Heartburn.
A strange word don't you think when you are describing acid in the stomach? But that is what we say when we have too much acid in our stomachs.
Inside our body we have the esophagus which is the tube that takes our food down to our stomach, and that can suffer from acid burns as acid is released from the stomach to deal with the food that we have just eaten.
The esophageal sphincter is a valve inside our body that should stop our stomachs contents from reversing course and coming back up but sometimes the valve stays open and allows the acid to flow up the esophagus.
This in turn causes pain beneath the breastbone and a burning feeling and is called the acid reflux.
Other times the acid comes all the way up into the mouth which gives you an acidic and bitter taste in the mouth.
You may also have pain and burning in the chest which is very uncomfortable.
Relief from the Burning But all is not lost and usually not very serious.
Instead you can take antacid tablets which will combat the heartburn and rid your body of that burning and pain.
So what are the different antacid tablets you can take and where can you get them? Well for starters most of the time you do not need to pay a visit to your doctors, instead a trip to the chemist or local supermarket will often suffice.
Zantac/Ranitidine Zantac (Taladine, Zantac) can be brought over the counter at chemists in varying low strengths.
If you require a higher strength then a visit to the doctors is a must as you can only get them via prescription.
They come in either tablet form or effervescent.
Various companies make antacid tablets including Rennie made by Bayer and Bisodol made by Forest Laboratories UK.
Another option would be to look in the supermarket as some have their own antacid tablets and these are usually much cheaper than the more popular ones.
Home Remedies If you want to try something different then why not an age old remedy? There are a few around and it could pay to use one of these instead of forking out for over the counter tablets.
Bicarbonate of Soda.
Nearly every household has this in the cupboard and it is very good against heartburn.
Mix half a teaspoon in water and stir before drinking.
Baking Soda.
The same as bicarb in that most households will have this, it also contains sodium bicarbonate and the principle is the same: half a teaspoon in water and stir until dissolved.
Marshmallow.
The herb marshmallow has mucilage inside it which is said to coat the lining of the esophagus and thus easing the acidic burning.
Aloe Vera.
The juice from this plant also soothes the esophagus.
A popular natural home remedy in Europe and could aid in relieving heartburn.
Cardamom.
This spice believe it or not will help you rid your body of the burning of acid indigestion.
Use it in your baking and it will keep the heartburn at bay.
Tea Drinkers If you are a tea drinker then there are a few home remedies that involve tea and could be worth a try.
Ginger.
Make a tea from this root and you will quell that burning inside you.
Cinnamon.
An age old remedy for heartburn.
Make your own instead of buying some as usually shop brought contains other products in it including tea.
A stick of cinnamon is perfect for those lovely drinks to while away that burning acid.
If you know what gives you heartburn it might pay to write those particular things down and try to avoid them.
Certain foods and drinks which could give you heartburn are: Coffee Peppermint Alcohol Onions Garlic Fatty foods Smoking is another thing that could give you heartburn and so could stress.
Having stress can make us smoke more, or drink more coffee and alcohol, so it pays to rid oneself of stress, maybe by relaxation therapies or meditation or other ways of combating stress.
Exercising and Eating Healthily But do you know there are things you can do to alleviate yourself from the pain and discomfort of heartburn without spending money.
That course of treatment is exercise and healthy eating.
If you take regular exercise and eat sensibly then your body will reward you with trouble free stomach problems and in particular heartburn.
Foods like vegetables are an excellent choice especially if you have grown them yourself, rice is another food that is kind to the stomach.
So if you are looking to get yourself fit and you suffer from burning brought on by heartburn then now is the time to start.
Endless Choices There are lots of different tablets, powders and teas you can take to rid you of that burning heartburn.
Either shop brought or an age old remedy there will be something that will help you rid you of that acid.
Check Before This article is just a guide as to what you could take to help you rid yourself of heartburn.
You should always check before you start to take any medication even if it means making a trip to see your doctor.