What causes acidity in stomach?

Did you ever feel a burning sensation in your stomach or the chest? If yes then let's read about acidity...

Acidity in stomach

 

What is acidity?

An acid called stomach acid mainly consists of Hydrochloric acid (HCl) which helps to digest food like burger, fruits, rice, etc. So when this Hydrochloric acid gets produced in excess amount then it causes acidity. This Hydrochloric acid can reach up to your throat and can cause problems like heartburn (a burning sensation in chest), acidity, and tons of stomach problems.

Acidity in stomach

The pH of Hydrochloric acid can range between 2-3 making it very strong acid which can even dissolve a razor blade. So here a question arises that how can we reduce its amount and maintain the pH of our stomach.

How can we cure acidity?

By taking an antacid we can cure the acidity. Let's understand a simple chemical equation

ACID + BASE---------> SALT + WATER
(HCl) + (Antacid)

This above reaction is called a neutralization reaction. So to cure acidity we have to add base which is present the antacid.

How antacid works?

Antacid contains bases like calcium carbonate and aluminum hydroxide which neutralize the excess Hydrochloric acid present in our stomach by giving salt and water. 

Antacid tablets

Antacid comes in many forms like tablets, liquid,powder, etc which gives us instant relief from acidity and heartburn. ENO, gas-o-fast are two examples of popular antacids present in the Indian market.

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