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Heartburn vs. Acid Reflux: Understanding the Difference and How to Manage Them

 After eating, if you've ever had a burning feeling in your throat or chest, you may have questioned if you have acid reflux or heartburn. Despite the frequent confusion between these terms, they are not the same. It's essential to distinguish between acid reflux and heartburn to properly treat the symptoms.


Heartburn vs. Acid Reflux Understanding the Difference and How to Manage Them


What Is Acid Reflux?

The tube that links your mouth to your stomach, the esophagus, becomes clogged with stomach acid when acid reflux develops. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a ring of muscle that functions as a valve, malfunctions and allows backflow to occur. Symptoms of acid reflux might include a variety of things.
  • Regurgitation: The backflow of an acidic or bitter taste into your mouth or throat.
  • Chest pain: Particularly after leaning over, sleeping, or eating.
  • Having trouble swallowing: This may occasionally be accompanied with a lump in the throat.

What Is Heartburn?

Acid reflux can cause symptoms like heartburn. A burning feeling in the chest, generally directly beneath the breastbone, is its defining feature. Usually, the pain is greater in the evening, after eating, or while you're bending over or lying down. Antacids are usually used to treat heartburn, which can range in severity from moderate to severe.

Key Differences:

Acid Reflux: The disorder known as acid reflux causes stomach acid to reflux back into the esophagus.
Heartburn: It is an acid reflux symptom that is characterized by a burning feeling in the chest.

When Is It More Than Just Heartburn?

Although heartburn on occasion is typical, regular or severe heartburn may be a sign of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more dangerous illness. Acid reflux that occurs more frequently than twice a week and begins to interfere with everyday living is known as GERD.

Symptoms of GERD include:

  • Persistent reflux
  • Chronic cough
  • Hoarseness or laryngitis
  • Having trouble swallowing
  • The sensation of food being lodged in your throat
For an accurate diagnosis and course of treatment, it's critical to speak with a healthcare provider if you frequently have these symptoms.


Heartburn vs. Acid Reflux Understanding the Difference and How to Manage Them


Handling Acid Reflux and Heartburn

Heartburn and acid reflux can be controlled with several lifestyle modifications and treatments:

Keep an eye on your diet:

  • Meals high in coffee, chocolate, citrus, spicy, or fatty meals should be avoided as trigger foods.
  • Eat more often and in smaller portions to avoid packing your stomach.

Keep Your Head Up After Eating:

  • After eating, refrain from leaning over or lying down. Try to remain erect for two to three hours at least.

Raise Your Head When You Sleep:

  • To stop acid from returning to the esophagus as you sleep, raise the head of your bed by 6 to 8 inches.

Maintain a Healthy Weight:

  • Gaining too much weight might compress your abdomen and cause stomach acid to rise into your esophagus.

Quit Smoking:

  • Because smoking affects the lower esophageal sphincter, stomach acid can more easily reflux into the esophagus.

Use Over-the-Counter Medications:

  • Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), H2 blockers, and antacids can all help lower stomach acid and alleviate symptoms.

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