# Heart Burn



## splazzatch (Jan 16, 2006)

Recently, during training I have been getting heart burn.  I never get heart burn outside of class. When it arrives during class it lasts well after class is over....Anyone else experience this??


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## Lisa (Jan 16, 2006)

Exercise induced heartburn can be caused by a small amount of stomach contents backing into the esophagus if the lower esophageal sphincter is loose.  The best way to combat this is to avoid exercise that causes bumping and jarring of the stomach (which in MA is quite impossible  )  I would talk to your doctor, first and foremost and make sure you do not have any other more serious problem.  If all is okay then an antacid may help.  But please first, see a doctor.


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## Sapper6 (Jan 16, 2006)

i used to suffer the same ailment.  make some small changes and it will go away.  below is some of stuff that helped me.

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Tips to Combat Exercise-Induced Heartburn
Do you feel a burning in your chest and/or a bitter taste in your mouth mid-workout? If so, youre likely one of the many exercise enthusiasts who experiences exercise-induced heartburn. Theres no reason, though, to let a bout of indigestion wreck your run. An increased awareness of what causes your heartburn, along with some simple dietary modifications, can bring relief.
Check out these tips to ward-off exercise-related heartburn from Dr. Robert Robergs, exercise physiologist and board member of the National Heartburn Alliance:
Dietary:

Pass up protein and fat pre-work-out - Food thats consumed less than two hours before exercising has a huge impact on the occurrence of heartburn. Pre-workout meals should be high in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein. Reserve the protein-rich meal for after the workout when its important to repair/rebuild muscles.
Limit foods that fan the flames - Certain foods and beverages are more apt to cause heartburn than others. Moderate intake of citrus fruits and juices, chocolate, onions, peppermint, spearmint, fatty or spicy foods and caffeinated or carbonated beverages.
Time your meals - Exercising on a full stomach is not advisable, largely because it increases intra-abdominal pressure, which contributes to heartburn. Wait at least two hours after a meal before exercising.
Control quantity - Decrease the size of portions eaten prior to or during exercise. Reflux is more likely to occur when there is a lot of food in the stomach.
Opt for weakened sports drinks - The high concentration of carbohydrates found in most sports drinks may contribute to heartburn. Most sports drinks provide between 60 to 100 g. of carbohydrates per liter. Try diluting this in quarter intervals to see if a ¾ strength or a ½ strength solution decreases your heartburn. Watered-down solutions will also leave the stomach faster, providing more rapid hydration benefits.
Hydrate heavily - Drink plenty of water before and during exercise. Water aids digestion and also prevents dehydration.
Medication
Over-the-counter drugs used to treat heartburn have few side effects and are tremendously effective. Most individuals who use heartburn medication will experience no drug-induced side effects. Furthermore, research has shown that taking over-the-counter heartburn medication before exercising can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of exercise-related heartburn. If heartburn is problematic during and/or after exercise, dont hesitate to seek relief from a drug.
Consider the following treatment options:

Over-the-counter remedies
Antacids  Neutralize existing stomach acid through basic chemical reaction.
H2 blockers  partially block production of acid in the stomach by inhibiting the action of histamine, a substance that stimulates secretion of stomach acid.
Proton Pump Inhibitors - most effectively inhibit stomach acid production by deactivating the acid pumps in the stomach.

Prescription medication
H2 blockers  available by prescription at a higher dose than their OTC counterpart.
Proton Pump Inhibitors  available by prescription at higher doses than OTC counterpart.

As always, be sure to consult your health care professional before beginning any course of therapy.
		
Click to expand...

 
good luck with it.*


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## MA-Caver (Jan 16, 2006)

When heart burn strikes its an indication that there is not enough stomach acid. As ironic as that may sound its true. 
I suffer from acid reflux and what I do when its burning pretty bad is take a swig of vinegar ... yes vinegar and within a minute its gone.
Seriously, the additional acid from the vinegar helps the burning go away. Thus, I'd recommend it. 



Ohh the bad taste of vinegar???
A good swig of water will take care of that.


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## MA-Caver (Jan 16, 2006)

When heart burn strikes its an indication that there is not enough stomach acid. As ironic as that may sound its true. 
I suffer from acid reflux and what I do when its burning pretty bad is take a swig of vinegar ... yes vinegar and within a minute its gone.
Seriously, the additional acid from the vinegar helps the burning go away. Thus, I'd recommend it. 



Ohh the bad taste of vinegar???
A good swig of water will take care of that.


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## bobster_ice (Jan 17, 2006)

Do you eat alot of spicy food? Sometimes it happens to me after i eat a vindaloo or something. Buy gaviscon, it helps alot.


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## Drac (Jan 17, 2006)

A pack of Rolaids is standard issue in my training bag..


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## Drac (Jan 17, 2006)

MA-Caver said:
			
		

> when its burning pretty bad is take a swig of vinegar ... yes vinegar and within a minute its gone.


 
You gotta be a bad mutha to take a swig of vinegar..The smell of it makes me gag..But hey whatever works for you..


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## Jade Tigress (Jan 17, 2006)

See a doctor. Heart attack is often misdiagnosed as heartburn. If antacids or any of the other suggestions do not relieve the symptoms promptly, get to a doctor asap.


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## BlackCatBonz (Jan 17, 2006)

definitely see a doctor.
you may have GERD. 
that being said, i try to avoid eating before working out. i also find that if i do get it, the more water i drink, the worse it gets.
the list Sapper posted is an excellent start.


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## splazzatch (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks, I will try those suggestions and some basic antacids. If those don't help I'm off to the doctor. 

Thanks again.


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## arnisador (Jan 17, 2006)

Definitely try the antacids...but see your physician either way. Not only is it a possible sign of something like heart disease or stomach cancer if the antacids don't work--I think this is quite unlikely in your case, given the description and age, but is worth investigating--but if they _do _work, you may want to be on something like Nexium or Prevacid to minimize the long-term esophogeal damage associated with GERD. It can also lead to over-eating if you start to intepret that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach as "hungry" instead, which can happen. If it only happens when exercising then this may not be necessary, but if you begin to get heartburn after meals, when laying down, etc., you'll want to look into it.

Diet plays a role. Lay off the spaghetti sauce!


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## Drac (Jan 17, 2006)

splazzatch said:
			
		

> Thanks, I will try those suggestions and some basic antacids. If those don't help I'm off to the doctor.
> 
> Thanks again.


 
Keep us posted on what the Doctor says..


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## Shirt Ripper (Jan 17, 2006)

Sil Lum TigerLady said:
			
		

> Heart attack is often misdiagnosed as heartburn.


Excellent point.  Should give points to the philosophy of, at the very least, _considering_ professional opinions on the "seemingly" small issues we encounter throughout our days.


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