Prilosec 20 mg treatment for heartburn and stomach acid

What is heartburn?

A lot of people suffer from heartburn at least 5 to 8 days per month which is a feeling of burning below the breastbone. This burning sensation may rise upto your throat and chest. Most of the time this is not serious but extended heartburn may be pointing to a serious problem so do not take it lightly. The reason why you feel this burning sensation is not due to some heart problem, it is due to your stomach acid. As we all know whenever human being eats some food it goes to the stomach where it is digested. The food is in solid or liquid form so stomach work is to break it into smaller portions for the body to take the necessary nutrients from it. Therefore it produces acid which breaks down the food into smaller particles. As long as this acid production is in proper level you will not notice anything but when this acid production increases too much it tries to reach the esophagus (which is the tube that connects the stomach and the human throat). This acid does the damage in the esophagus and due to which we feel the burning sensation.

Distinguish between heartburn and heart attack

Although heartburn is not associated with your heart but sometimes people confuse the pain in the heart with heartburn. Heartburn is not life threatening but you should see that you do not feel other symptoms with heartburn.

These symptoms are-

1. Is your body sweaty?

2. Are you having difficulty in breathing?

3. Are you having Palpitation?  Which is when your heart beat runs in an irregular manner which skipped beats?

If you have any of these about things run to your doctor as it may soon give you a heart attack. 

What to do when you have heartburn?

Follow these things when you have Heartburn.

1. Stand upright as this will keep the acid to remain in the stomach. Do not bend nor try to go to sleep as it can aggravate your pain.

2. Drink cold water which will push the acid from the lower part of the esophagus back to the stomach.

3. The esophagus much close so that no acid enters it. Sometimes it does not happen and thus stomach acid enters the esophagus and gives heartburn. To close it, drink a teaspoon of vinegar which gives your body acidic shock and instantly closes the esophagus valve at the end where it joins the stomach.

4. Chewing sugar free gum can be helpful.

5. Drink some fruit juice, glass of milk or baking soda mixed in water.

Medicine to treat heartburn

Prilosec 20 mg is the commonly used medicine to treat heartburn. It is a proton pump inhibitor which stops the acid production in the stomach and thus gives you relief from heartburn. If you get frequent heartburns then your doctor will recommend you to take a 14 day course of prilosec 20 mg. Prilosec 20 mg is an OTC medicine and can be used without prescription.