What Are Heartburn Remedies?
Before we define what heartburn remedies are lets first define what heartburn is. To a normal person heartburn may mean a heart that is burning, but an educated person will know that heartburns have no connection whatsoever with the heart. It is called heartburns because the burning effect occurs close to where the heart is located. Heartburns occur in the esophagus whereby you experience some pain or a burning effect. This pain may also rise to the throat. Heartburns are caused by excess acid in the stomach. This acid leaks into the esophagus causing the burning effect. At this point one is tempted to ask, why does the acid not affect the stomach?
The stomach has a protective lining that is covered with mucus that protects the stomach walls from any damage that can be caused by the acids. Heartburns usually occur after taking heavy meals. This is because heavy meals lead to much more production of acid which might leak into the esophagus causing the burning effect.
On the other hand, heartburn remedies are medications that help reduce the burning effect that occurs in the esophagus. There are no specific medications for heartburns. Some may take just a glass of water and the heartburn stops. Some may need to take antacids to stop the heartburn. So each individual knows how to deal with heartburns the best way they know. Heartburn remedies such as medicines are usually antacids in the form of tablets. If you attended your chemistry class then you should know that acids reacts with bases (in our case the antacids are the bases) to produce salt and water. In other words, antacids neutralize the acids and reduce them to salt and water. This is how the antacids reduce the heartburns. They neutralize them to form salt and water which does not have any burning effect on the esophagus.
Heartburn remedies take many forms; there are the tablets for adults, there is the syrup for children, and there are herbal products that stop the heartburns. But in the end all these products use the logic that acids are neutralized by antacids and therefore, all heartburn remedies contain antacids. All in all, heartburn remedies will depend on you and how your body reacts to different medication.
