Heartburn Relief Through Different Options
Heartburn relief is available in many forms of treatments. What works for one does not necessarily help another. The movement of the stomach acids up into the esophagus what causes the burning feeling in your chest.
Heartburn Relief With Over The Counter Medications
Gaviscon or Tums are two over the counter heartburn medications that can relieve heartburn pain temporarily. They are handy for the occasional bout of heartburn, but if you suffer with pain a few times a week, then you should not take these medications continually as you could risk kidney damage, plus you may have a more serious problem.
If you suffer with severe or chronic heartburn, other medications such as Pepcid AC or Zantac may be advised. These are known as histamine receptor blockers. Doctors often advise these as treatments to provide you with ongoing relief. They block the production of stomach acid and are not an instant pain reliever. They are designed to be taken daily or an hour before you eat. Any medication taken long term is not advised, as it is not natural for our bodies to live on pain killers. Using histamine receptor blockers long-term and the long term effects on the body is not known, as researchers fear.
Pepcid Complete is another medication that is an antacid and a histamine receptor blocker combined. The advantages and disadvantages are combined therefore of the two heartburn relief classes already mentioned.
Surgery For Obtaining Heartburn Relief
Occassionally heartburn treatments in the form of medication does not relieve a problem. In some cases a surgical procedure is performed, called fundoplication. Fundoplication can reduce heartburn by applying pressure to the sphincter muscle which stops the stomach acid flowing into the esophagus. This procedure does not have a total success rate, as many patients experience heartburn symptoms within a few years. As with anything new developments and procedures are made and less invasive forms of fundoplication has evolved, increasing the chances of a permanent solution to heartburn relief.
Change Your Lifestyle For Heartburn Relief
If you suffer with heartburn you have probably been told to change your lifestyle. You probably have heard, quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, don’t eat this and don’t eat that. They are all things you will not want to hear and are no doubt sick of hearing. Unfortunately they are something you should do. Heartburn occurs because you are unhealthy. Your body is telling you something isn’t working. You know what causes your heartburn, so you are the best one to fix it.
