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For heartburn symptoms to be deemed chronic, it would have to occur more than
three times a week for a period of two or three weeks. If you are suffering from
continual heartburn it is important to check if there have been any alterations in
diet, excessive consumption of alcohol,increased stress or the taking of strong
medications on a regular basis.
Typically, heartburn is caused by the contents in the stomach being pushed back
into the esophagus, causing the acid in the stomach to irritate its sensitive
lining. There are many causes of this such as:
- gastrointestinal reflux disease,
- a hiatal hernia
- or a blockage in the stomach.
When a person suffers from chronic heartburn it is advisable to check with a
doctor to rule out any of these major problems.
For those suffering from chronic heartburn, they are also at risk for developing
ulcers in the esophagus as well as in the stomach. Many times, it is the result of
the stomach being fooled into thinking more acid is needed to help with the
digestive process that exacerbates the situation. Many believe falsely that
drinking milk can calm an acid stomach when in reality milk may actually trigger
the stomach�s acid pumps to produce more due to the added content in the stomach.
Anybody suffering from chronic heartburn will need to change their lifestyle to
help eliminate the problem. This usually requires a change of diet(ie staying away
from rich fatty foods that require a lot of digestion and sticking to more fresh
fruit and vegetables that are much easier to digest). If it is determined the
heartburn is being caused by prescription medication, the doctor may alter the
dosage of the medication or change to another type if one is available. The
patient may also be prescribed anti-acid medication until the offending
medication is better accepted by the person and the side effects disappear.