When you have your first experience of heartburn, you could think you’re having a heart attack. Regardless how painful the sensations happen to be, however, they’ve got nothing to do with your heart and everything to do with your stomach. When stomach acid accumulates it is forced back up your esophagus, it produces heartburn. Therefore, the key to avoiding heartburn is to keep your stomach acid low and flowing how it’s supposed to flow. It is not always possible, though, and then you need some type of heartburn medication that will relieve the symptoms and help your body get back on the right track.

There are numerous different types of medications that are used for heartburn, and they are all effective in their own way. You may be most familiar with antacids, such as Tums, that actually work to neutralize stomach acid and eradicate the pain. In the event you keep a bottle of antacids in your home and carry some inside your purse or pocket, you can be all set whenever an attack might hit you. Antacids usually work quickly, and taking them according to the instructions on the bottle will most likely get rid of the issue right away. However, you will want to note that not every medication can work exactly the same for everyone who takes it.

If antacids alone aren’t doing the trick for you, you may want to try a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) which will lower the production of stomach acid thereby lessening your odds of getting heartburn. If you have heard the TV commercials advertising Prevacid, you know it’s a PPI that is prescribed for patients suffering with acid reflux disease, that is an acute form of heartburn. It’s not an appropriate medication for everybody who suffers from occasional bouts of heartburn, though, so consult with your medical professional to determine if he feels you’ll benefit from taking it. It can result in diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and nausea in some cases.

Another type of heartburn medication consists of H-2 blockers, like Zantac, that can be purchased over-the-counter. These medicines are way less potent than their prescription counterparts, however they may take care of your problem, for the reason that do effectively block acid production.

If you have problems with heartburn, even infrequently, you’re sure to wish to find some type of heartburn remedies that will relieve the symptoms and also keep these things from coming in the first place. Consult your doctor about your options, and let him recommend the best strategy in your case.

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Tags: heartburn, heartburn medication, heartburn medicine, heartburn remedies, treating heartburn

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 at 6:57 am and is filed under Massage Therapy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.