Heartburn and 9 Conditions that Resembles to Heart Burn
What is Heartburn?
A burning sensation is caused in the upper Abdomen, beside the bones of Breast and you feel your Chest on the fire. This burning may travel form the Diaphragm to the Throat and may sometimes accompany the sour taste and entering of food back to the mouth.
Image by : toastforbrekkie
Source by : Flickr
If you suffer from Heartburn once a month, it is considered as mild. If you suffer from once a week, it is moderate but if this occurs daily it is identified as severe Heartburn.
About 20% of adults may suffer from this condition at least once a month. These Heartburns can be managed with the few changes in diet, medicines and the weight loss. People suffering from moderate Heartburn can take relief from home remedies. About 5 to 15% of adults suffer from severe Heartburn, which requires the proper diagnosis and treatment as well. About 8 in 10 people suffer from this disease at the night time.
Causes of Heartburn
Following are the few causes of Heartburn
- Weakening of Lower Esophageal Sphincter valve
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
- Foods like Coffee, Alcohol, Sugar, fatty foods, Fried foods and Chocolate etc
- Eating large food before sleeping
- Hiatal Hernia
- Pressure on Stomach
- Stress
- Few medications
- Smoking
- Peptic Cancer
- Being pergnant
Here are 9 conditions that can resemble the Heartburn
-
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Pain like Heart burn is a common sign of Gastroesophageal Reflux disease. There are many others factors too that can cause the feeling of Heartburn in the Chest of an individual. The exact condition is recognized by the taking tests for GERD. Heartburn is an important sign of the Gastroesophageal Reflux disease.
-
Heart Disease
Angina or pain in Chest can occur due to the lack of Blood flow to the Heart and you feel like as if you have Heartburn.
Ryan Madanick, A Gastroenterologist and Assistant professor of medicine at the University in North Carolina School of Medicine, in Chapel Hill says that the important thing is if you are suffering from Heartburn, check if it is caused by any exhausting or reasonable activity. Heartburn is caused by many Heart diseases.
If you are 50 years old or older than that and you suffer from a pain from which you never suffered before can be an Angina. It is suspicious if are young and you still have risk factors for Heart including Hypertension, Diabetes or any other illness related to Heart trouble.
-
Gallstones
Gallstones may not always cause symptoms; these are the stones that may block the Bile Duct, which can hurt. It can hurt mostly the middle or upper right side of the Abdomen.
Pain caused can be cramping, deadly or mild and occurs after few minutes you eat something.
Gallstones
Image by : wikimedia
Joel Richter, a Gastroenterologist and Chairman of Medicine Department at Temple University School of medicine in Philadelphia says that if you are suffering from pain in Stomach that does not improves even after taking medicines for Acid suppression, it can be a sign of Gallstones.
-
Esophagitis
Esophagitis is the Inflammation of Esophagus that is caused by the Acid Reflux Disease. This condition can lead to the Heartburn and many other difficulties like swallowing of food etc, Heartburn is one of the important sign for the patients of this disease.
The Esophagus can be affected by the taking medicines to kill pain and other Osteoporosis medications, if these medicines are taken without Water, it remains in the Esophagus.
Another type of Esophagitis is also known as Eosinophilic Esophagitis. When it is caused in the White Blood Cells, it is known as Eosinophils that attacks Esophagus. This condition is mostly caused by the Allergy so the treatment should clearly identify the foods to be avoided. The foods may also contribute in this disease. The doctors may prescribe you the Steroid medicines to treat the inflammation.
-
Gastroparesis
Intense Diabetes can cause damage to the nerves. This damage can affect the functioning of Digestive system. This is known as Gastroparesis. This disease can slow down the movement of food through the Stomach and can also cause Heartburn.
Treatment may include Dietary changes like eating less food, avoiding fat, Fiber and medications. People having severe symptoms of this disease are inserted with the feeding tube or a device is implanted that emits Electrical pulses which can cause Stomach contractions.
-
Stomach Ulcer
Dr Madanick says that Ulcer can cause burning sensation in the upper part of Abdomen; this pain invades to the Chest. The burning sensation caused due to this disease is very severe. Acid- relieving medicines may reduce the pain of Ulcer. Ulcers are mostly caused by the Helicobacter Pylori. It is a Bacterium that burns the lining of Stomach; people should take Antibiotics to treat the infection.
Gastric Ulcer
Image by : wikimedia
Some Anti-inflammatory medicines and Osteoporosis medicines known as Biphosphonates can also lead to the Stomach Ulcers.
-
Pleuritis or Costochondritis
The burning of lining of Lungs and Chest cavity is known as Pleuritis or Pleurisy. It can also cause pain in Chest or a feeling of Heartburn. Dr Madanick says that Pleuritits should be assumed if you have burning in the Chest and it get worse while breathing or you move around.
Pleuritis is usually caused by a Viral or a Bacterial infection. It is treated well when the infection is resolved.
Costichondritis is an inflammation of the Cartilage that support the Ribs to the bones of Breast and it can cause intense pain in the Breastbone and Sternum. It can also be related to some injury or infection and it is mostly treated with the inflammatory medicines that reduce pain.
Costochondritis
Image by : wikimedia
-
Esophageal Cancer
Dr Madanick says that Esophageal Cancer is rare but it is rising fast in the United States.
He further says, if you are suffering from Heartburn, it can be a sign of Esophageal Cancer. Heartburn can be 1 of the symptom of this disease.
The Smoke and drink both are risk factors for the Esophageal Cancer. The doctor may decide for an Endoscopy for the tests of Esophagus, if you are suffering from Heartburn from a long time.
Endoscopy consists of passing down a tube through Throat in to the Esophagus, this tube have a camera at its 1 end. During this test, the doctors examine the affected parts and also collect the sample of tissues to look for the Cancer.
Esophageal Adenoca
Image by : wikimedia
-
Anxiety
Dr Madanick says that anxiety cannot cause GERD but it can lead to the Heartburn and make the symptoms of GERD worst.
He further says that a person may suffer from Anxiety-related Heartburn and GERD-related Heartburn both. It is 1 of the sign that it’s just not Reflux and treating only Reflux will not resolve the problem.
Reduction of Anxiety and Stress with the help of exercise and other relaxation techniques can also ease the feeling of Heartburn.
If you are suffering from Heartburn, you should take a proper checkup to diagnose the exact disease to treat it well and in time. It is an irritating condition and if not treated properly, Heartburn can lead to Barrett’s Esophagus, Erosive Esophagitis, Esophageal Cancer, Esophageal Strictures and Erosive Esophagitis.
