How to Get Rid of Heartburn

how to get rid of heartburn

Imagine this: you just ate your favourite very spicy meal, then laid on your coach, happy and satisfied but then it happens. A slight hiccup followed by a burning sensation in your chest and throat. Sounds familiar? Unfortunately, heartburn happens to many.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn is a burning sensation in your chest that often occurs with a bitter taste in your throat or mouth. The symptoms of heartburn may get worse after you eat a large spicy, fatty, or acidic meal or when you’re lying down. In general, you can successfully treat the symptoms of heartburn at home.

What Causes Heartburn?

Heartburn typically occurs when contents from the stomach back up into the oesophagus. The oesophagus is a tube that carries food and fluids from the mouth into the stomach. Your oesophagus connects to your stomach at a juncture known as the cardiac or lower oesophageal sphincter. If the cardiac sphincter is functioning properly, it closes when food leaves the oesophagus and enters the stomach.

In some people, the cardiac sphincter doesn’t function properly, or it becomes weakened. This leads to contents from the stomach leaking back into the oesophagus. Stomach acids can irritate the oesophagus and cause symptoms of heartburn. This condition is known as reflux. Heartburn can also be the result of a hiatal hernia. This happens when part of the stomach pushes through the diaphragm and into the chest.

Other health conditions or lifestyle choices can worsen your heartburn, including:

• Smoking,

• Being overweight or obese,

• Consuming caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol,

• Eating spicy foods,

• Lying down immediately after eating,

• Taking certain medications, such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

8 Verified Ways to Get Rid of Heartburn

Although uncomfortable and inconvenient, heartburns can be easily treated by small steps, including these home remedies.

1. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Loosen Clothing: As said before, heartburns happen when the contents of your stomach rise up into your oesophagus, where stomach acids can burn tissues. In some cases, you might be having an episode of heartburn because tight clothing is compressing your stomach. If that’s the case, the first thing to do is loosen your belt — or your pants, dress, or whatever else is holding you tight.

2. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Stand up Straight: Your posture can also contribute to heartburn. If you’re sitting or lying down, try standing up. If you’re already standing, try standing up more straight.

3. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Elevate your Upper Body: Lying down can make heartburn worse. When it’s time for bed, adjust your sleeping surface to raise your upper body. But lifting your head with extra pillows isn’t usually enough. Instead, the goal is to elevate your body from the waist up. If you have an adjustable bed, set it at a suitable angle to provide relief. If your bed isn’t adjustable, you can change the angle of your sleeping surface by using a wedge pillow.

4. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Mix baking Soda with Water: Baking soda can calm some episodes of heartburn by neutralizing your stomach acid. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink it slowly. In fact, you should drink everything slowly when you have heartburn.

5. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Put Ginger into your Meals: Ginger can help relieve nausea, and some people believe it may be worth trying for heartburn, too. Consider adding grated or diced ginger root to your favourite stir-fry recipes, soups, and other foods. To make ginger tea, steep raw ginger root, dried ginger root, or ginger tea bags in boiling water. It’s probably best to avoid ginger ale, though. Carbonated beverages are a common heartburn trigger, and most brands of ginger ale are made with artificial flavouring rather than the real thing.

6. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Take Licorice Supplements: Licorice supplements are another popular choice for heartburns as they might help increase the mucous coating of your oesophageal lining, which may protect your oesophageal from damage caused by stomach acid. But remember to always talk to your doctor before starting to take Licorice as it increases the blood pressure when eaten too often.

7. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Sip Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is another home remedy that some people use to treat heartburn, believing that it may neutralize stomach acid. Some research suggests that drinking diluted apple cider vinegar after a meal may help alleviate heartburn for some people. However, these effects didn’t reach the level of statistical significance, so more research is needed. But if you decide to try this remedy, dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and drink it after a meal.

8. How to Get Rid of Heartburn = Chew Gum: According to some research made in 2014, chewing gum for half an hour after meals may help reduce heartburn. If you decide to try this remedy, dilute the apple cider vinegar with water and drink it after your meal. Because chewing gum stimulates saliva production and swallowing, it might help dilute and clear stomach acid from your oesophagus.

Avoiding Heartburn

• Avoid foods or activities that may cause your symptoms.

• You can also take an over-the-counter medication, such as a chewable antacid tablet before you eat to prevent heartburn before symptoms start.

• Ginger snacks or ginger tea are also helpful home remedies that you can buy in many stores.

• Lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid alcohol and tobacco.

• Try to avoid snacking late at night. Instead, stop eating at least four hours before bedtime.

• Rather than two or three large meals, eat smaller meals more frequently to ease the impact on your digestive system.

When to See a Doctor

Many people occasionally experience heartburn. However, you should contact your doctor if you experience heartburn more than twice per week or heartburn that doesn’t improve with treatment. This could be a sign of a more serious condition. Heartburn often occurs alongside other gastrointestinal conditions, such as ulcers, which are sores in the lining of the oesophagus and stomach, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Contact your doctor if you have heartburn and develop:

• Difficulty swallowing,

• Pain with swallowing,

• Dark, tarry, or bloody stools,

• Shortness of breath,

• Pain the radiates from your back to your shoulder,

• Dizziness,

• Lightheadedness,

• Sweating while having chest pain.