Heartburn is an incredibly painful condition that inflicts pain in the chest which is accompanied by tightness. It’s a quite common issue and many people often experience heartburn. While it is called ‘heartburn’ in informal language, it has nothing to do with the heart. Some of its symptoms are very related to the signs of a stroke or heart attack. Heartburn happens when there is an activity or an irritation in the esophagus, the muscular tube that joins the throat to the stomach. When this occurs, there is usually a burning sensation in the chest. One thing people should understand is that heartburn is not a disease. This is something that happens because of acid reflux. When the gas that is existing in the intestine begins flowing in the direction of the throat the heartburn begins. Below mentioned are some characteristics by which heartburn can be characterized:
- An abrupt burning sensation in the middle of the chest or around the breastbone.
- A burning feeling trickling into the throat
- Chest pain when bending or twisting
- The complication in swallowing food
- Nausea
As per the experts, in some people, heartburn begins and goes away on its own, while in others it may continue for a few hours. There are multiple reasons for heartburn. There is a muscular valve between the esophagus and the intestine. When it works appropriately, the stomach acid remains inside the stomach, but when the valve begins opening repeatedly or does not close appropriately, the stomach acid begins seeping upwards into the esophagus. This is understood as acid reflux. Food items that include high amounts of fat or oil can result in heartburn. Apart from this, too much spice or foodstuffs like citrus fruits, tomatoes, citrus foods, ginger, onions, coffee, alcohol, peppermint, etc. can also build acidity.
