Heartburn is an extremely uncomfortable condition which causes pain in the chest accompanied by tightness. It’s a quite common problem and many people often experience heartburn. While it is called ‘heartburn’ in colloquial language, it really has nothing to do with the heart.
A few of its symptoms are very similar to the signs of a stroke or heart attack. Heartburn occurs when there is a movement or an irritation in the esophagus, the muscular tube that joins the throat to the stomach. When this happens, there is usually a burning sensation in the chest.
Heartburn is not a disease. This is something which occurs because of acid reflux. When the gas that is present in the intestine starts flowing in the direction of the throat the heartburn starts.
Symptoms of Heartburn
Heartburn is characterised by:
A sudden burning sensation in the centre of the chest or around the breastbone.
A burning feeling creeping into the throat
Chest pain when bending or twisting
A difficulty in swallowing food
Nausea
According to experts, in some people heartburn starts and goes away on its own, while in others it may remain for a few hours.
Why does heartburn happen?
There is a muscular valve between the esophagus and the intestine. When it works properly, the stomach acids stay inside the stomach, but when the valve starts opening repeatedly or does not close properly, the stomach acid starts trickling upwards into the esophagus. This is known as acid reflux.
Which foods cause heartburn?
Food items which contain high amounts of fat or oil can cause heartburn. Apart from this, too much spice or foodstuffs such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, citrus foods, ginger, onions, coffee, alcohol, peppermint etc. can create acidity.
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