There is no real answer as to whether or not throwing up actually helps heartburn. Some people swear by the relief that they get when they do this, while others advise against it. The truth is that for most people, throwing up does help alleviate their heartburn symptoms to a certain extent. The specific amount varies from person to person, although some people find that it works well enough that it isn’t even worth mentioning.
The process of throwing up essentially begins with a bout of indigestion. You know, the feeling that you have between your chest and stomach at times. Usually, this happens after a big meal has been eaten and you’ve yet to eliminate all the digestive acids from the stomach. To remedy this, you’ll simply need to drink a lot of water. Two quarts a day should suffice for most people, but obviously, this depends on your personal situation.
Drinking water allows the digestive juices to escape the stomach and enter into the small intestines. This reduces the acid in the stomach, which then brings the acid levels in the smaller intestine down. Because of this decrease in acid, less forceful digestion is felt, allowing the food to move more quickly through the system. Also, because there is less acid, there is less chance for food to stick to the intestinal walls.
Another reason that throwing up may be helpful in alleviating heartburn is that it can help to reduce the amount of acid being produced in the esophagus. When there is too much acid being produced, the esophagus can get irritated and result in heartburn. By drinking water, the esophagus is kept from becoming irritated and heartburn can take place. For most people, one or two glasses of water a day is sufficient to provide long-term relief.
Some people have a lot of heartburn, or their heartburn is very persistent. If this is the case, then there are also medications that can be prescribed. These medications are called antacids and can help to bring down the amount of acid being produced. Unfortunately, these medications often only relieve the symptoms and do nothing to eliminate the root cause of heartburn.
Some individuals are prone to having chronic heartburn, or their heartburn reoccurs frequently. In these cases, an effective and permanent solution to their heartburn problem is needed. Some lifestyle changes may be necessary. Sleeping more may be necessary if the individual is eating two or more large meals during the day, avoiding spicy foods, and reducing the amount of stress in the life.
Others choose to take medication from a doctor, but many are worried about the side effects of prescription medications. A natural solution may be better. One of the simplest changes to the diet that may provide some relief is to change one’s eating habits. Eating smaller meals more frequently will not only give the body more nutrients, but it will also help to speed up the digestive process, which will prevent heartburn. Additional supplements may be required, but these generally aren’t as common as prescription medications.
It is important to remember that relief from heartburn is temporary. It is important to use lifestyle changes as a long-term cure. Preventing future episodes of heartburn is much easier than eliminating an episode that has already taken place. Using natural remedies, along with daily exercise, is often the best way to get relief from heartburn permanently.
The reasons for heartburn vary, but they all have a common cause. As food moves down the throat, it pushes up on the stomach, causing pressure to build. This causes the lower esophageal sphincter to weaken, allowing acid to reflux into the esophagus. Other causes include the production of acids by the stomach itself, as well as the relaxation of muscles at the junction point of the esophagus and the stomach. These factors combine to create the perfect environment for heartburn.
There are several ways to remedy this problem. Some people have luck with antacids since these neutralize the acid in the stomach. This allows the stomach to be able to contract once again, decreasing the acid in the stomach. Other individuals have luck with over-the-counter antacids, since they neutralize the stomach acids without affecting the other acids in the stomach. When the stomach cannot fully contract, the stomach acids will begin to leak out into the esophagus, creating a burning sensation. If you have this problem, antacids can help.
It is important not to overeat when you are dealing with heartburn. If you eat more food than you should or eat a large amount of food at one sitting, you will likely experience acid reflux. As the amount of food in your stomach increases, so does the amount of acid being produced. The best way to deal with this issue is to eat smaller meals more often, and reduce the number of calories that you are eating overall.