Each year, millions of people are diagnosed with heartburn. This painful and frustrating condition affects people of all ages and races, and for different reasons. While some people simply accept it as a fact of living in a fast-paced world, what they don’t know is if left untreated, heartburn can lead to more serious problems, such as erosion of the esophageal lining and stomach ulcers that may eventually require surgery. In order to treat heartburn with an effective medicine, such as Nexium, people should first understand what causes heartburn, its symptoms, and why treating it can positively affect their overall health.

When people experience heartburn, it is generally caused by food and stomach acids refluxing back up through the esophagus after a meal. During normal digestion, the esophageal sphincter and the diaphragm work together to keep food where it belongs. When heartburn occurs, the food and digestive acids can reflux back up into the esophagus, causing pain and inflammation to the lining, which does not have the same protective lining that the stomach does. Despite the name of the condition, it has nothing to do with the heart at all; instead, the stomach and a number of factors that cause the reflux are to blame. The severity of the problem can range to mild episodes that can be treated with over-the-counter medications to daily heartburn severe enough to cause pain that needs to be treated with prescription heartburn medication, like Nexium.

The discomfort caused by heartburn can be quite distressing when it happens for the first time. When talking to their doctor about whether or not they need treatment with a prescription medication knowing the symptoms can really help people as not all kinds of heartburn are the same. Generally, when heartburn occurs, the main symptom is a burning or pain in the chest and throat that can travel from the stomach all the way up to the back of the throat. It can also cause pains in the lower and upper chest, nausea, and in some cases, tightness in the chest that individuals may mistake for angina. Not all individuals will experience the same symptoms, but if heartburn occurs more than three days a week, they should see their doctor and discuss their symptoms to understand whether or not they need a medicine like Nexium to treat them.

The symptoms and occurrences of heartburn in adults can be greatly reduced by treating it with Nexium, as well as preventative measures and the correct diet. Since not all heartburn is the same and individuals all experience the symptoms for different reasons, they should not all be treated the same. This is why discussing symptoms with a doctor is so important. If left untreated, heartburn symptoms can lead to ulceration of the stomach lining, which can cause serious bleeding. The lining of the esophagus can also be damaged by stomach acids, a condition that is difficult to treat and causes chronic pain. In order to understand how heartburn will affect the body and how Nexium can help stop these problems before they start, individuals should contact their doctor for a consultation.