Header Graphic

 

Acid Reflux Chest Pain

 If you think that you might be suffering from a heart attack.Stop! Especially if you have had this sensation multiple times, and the doctor has not been able to confirm anything of the sort happening. A large amount of the time, when a person things that the heart is failing, what they are actually experiencing, is a nasty case of heartburn. When the digestive system is not performing correctly, the food will come back up into the chest area and cause a lot of pain. This is partly due to a mechanism or valve of the esophagus  not working correctly, and that the soft tissue within it is not meant to withstand acidity.

When in doubt, contact a medical office in order to rule out a heart attack. The odds are that you are simply anxious about what has happened, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

acid reflux chestAs the acid splashes up into the esophagus (LES), the tissue becomes inflamed or burnt and the nerves go into overdrive. You may feel a shortness of breath, burning, chest pain or other similar symptoms but they do not necessarily have anything to do with the heart. If it happens right after a meal than that is also a sign of what you are experiencing... especially if you just ate something fatty, sweet, fried or loaded with sugar.

For people that have not been diagnosed with acid reflux / gerd... heartburn is only one of the symptoms of the illness, it might seem that something more serious is happening. It might be a bit shocking, but either way it is best to get a medical examiner to run some tests and get to the bottom of it. Acid reflux can cause real havoc onto a body if left untreated for a long period of time.

There are many treatments available, ranging from a diet change, lifestyle change, medication all the way to surgery. There are OTC as well as prescription drugs available, and they both attempt to reduce or control the production of stomach acid.

Some of the heartburn triggers include smoking, alcohol, caffeine and eating too close to sleep time. There are also numerous types of what is called trigger foods which elevate the condition and increase acid production within the abdomen.

Many individuals can greatly reduce these symptoms by changing their diet, avoiding problem foods and starting an exercise routine. For most though, this will not be enough and some sort of medication will be necessary. The largest problem with reflux is that since it is a life lasting condition, you may have a relapse even after many years of feeling good. There is no miracle pill, or one week cure as many of the books might suggest and understanding of the condition is key in order to be able and combat it.

If you or anyone that you know is struggling with reflux, than you already know how distracting and harmful it is when left unattended. Although a doctor may be ready to quickly fill out a prescription form, have them perform the right type of tests and find out all of your option.

The goal, here, should be to find a way that allows to live a normal life and keep any of the sings of reflux at bay. This can be done through many homeopathic and natural ways as well. There are certain herbs and foods that can help tremendously. A few of these include aloe vera, chamomile, fennel seed or ginger root.