Heartburn And Indigestion Heartburn

Saturday, September 12th, 2009    Subscribe To Our Feed

People who think heartburn and indigestion are one of the same are wrong. They are definitely not. The symptoms of heartburn and angina and indigestion can be similar, however, and the conditions often occur simultaneously, which can make the identification somewhat difficult.

Symptoms of Indigestion

Indigestion is often described as a feeling of fullness or discomfort while eating or after a meal. If you have the burning sensation in the upper stomach area, it is likely to be indigestion, whereas, heartburn gives a burning pain that starts behind the breastbone. Another sharing factor, is that both heartburn and indigestion involves an acidic taste in the mouth. Other symptoms of indigestion include bloating, gas and abdominal pain.

Heartburn often accompanies indigestion, although heartburn is the leaking of stomach acids into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and some lifestyle conditions are the known underlying cause for both indigestion and heartburn. If you are a sufferer you should note that smoking, stress, alcohol consumption along with certain types of foods, the amount we eat can all bring on the pain that we feel.
Indigestion and heartburn is also caused by pregnancy. The uterus expands when we are pregnant, due to the change in hormones; this puts added pressure on the stomach which can contribute in a big way to heartburn and indigestion.

Symptoms of Heartburn

While the causes of heartburn vary from person to person, the symptoms of heartburn are fairly consistent for most individuals. So, what does heartburn feel like? A burning sensation in the chest and even in the throat is the most common identifiable symptom of heartburn. Pain shouldn’t be mixed up with the burning sensation. {If this is the situation, seek medical help immediately}.

Other symptoms of heartburn include a hoarse sounding voice, sore throat, acidic or salty taste in the mouth, regurgitation or a feeling that foods are getting stuck in the throat or chest. Normally after meals, heartburn symptoms may present themselves. The episodes can last anything from a few moments upto a few hours. Often, symptoms worsen when lying down. In most cases, antacids will lessen or erradicate your heartburn. Antacid treatment should irradicate the pain associated with heartburn and indigestion. If it does not, then medical help should be sought.

Many heart conditions have been mistaken for heartburn; it is important to therefore seek medical help if the pain appears suddenly and you experience things like dizziness, lightheadedness and cold sweats. Learning to identify the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion is important, particularly if you are at risk for developing heart conditions and of course, knowing the difference between angina heartburn symptoms. Learning to recognize heartburn and indigestion can leave you better able to distinguish the symptoms from those of more serious conditions. If you encounter unusual symptoms you may otherwise have mistaken for symptoms of heartburn and indigestion, you should seek medical attention immediately.

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