Severe Heartburn and Nausea

There are several methods for treating severe heartburn including natural cures, over-the-counter medicines, and prescribed medication. The challenge is in finding what works best for you. The reason some of us get heartburn is that excess stomach acid gets back out of the stomach into our esophagus. The esophagus gets irritated by the acid, hence the pain which can manifest itself as chest pain. (Heartburn side-effects are often mistaken for heart attacks, but thankfully they are not!)

Before you begin taking heartburn medication, it’s best to address the cause of your heartburn, namely your diet. Monitor what you eat and identify the foods that may be causing heartburn. Food types that typically cause heartburn are fried, spicy, and citrus in nature. Perhaps a heartburn cure is as simple as changing your diet.

Another good option in over the counter heartburn medicine is the H-2-receptor blockers, which are better known under the commercial names like Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet. These heartburn medicines work by reducing the amount of acid that the stomach produces. With less acid, there is a lower chance that it will back up into the esophagus and cause heartburn symptoms. These medications work best if they are taken prior to eating a meal, because they take about 30 minutes to take effect.

There are several types of heartburn medications. Understand each type, including any side effects, before taking them. As the name suggests, they are “anti-acids” and their job is to neutralize the stomach acid that causes the problem. Brands such as Tums are antacids. If you find you are taking a lot of them, then that’s probably a sign of a bigger problem. So take them sparingly and keep a note of how frequent your use is of them.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

If over the counter heartburn medicines do not bring about the sufficient relief that you desire, you can also talk to your doctor about your choices in prescription medications. There is prescription-strength H-2-receptors that pack a more potent punch of heartburn remedy, as well as medications that are called proton pump inhibitors. Although these heartburn medicines are now available over the counter as well, under names like Prilosec, these are generally used for frequent heartburn problems that you should be discussing with your doctor.

Blocking Acid Production

Heartburn and Acid Reflux are substantially the same thing. The difference is in how often the attack occurs. Both are the effect of acid in the stomach forcing its way into the esophagus. Heartburn can be treated with over the counter medicine due to its infrequency. Most of us already know what foods seem to set their attack off. Acid Reflux requires a doctor’s care because it can cause lasting damage to the esophagus and can be a symptom of a bigger problem.

HCL related medications

Severe heartburn is often associated with too much acid, but in fact the opposite can occur causing heartburn. When we eat food, the stomach produces hydrochloric acid(HCL). One of its goals is to help with digestion. However, if there is not enough HCL produced, then food ferments, putrefying in the stomach and the resulting “mixture” can result in heartburn. HCL for heartburn supplements can help resolve this issue.

What Is The Frequency Of Your Heartburn