What does heartburn feel like? Some people complain of tightness in the chest and a lump in the throat then a burning sensation passing through from the stomach up to the esophagus and sometimes reaching the throat and mouth. All these sensations can be symptoms of a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or what most people know as acid reflux disease.

Acid reflux disease is a condition where your esophageal sphincters become weak, letting gastric bile flow back into your esophagus. Gastric bile is very acidic. When stomach contents flow back up to your esophagus, your esophageal lining will be damaged and you will feel a burning sensation.

Symptoms

What does heartburn feel like? Here are some symptoms you will feel when you have an acid reflux disease

A burning sensation in your chest going to your esophagus may also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Because of the acid, you may also have difficulty swallowing due to the damage that is already present in your esophagus. If you don’t treat your condition, you may eventually experience sore throat and hoarseness of voice as a result of chronic damage to your esophageal lining.

Remedies

You can manage heartburns by taking medications. Contacting your health care provider before taking any medication is always a good idea. Some medicines you can take are antacids like Tums and Maalox; H2 receptor blockers like Pepcid and Zantac; Proton Pump Inhibitors like Prevacid and Prilosec.

Avoiding food triggers would also help reduce the frequency of heartburns. Spicy and fatty foods are common triggers of heartburns. What does heartburn feel like? It feels like an irritation in your throat that you want to cough out but can’t. By managing your symptoms, you won’t have to live with heartburns anymore.

Gastroesophageal disease, or what is commonly known as Acid Reflux disease is a chronic digestive condition where gastric contents flow back up to your esophagus. Back flow of stomach contents happens when your esophageal sphincter isn’t strong enough to keep itself closed against the pressure in your stomach. Loss of muscle tone on your sphincter may lead to acid reflux. Aside from a weak esophageal sphincter, another cause can be an abnormal reflex action of your sphincter where it opens when it’s not supposed to, letting the gastric bile up into your esophagus.

Being conscious of your eating habits and following an acid reflux diet would help ease out the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Here are some treatments and lifestyle remedies you can follow to manage this condition.

Treatments

Taking antacids which help regulate the acidity of your stomach would lessen the symptoms of acid reflux. Some antacids you can take are Tums, Maalox, and Rolaids. When taking antacids or any kind of medicine, make sure to check for the right dosage and side effects. If your esophagus is already inflamed due to acid back flow, taking antacids won’t cure the problem. You may have to consult your doctor or take another kind of medication.

Most of the time, a simple acid reflux or heart burn condition may be managed by lifestyle changes. Here are some things you can easily do to avoid and lessen the frequency of acid reflux symptoms.

Eat nutritious food and make sure to maintain a healthy weight. An acid reflux diet consists of healthy and non-irritating food. The kinds of food you may eat will depend on which foods you can tolerate eating. You have to know what triggers your heartburn. Some common triggers are spicy food, garlic, alcoholic beverages, caffeine and fried food. Taking note of the food you eat and when a heartburn occurs would help you make your own acid reflux diet.

Acid reflux symptoms in women:

Heartburn is one of the most common symptoms that you will feel. This is a burning sensation you will feel in your chest. The feeling can spread upward to your throat as well. You may have a sour taste in your mouth when you are experiencing heartburn. This burning sensation is caused by the acid flowing back up to your esophagus. Nausea and vomiting are also two common symptoms of acid reflux disease.

Another sign of acid reflux disease is dysphagia or having difficulty swallowing. Dysphagia happens as a result of frequent acid reflux. Acid damages the lining of your esophagus. When the lining is damaged, it will be hard for you to swallow. Sore throat and hoarseness of voice can also occur due to the damaged esophagus. Also, the presence of acid in your esophageal tract can cause an infection.  Coughing then occurs because of frequent irritation of the acid in your esophagus.

The severity and frequency of these symptoms differ from one person to another.

Risk Factors

There are several conditions and factors which may increase your risk of developing an acid reflux disease. Some of these conditions are:
•    Hiatal Hernia
•    Asthma
•    Smoking and drinking alcohol
•    Pregnancy and obesity
•    Diabetes

Acid reflux symptoms may be managed by simple lifestyle changes. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating nutritious food will help decrease the severity of the symptoms. Obesity puts too much pressure on your abdomen, which increases the risk of gastric contents backing up to your esophagus. Trying to avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes also help alleviate acid reflux symptoms in women by reducing the pressure on your abdomen. There are many things you can do to manage your condition. Contact your health care provider today so you can be diagnosed and be given the right treatment.

The stomach produces and holds acidic juices which aid in the digestion of food. The lining of the stomach wall is strong and is unharmed by the acid. When we eat, once we have chewed and swallowed our food, it passes though the esophagus and then on to the stomach to be fully digested.

There is a divider between the stomach and the oesophagus which prevents the acid from leaving the stomach. Acid Reflux occurs when this divider fails to work correctly and does not block the path. The burning sensation in the chest that is felt when this occurs is heartburn, and is a major symptom of this syndrome.

Treatment of this disorder can be done in several ways. One of the natural methods of treatment can be changing diet. Cutting out caffeine and spicy foods can make a noticeable difference. Medications are also available to offer relief though they should only be taken on the advice of a medical practitioner.

Acid Reflux is common though this does not mean you should ignore it. If left untreated it can lead to other disorders or problems down the track. Understanding the cause of your condition and being aware of the symptoms will allow you to better monitor the situation.