Heartburn is also known as acidic reflux. It is a burning feeling that occurs in the chest below your breastbone. The feeling lasts a short while or several hours in severe instances. People also refer to it as gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD is an advanced form of heartburn. The condition starts when the acid in the stomach splashes to the esophagus. It broadly occurs when gastric juice flows back to the stomach from the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube connecting the back of your throat and the stomach.
Drinking some beverages and eating certain foods triggers acidic reflux. You can also induce it by drastic lifestyle and diet changes. Other common causes of heartburn are pregnancies and lying flat or on your right side. Acidic reflux is a common occurrence among many people today. Most individuals opt for an over the counter dosage to treat the painful illness. Other people prefer natural home remedies. The disease requires medical attention when it is severe. Extreme situations are when the illness takes too long to heal.
1. Chest Pain
Chest pain is often a red flag that you have a heart attack. It is also a sign of acidic reflux. Agony in the chest that is due to heartburn is known as non-cardiac chest pain. It is essential to know the different types. You will treat your acidic reflux better with this knowledge.
The location of your discomfort distinguishes cardiac and reflux related pain. Both cardiac and non-cardiac pain happens behind your breastbone. Cardiac pain spreads to other parts of the body such as your shoulders, neck, the upper part of your left arm, and your back. Non-cardiac chest pain does not affect your arm. Different patients describe it as either tender or sharp. You may feel intense pain when you breathe deeply or cough. Cardiac pain, on the other hand, does not vary in intensity breathing profoundly or not.
2. Pain after Eating
Heartburn pain after eating affects the area under the ribs, the upper stomach, and the sternum. The pain causes a burning sensation and discomfort. It occurs due to foods mixing with acids in the stomach.
The acid returns to your esophagus shortly after you eat. The sphincter is a muscle in your body whose role is to disallow the acid through to the esophagus. Your sphincter malfunctions due to being overweight, overeating, and eating spices causing acid reflux. The symptom of acidic reflux can also be a sign of indigestion and peptic ulcer. Before treating the pain as a sign of heartburn ensure you consult your doctor.
3. Burning in Throat
The burning sensation in the throat is the most common sign of acidic reflux. The acid that returns to the esophagus irritates the throat causing a burning feeling. It occurs in the upper or lower part of the throat.
You can treat burning in the throat by changing your lifestyle habits. Some of the behaviors you should cut off include smoking, eating triggering foods, quitting alcohol, and reducing weight. If you feel a burning sensation in the throat, you can mistake heartburn for other conditions. It is also a sign of esophagitis, an infection in the throat, and postnasal drip. You should get advice from a specialist before dealing with the condition.
4. Fluid in Throat
Heartburn involves reflux of an acidic fluid into the esophagus. The liquid substance makes its way to the mouth, and you can feel its taste. The acidic fluid in the mouth is due to a situation known as acid indigestion.
You will feel a burning feeling when the fluid goes to the throat. The sensation causes discomfort and pain in the throat. The liquid in the throat also characterizes GERD which is an advanced form of heartburn. You can get over the counter medication or home remedies to curb the pain in the throat. It is paramount to seek medical attention when your situation is severe.
5. Long Term Cough
A persistent cough is among the less common signs of heartburn. Most of the time it characterizes more serious conditions such as GERD. The long term cough is an involuntary action due to the rise of the stomach acid into the food pipe.
The long term cough also occurs as a result of acid lining the throat and voice box. A concurrent cough begins as a defense against the reflux. The condition takes a longer time to heal. The characteristics of a long term cough include coughing immediately after a meal, occurs while you are lying, when after getting checked your x-rays are normal, and coughing without other common causes.
6. Sore Throat
A sore throat is one of the symptoms of acid reflux. The food particles and fluids are pushed into the esophagus when you eat foods that enhance heartburn. These components accompany an acid which has a low ph. A property that irritates the throat causing a sore throat.
A sore throat due to heartburn is worst in the morning. The aid has an easier time to make its way to the esophageal when you are lying down. Through the night as you sleep you tend to wake up to soreness in the throat. You can curb the condition by reliable home remedies. It is important to see a doctor if the symptom persists.
7. Hoarseness
Hoarseness is the abnormal variations in your voice when you have heartburn. Your voice becomes strained, with a lower or higher pitch, and sometimes raspy. Hoarseness also triggers a constant urge to clear your throat. The acid on the voice box is responsible for your hoarse voice.
People frequently treat conditions such as asthma, postnasal drip, allergic reactions, and flu when they get hoarse. Misdiagnosing this symptom of acidic reflux is easy. You should consult a doctor before treating the illness. Apart from over the counter medication, you can adjust some of your habits. These habits include eating the right foods and working on excessive weight.
