Feeling a burning sensation in the chest is alarming! You may panic because this feeling can be very painful and sharp. Depending on your tolerance for pain, burning in the chest can be incapacitating. It is possible that the burning you feel is derived from heartburn. Heartburn can create a radiating pain in your chest region that may be unbearable for you. Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and is caused when the stomach acid goes into the esophagus by way of a weak lower esophageal sphincter. Heartburn that occurs more than twice per week is used to diagnose acid reflux and GERD.

Heartburn is what causes a burning feeling in the chest. Due to the acid that has entered the esophagus, the esophagus can’t help but be damaged. The acidity of the gastric acid is too high for the esophagus to handle and defend against. An esophagus is not capable of resisting the damage induced by gastric acid, unlike the stomach. When the acid comes into contact with the esophagus, the lining of the esophagus becomes bruised and irritated. This irritation can cause you to feel like you are burning up on the inside.

Since the esophagus is positioned in the torso, adjacent to the breast bone, this occurrence can be referred to as heartburn or burning in the chest. The intense feeling is enough to make you weak. When you lie down, lift heavy items or bend over after a heavy meal, the burning feeling can escalate. Eating and drinking while you feel the burning sensation may worsen the pain level.

Burning of the chest could mean that you are having a cardiovascular problem. You may think that you are having a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack and heartburn can be extremely similar so you should always err on the side of caution. Don’t assume that you are having one problem over the other. Contact a medical professional if you feel severe burning in the chest. A heart attack can be fatal so always seek appropriate help.

Other symptoms of heartburn are burning of the throat, hoarseness, chest pain, chronic coughing, difficulty swallowing and a bitter taste in the mouth. Holistic remedies for heartburn are having aloe juice, drinking water, eating papaya and ginger root. If these remedies don’t stop the burning in your chest, try changing your habits. Quit smoking and drink limited amounts of alcohol. Eat healthier meals with lots of vegetables. Exercise and maintain a healthy weight to prevent obesity and diabetes, both causes of acid reflux and heartburn. Eating lighter meals can reduce acid production and reflux. Make sure that you understand which foods cause your body to react. Review your eating habits to ascertain the foods that are making you reflux and have heartburn.

If you have questions or are looking for more information about the causes and treatments for the burning feeling in your chest, read The Reflux Remedy Report today.