What Is Severe Heartburn

If you have read any of my previous articles, you should have a good understand of heartburn and some of its causes. However, some people suffer from severe heartburn. In this case, you might be suffering from the complications of heartburn. This article will help you understand what is severe heartburn.

You might have experienced occasional heartburn. Some of us experience heartburn once in a long time, or even up to several times a week. However, if you have noticed that your heartburn becomes very frequent and it causes more pain and discomfort than ever, you might be suffering from severe heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

There are some tell tale signs that will warn you of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The main symptom of GERD is heartburn. Hence, if your heartburn frequency increases and the problems you are facing causes much more trouble in your daily life, you should start seeking treatment. Usually, people with GERD will experience frequent pain in the chest aside from the burning feeling at their throats. Also, they face problems like insomnia, swallowing problems and faint tastes of acid at the back of their tongue.

What is severe heartburn? Many Americans suffer from heartburn occasionally. However, it does not occur with such frequency that it interferes with your life. This is not the case for severe heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Americans who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease experience huge inconveniences. For example, most of them will have to stop consuming certain foods and stop exercising due to the discomfort. The constant burning and sore throat also causes sleeping and swallowing problems.

While the common heartburn can cause some irritation, severe heartburn or GERD can cause worse complications such as Esophagitis, Barrett’s Esophagus, Strictures or even Esophageal Cancer. When our stomach acid constantly comes into contact with the lining of our esophagus, it can cause erosion or esophagus ulcers. This results in bleeding of the esophagus which is also known as Esophagitis. As for Barrett’s Esophagus, it is caused by long term GERD. It is a condition that puts patients at risk of Esophageal Cancer. Lastly, strictures cause the narrowing of the esophagus. For serious cases, food and drinks that you swallow will not be able to reach your stomach.

There are many causes of heartburn. Thirty to forty percent of adults have experienced occasional heartburn. However, there are also some people who suffer from very frequent heartburn. Due to the inconvenience caused, most constant sufferers will search for ways to cure their discomfort. Without a good understanding, it will not be easy to find a cure. If you are suffering from heartburn, you must know what causes heartburn before you seek a cure for it.

Heartburn is directly caused by the acid in your stomach. The burning sensation that you feel at your throat is caused by the damage that the acid is doing to your throat. Our stomach produces strong acid to help us digest the food that we eat. Under normal circumstances, the acid will not be able to move up our esophagus. However, when the muscle that prevents the acid from moving up does not function normally, heartburn occurs.

Now that you understand the direct cause of heartburn, you should also know some common indirect causes to heartburn. This will help you understand what causes heartburn better.