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Written by The Alternate Medic
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Saturday, 19 April 2008 |
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Chronic heartburn is diagnosed if and when the patient suffers from heartburn three or more times a week for a period of two to three weeks. If you are suffering from heartburn take a look at your diet , has it recently altered greatly, has there been an increase in the consumption of alcohol, high stress levels or have you been taking strong medications over this period of time.
by TheAlternateMedic
Chronic heartburn is diagnosed if and when the patient suffers from heartburn three or more times a week for a period of two to three weeks. If you are suffering from heartburn take a look at your diet , has it recently altered greatly, has there been an increase in the consumption of alcohol, high stress levels or have you been taking strong medications over this period of time.
For chronic heartburn to be confirmed a substantial change must have occured, if the person's diet or other aspects of their lifestyle have not changed, it could be a sign of other medical problems. It is important to be aware of the circumstances as anybody using self-treatment to combat chronic heartburn may be disguising the symptoms of these more serious problems
Heartburn is usually caused by the acid in the stomach being forced back into the esophagus which irritates its sensitive lining. Some of the causes of this are: - Gastrointestinal reflux, - a hiatal hernia - or a blockage in the stomach. If you suffer from chronic heartburn it is recommended that you check with a doctor to rule out any of these major problems.
In most cases when a person suffers from heartburn it is usually as a result of a dietary change or they eat or drink something that is high in acidic content, thus causing the digestive system to work overtime producing excessive acid. In most cases and over the counter medication will quel the burning sensation which will soon disappear. However, if chronic heartburn is diagnosed it is likely that it may be treated with prescription medication.
Quenching The Burning Sensation In The Belly
Unfortunately, sufferers of chronic heartburn are also at risk of developing ulcers in the esophagus as well as in the stomach. Quite often it is the result of the stomach being tricked into thinking more acid is needed to help with the digestive process that exacerbates the situation. Many believe falsely that drinking milk can calm an acid stomach when in reality milk may actually promote the stomach's acid pumps to produce more owing to the added content in the stomach.
Sufferers of chronic heartburn will need to change their lifestyle to help eliminate the problem. This usually requires a change of diet (ie. staying away from rich fatty foods that require a lot of digestion and sticking to more fresh fruit and vegetables that are much easier to digest). If the doctor determines that the heartburn is being caused by prescription medication, he or she is likely to alter the dosage of the medication or change to another type if one is available. The patient may also be prescribed anti-acid medicine to help the offending medication to be accepted by the patients body and the side effects disappear.
Another name for heartburn is acid indigestion, it can be an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Unfortunately, this sensation can produce symptoms similar to a heart attack and therefore should never be ignored. When you are suffering from chronic heartburn, getting help from a doctor is important to prevent any additional damage to the esophagus or to learn if it is hiding another, potentially more dangerous, condition.
As with most other bodily functions, it is important to act swiftly to determine what the problem is, what causes the problem and what needs to be done to cure the problem before it gets worse, but more importantly why suffer at all when with a little thought and preventative action this discomfort can be completely avoided and other complications associated with it will never arise..
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