Hi Guys..Heartburn!! Well every one of us have felt it someday or other. Just imagine an uncomfortable situation in the chest, a severe burning sensation in your chest. Doesn’t feel good right?? If you have ever come across with such a situation then you know what heartburn feels like. I am not saying it is all about heart burn but yes it is one of the major symptoms of heartburn. So in the following article I will tell you how heartburn feels like in both normal as well as during pregnancy.
People use GERD, acid reflux as synonyms to heartburn. But actually these terms are quite different from each other. Let’s us begin with acid reflux it is very common medical condition. It can be cured quite easily and it is initial stage of GERD. GERD is a chronic problem. Its full form is Gastro esophageal reflux disease. It is the severe form of acid reflux. Now comes to our interest heartburn. It is basically the symptom of GERD and acid reflux.
Now let’s talk about the symptoms of heartburn. A heartburn symptom varies from a normal person to a woman who is pregnant. I will talk about both the conditions. You can go through all the symptoms according to your condition and then check if you have any. And if you feel you have any of these symptoms, severe or mild then do consult a doctor for further assistance as it can also be life threatening sometimes.
Symptoms of Heartburn (Normal condition):-
There are common and uncommon symptoms of heartburn. First let us talk about the common symptoms of heartburn:-
- Burping
- Bloating
- Uncomfortable, unease that gets worse after eating, lying down or bending over.
- Acrid taste at the back of your throat.
- A pressure or pain just behind the breastbone. If you are having a crushing chest pain then may be something serious is there which need to be accessed by doctor immediately.
- Burning feeling in your chest that can travel up to neck or throat.
Now let us talk about some of the uncommon symptoms of heartburn:-
- Continuous hiccups.
- Painful swallowing if you feel you have problem in swallowing your food or water then it might be a symptom of heartburn, you should discuss them with your doctor immediately.
- Consistent pain in your neck and shoulder area. If you feel something like this is happening with you then you should immediately discuss all these symptoms with your doctor.
Now comes to pregnant woman there are not many symptoms to discuss but I will tell you some to recognize heartburn:-
- Unease, uncomfortable sensations, a flamethrower near chest or gut.
- Burning sensation from mouth to stomach to bowl.
So far we have discussed its symptoms now let us talk about its causes.
Heartburn Is Caused Due To Following Reasons:-
1> Eating Habits:
- Eating before going to bed
- Drinking lots of alcohols, citrus juices, caffeinated beverages and carbonated beverages.
- Eating large amount of food at a time.
- Eating onions, chocolates, peppermint, high-fat foods, citrus fruits, garlic, spicy food, tomatoes and tomato based foods.
2> Medical Reasons:
- Pregnancy
- Hiatal hernia (When the stomach bulges up into the chest)
- Use of certain special medicines like aspirin or some anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
3> Living Habits:
- Smoking
- Stress
- Obesity
- Wearing tight clothes and belts.
How to prevent and manage Heartburn normally and during pregnancy?
You can easily manage heartburn by making slight changes in your lifestyle and eating habits.
- Wear loose fitting clothes.
- Decrease the size of meal. Instead of taking three large meals take five or six small meals.
- Eat slowly. Always remember to take breaks between your bytes.
- Don’t go to bed with full stomach. Eat meals three or four hours prior you go to sleep as it gives enough time to stomach to digest food and reduces chances of heartburn.
During pregnancy you can follow the following points to avoid chances of heartburn:-
- Try to avoid smoking.
- Keep a watch on your weight. Maintain within 25-35 pounds.
- Try to drink water before and after meals. More importantly, avoid drinking in between the meals.
- Try to have your meals three to four hours prior bedtime.
- Sit straight while eating and after three to four hours of your meals. And avoid bending but if you have to than do it with your knees instead of at your waist.
- Try to chew your food as much as you can, if you will do it then most of the work will be completed in the mouth itself and stomach has to do less work which will reduce the chances of heartburn.
When To Call Doctor in Heartburn???
Though heartburn is a common issue but sometimes it can lead to serious chronic issues like acid reflux, GERD, inflammation and narrowing of esophagus, respiratory problems, Barrett’s esophagus ,etc., which can finally lead to esophageal cancer. So I will tell some symptoms after which you are not supposed to take risk and immediately consult doctor and discuss all these issues with you.
You should consult doctor if you have:-
- If hurts or hard to swallow.
- It feels like vomiting.
- If symptoms persist even after taking medical and non-medical treatments.
- You notice a substantial weight loss.
- Serious hoarseness and wheezing.
Note: If you are home and cannot contact doctor and it is getting worse then try out the following points it will relieve you for some time and then immediately consult doctor.
- Try sleeping on your left side. It will help in digestion and removing all the acid from your stomach and esophagus.
- Do not use pillows as it will raise your head and chest higher than your feet which can even worse your heartburn as it will create pressure on your stomach.
- Drink lots of water, it will relieve you for sometimes as it helps in digestion.
Note:- Consulting a doctor is mandatory if you feel like because there are various uncommon symptoms which are different for different people.
So, this was all about Heartburn hope you would have liked it. You can share your experiences and any further symptoms if you know in the comment section below. You are important for us. Take Care!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3
