughout this entire general area. Heartburn can be acute, where it is only from eating or drinking certain things. However, some people experience chronic heartburn, where it keeps continuing.
How is it Different From Acid Reflux?
Heartburn is often confused with acid reflux, but these are two different conditions with different causes and different side effects. You can have them both simultaneously, or just one of them at a time. With acid reflux, the burning sensation actually comes from acid coming back up from your stomach to your esophagus. This causes a burning in your throat area, often stinging more than with heartburn.
Acid reflux itself can cause heartburn, but it can also lead to a sore throat, cough, and a sour or bitter taste in your mouth. Some of these remedies may help with acid reflux, but they are mostly reserved for heartburn only.
What Causes Heartburn? It is typically caused by things like pressure in the stomach from constipation or pregnancy, from eating too many citrus foods, or from sleep or various medications. If you are getting chronic heartburn, where it keeps continuing to return and you can’t get a handle on it, then just choosing these natural remedies may not be enough.
In that case, it is better to start keeping a journal of when you experience heartburn so you can see if there is a pattern. You should be able to tell if it is from a medical condition like GERD or acid reflux, if you are eating something that causes it, or if it might be from the medications you are taking.
Luckily, many of the remedies for heartburn are completely natural and healthy for you. They range from taking certain herbs to eating or drinking remedies that are good for reducing the pain associated with heartburn
