More than 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn. This is arguably the most important medical issue for pharmaceutical companies. Heartburn is a burning pain that starts behind the chest and extends upward. Gastric acid, which supports the wrong path from the stomach, enters the esophagus and inflames and irritates the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter, either through weakness or relaxes due to alcohol or drugs, allows this leakage.
There are three different approaches to solving this problem. Antacids provide a simple temporary treatment. These drugs, mainly from calcium carbonate, aluminum and magnesium, neutralize the acid in the stomach. They act very quickly, but are effective only for short periods (from 1 to 2 hours). Antacids, such as pepto-bismol, cover the esophagus, so that the acid does not touch and causes heartburn. Meditation, like Gaviscon, forms a foam barrier between the stomach and the esophagus.
H2 blockers are the second type of drugs used to treat heartburn. Drugs such as Cimetidine, Ranitidine, Nizatidine and Famstadine help to get rid of heartburn by suppressing the production of acid in the stomach. They take about 1 hour to take effect and last up to 12 hours.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the third class of heartburn medications. PPIs, such as omeprazole and lansoprozole, cause acid purging by another method from H2 blockers. PPI inhibits the proton pump in the gastric mucosa in the final stages of acid production. It is valid for one hour, and the effect lasts up to 24 hours. There is also a combination medication: antacid for quick relief and H2 blockers for longer relief.
We do not know, for any systematic research, how effective herbal remedies are or how they work. But many doctors take and recommend them as supportive drugs. Ginger root, aloe vera juice, basil leaves, bitter and aromatic substances have their supporters.
Self-cleaning heartburn with non-prescription drugs is quite reasonable, to a certain extent. But if the problem persists for longer periods than recommended by the manufacturer of the drug, or if the patient does not find relief in treatment, it is time to consult with your doctor. Heartburn can be a symptom of a more serious selection problem.
