Heartburn is a common ailment, which leads to a burning sensation in the chest region, triggered by stomach acid as it backs up into the esophagus. The burning is felt in the upper as well as the central region of the chest, right behind the breastbone called the sternum. This sensation worsens if the affected individual lies flat on the right side. Also, pregnant women tend to suffer from this problem.

How does it feel when heartburn strikes?

There are countless numbers of over-the-counter medications along with home remedies that can lessen and even treat the symptoms of heartburn. But before taking them, it is crucial to understand each and every heartburn symptom   exclusively so that one can get the right treatment at the earliest.

The problem is mostly caused by the reflux of the acid right when it splashes from the stomach to the esophagus. The triggers of heartburn differ from one person to another, even though the signs and symptoms are mostly similar.

• Burning feeling : This is perhaps the most common heartburn symptom. There is hardly any individual who doesn’t feel the burning sensation in the chest while suffering from it. It can occur right after eating and may last for a few minutes to hours together.
• Chest pain : Chest pain is an associated heartburn symptom that occurs as the affected individual bends over or lies down or eats. It is crucial to note here that chest pain can occur for a variety of reasons and therefore, it is advised to consult with an expert, if there is an unexplained chest pain. One should not assume any random chest pain to be heartburn symptom and start taking medicines.
• Discomfort in the throat : Feeling of salty and hot acidic liquid at the back of the throat and burning sensation are also common. Some people also suffer from difficulty in swallowing and feel as if the food has stuck in the chest or the throat and is not going down to the stomach.
• Other symptoms : Heartburn can also lead to a cough, chronic hoarseness, and sore throat.

If an individual is suffering from these symptoms, then it is crucial to report them to the doctor for receiving the needful treatment without much delay. However, the doctor may choose to perform special tests for understanding the severity of the condition and for monitoring the course of the treatment. Special tests may particularly be necessary when an individual is suffering from severe conditions such as weight loss or reflux disease.

Differentiating the heartburn symptom from that of heart attack:

Even though chest pain is usually associated with heart attack, some could actually be sever heartburn symptom. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between the two. For making matters more complicated, the two ailments have similar symptoms and occur among people who can be classed under the same categories in terms of age and health conditions.

Common signs and heartburn symptoms include

• Sharp and burning sensation right below the ribs and the breastbone
• Pain can radiate to the neck, arms and shoulders, though most of the time, it remains restricted to the chest region only.
• Pain is severe when experiencing anxiety and stress, and it responds fast to antacids.

Signs and symptoms of heart attack and typical angina include:

• A feeling of severe pressure and tightness in the center of the chest, which can radiate to other regions in close vicinity
• Sudden pain in the chest that worsens
• Dizziness and shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness which is often accompanied by nausea, cold sweat, and fatigue

If a person is suffering from any type of discomfort in the chest, which lasts for more than 10 to 15 minutes, it is important to seek medical attention almost immediately. In case the affected individual is not able to understand the exact cause of the discomfort, then also it is imperative to seek emergency medical attention without trying any kind of medications.

Getting relief from heartburn

When a person is affected with severe heartburn, there are several ways to lessen its impacts and eliminate the effects of the issue completely. It is recommended to wear loose-fitting clothes, which would not hold the chest area too tightly to aggravate the discomfort. Generally, the problem gets severe when the affected person lies down and therefore, the quickest action should be to stand erect so that the internal organs are relaxed. One more thing that one can do is to lengthen as well as broaden the spine and torso so that nothing within remains compressed.

There are various home remedies such as consuming baking soda, which can help alleviate any heartburn symptom, but one should always seek medical attention for getting long-term relief from this problem. A special note for pregnant women experiencing symptoms of heartburn is that they must inform their gynecologist promptly to avoid any complications.