When acids from the stomach go up to the esophagus it results in heartburn. There are various causes of heartburn and many of these can actually be prevented simply by correctly managing meals or just wearing the correct clothing. However, constant heartburn can be a real cause for concern as this may possibly be the symptom of or could result in a more serious condition.
Having heartburn can be a painful experience and this condition can occur once or repeatedly. The pain normally begins at the middle of the case of the ribcage and then it moves up to the jaw line. The pain one experiences from heartburn is sometimes compared to a fiery sensation in the middle of the chest or like a heart attack.
Common Causes Of Heartburn
For those who do not suffer constant heartburn, their heartburn can be caused by the position you are in after eating, clothing which are too tight around the stomach region and eating too much acidic or spicy foods. Constant heartburn has other causes which are sometimes not related to the causes of ordinary heartburn.
In general most of the common heartburn causes can easily prevented much in the same way that some cases of GERD can also be prevented. The problem however, is that for GERD many of the cases are due to physical disorders that can really not be prevented.
Cause For Concern Of Constant Heartburn
Constant heartburn is a common symptom of GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Gastroesophageal reflux disease can turn nasty if left untreated. Actually, this disease is the result of long term acid reflux or heartburn on the esophagus. There are many reasons for gastroesophageal reflux disease but the primary cause is constant heartburn.
There are many causes of constant heartburn; these causes include disorders of the sphincter, impaired expulsion of gastric acid from the stomach, too much muscle relaxation around the sphincter and a hiatus hernia. Another cause of constant heartburn is the damaged esophagus that makes it more sensitive to acid reflux. You can suspect that you have gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD if these symptoms are present, constant heartburn, difficulty swallowing, chronic cough, a hoarse voice, chronic earache and nausea. There are other symptoms of GERD but constant heartburn will be the most prevalent.
Although constant heartburn is considered a verified symptom of GERD, sometimes it can actually be the cause of GERD itself. You can avoid the onset of gastroesophageal disease by following a few simple steps such as being vigilant of your health habits by making the necessary adjustments to your diet, clothing and your lifestyle.
Tags: acid reflux, gerd, heartburn