Pain is usually the number one defining symptom. There are others, of course, but just having pain is reason enough to take it seriously. As symptoms go, one of the most telling is one that is not usually listed. So if you were to say to me, ? I'm not really sure my heartburn is that serious,? the hard evidence would be whether you are carrying antacids in your pocket or purse. If so, you have one of the most telling symptoms.



The first step is to find what's causing the problem. If this a stumbling block then try using a heartburn diary to isolate the triggers. Log in anything food related, including amount and time of day. If you are taking any medication, write it down. You are looking for patterns related to the symptoms. There may even be puzzling instances of random pain.

This is how it starts - the cells on the stomach wall secrete an acid, which is essential to the digestion of food. That is when everything works smoothly. But when the stomach encounters a high protein meal something else can happen. This is the heartburn pain that we commonly experience and it occurs in the region of the chest just below the breastbone or sternum. This is usually caused by the stomach cells generating too much stomach acid. If this becomes a chronic condition the acid can irritate the walls of the stomach.

Here is where the surprise comes in. Heartburn usually strikes after a meal. But there are lesser known heartburn symptoms that may be hard to figure out because there are not food related. This could be random or persistent heartburn. Occurring even when the stomach is empty.

And there is a reason this can happen. It used to be that aspirin products were prescribed for any pain, some meds even had aspirin as an active ingredient.

Now it is known that the aspirin family of pharmaceuticals can irritate and even damage the walls of the stomach. Still very important for the relief of arthritis pain and other problems, but studies show irritation to the stomach lining is a cautionary factor.

To make matter worse, the stomach generates hydrochloric acid and an enzyme called pepsin, which is meant to break down food. When over produced it can also irritate the stomach lining, as well. These three together form a condition that can be very damaging, to the point of causing ulcers. This can mean heartburn pain even when you are not eating. If you experience stomach pain at random times, it could be a symptom of this.

Without a medical exam it would be hard to know if you have a condition like this. But the fact that you have heartburn attacks, not necessarily, at mealtime should be a clue. And that clue may point to an ulcer or damage the Lower Esophageal Sphincter. Antibiotics will usually repair the damage but certainly changes need to be made to avoid reoccurrence..

You can make good things happen by making changes in pain relief medication. By developing a personal plan with a more balanced menu, one that includes less acidic foods. Repairing the damage and eliminating the causes will allow you to look forward to a healthy life, free of heartburn pain.