Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about holiday hazards and how you can avoid them. The holidays are the season for overindulgence. The result can be heartburn. Heartburn occurs when stomach acids splash up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest.
Dr. Stuart Spechler, a specialist in digestive and liver diseases at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says most of the time, heartburn is more of a nuisance than a serious health problem. It’s usually linked to alcohol and food consumption, especially fatty foods. Dr. Spechler says he asks his patients to consider whether the food will be good enough to make the heartburn worth it. For occasional heartburn, there are medicines you can take to prevent acid production before eating. Antacids taken after eating may help soak up excess acid. But the best way to prevent heartburn is to avoid foods that tend to give you heartburn.
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December 2006
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