Heartburn is not a serious condition but it can very well hinder your regular activities. If this condition grows more severe, becoming a chronic condition, then it will be more difficult to treat this disorder. Heartburn treatment is possible with both natural as well as pharmacological methods. Although the treatments for heartburn are effective, it is essential that you stay protected by avoiding all other triggers of the disorder. Heartburn is said to be extremely bothersome as it can cause severe pain in the chest and may even cause respiratory troubles. It should thus be treated at the right time with the best treatment measures.
Natural heartburn treatment:
Whatever the disorder may be, the best treatments are still the natural methods. Medications can provide the desired effects; however, they can also pave the way to many side effects and they should thus be avoided.
One method for providing quick relief for heartburn is by chewing gum. Chewing stimulates the secretion of saliva which then provides relief to the harmful effects that gastric acid produces. Baking soda, licorice, aloe vera, and slippery elm are just some of the natural products that can decrease the effect of heartburn.
Medication for heartburn:
Some important drugs that are used to fight the effects of heartburn are antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 blockers. Antacids can reduce or control the effect of the gastric secretions. Some examples of antacids are Tums, Mylanta, and Maalox. These drugs can reduce the effect of gastric secretions for about half an hour. They should not be taken for treating chronic conditions. Gaviscon is another antacid that can be taken to protect the esophagus by forming a layer of foam between the gastric acids and the esophageal lining.
H2 blockers prevent the oversecretion of gastric acid. They are also called H2-receptor antagonists, and they work by blocking histamine2, one of the important acid producers. These drugs also reduce the irritation in the stomach lining that causes heartburn. A few examples of drugs that fall under this category are Zantac, Tagamet, Pepcid, and Axid.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole can reduce the secretion of stomach acids, thereby reducing the symptoms of heartburn. Most of the drugs used in the treatment of heartburn are used to reduce the symptoms but are also best taken with some natural or home remedies. Thus, it would be best to find out which combination would work best to fight your heartburn symptoms.
Promotility agents can also be used to speed digestion. Heartburn happens when the acid stays in the stomach too long because of slow gastric emptying.
Surgery:
Heartburn can be easily overcome with some simple procedures of the natural or medication kind, but it is not the same case when treating chronic heartburn. Chronic heartburn can become even worse if the proper treatment is not provided and so the best and more commonly recommended treatment procedure for it is surgery. In a chronic condition, the esophageal sphincter and the walls of the esophagus get damaged and so an artificial lining has to be made. This can be done only by surgery.
