If the stomach acid travels beyond the esophagus and makes its way in to your mouth, you will experience a bitter or sour taste. This is called regurgitation and is common after eating meals especially when you lie down, bend over or strain. You need to keep in mind that frequent heartburn means exposing your esophagus to stomach acid for long periods of time. By learning about the different ways to manage and treat heartburn, you will be able to lessen its frequency and also help you break free from having the heartburn condition controlling your life. Gastric acid reflux or heartburn occurs because of several reasons. By knowing about the different reasons that causes heartburn, you will be able to know how to prevent it from happening or at least take control of it. Even if it has not progressed to the stage of GERD, you have to get this condition treated before it s too late. Popping an over the counter antacid may help treat mild cases of heartburn but for chronic heartburn, this will most likely be useless. You need intervention from a medical professional to get chronic heartburn treated. This is because chalk contains calcium carbonate, which is a very effective acid neutralizer. Antacid tablets may be effective but they are slow to act. When compared to liquid antacids, antacids in tablet form are less powerful in neutralizing stomach acid. If you constantly experience heartburn, antacids will be very useful to you because they offer instant relief from heartburn especially if it is caused by foods or certain activities. Mild cases may be treated with simple home remedies, such as changing your diet, over the counter antacids and even by losing weight or by avoiding wearing tight clothes. On the other hand, severe cases of heartburn will require a more comprehensive treatment as home remedies will only provide temporary or partial relief. In fact, some antacids have been known to cause diarrhea and even constipation in a lot of people. So, here are natural remedies that will be able to take care of heartburn and eventually lessen its frequency. You have to remember that heartburn is primarily caused by bad diet habits. These days, people tend to eat more junk, which are very hard to digest.