Heartburn Treatments – Simple and Not So Simple… (Part 1)
What follows are a number of suggestions that may help if heartburn is becoming a factor in getting a good sleep.
Gastro esophageal reflux, or heartburn, is recognized by burning chest pain. Another typical symptom is a sensation of food coming back into the mouth with a bitter, acidic taste. This disorder can also be accompanied by asthmatic breathing, coughing and hoarseness. Occasionally, gastro esophageal reflux can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack, and is often mistaken for one. This disorder is caused by acid “backing up” into the esophagus during sleep. This is easily treatable with medication.
Most people can control heartburn by making a few changes in their lifestyle and habits. It’s especially important to cut back on things such as chocolate, alcohol, coffee, fried foods, and other items that have a tendency to weaken the seal between the stomach and the esophagus. You can also ease some of your pain by avoiding foods that irritate an already inflamed esophagus, such as tomato sauces, citrus fruits and juices, peppers and spicy foods. If you’re a smoker, you should consider quitting. It would be the healthiest thing to do at this time. And if you’re overweight, loosing a few pounds can save you a lot of unnecessary pain.
If heartburn tends to strike you at night, try raising the head of your bed by four to six inches. One way to do this is to place blocks under the frame at the head of the bed. Some stores such as “Bed, Bath, and Beyond” sell bed raisers to do just this. This will make physics work for you. Gravity will help keep acid in your stomach. For the same reason, you should also wait at least two to three hours after dinner before lying down to bed. This is a good thing do to help you loose weight as well. If your food is digested, there is nothing to go back into the esophagus.
