Stop pain in its tracks with these remedies [2]

Heartburn

Understand it: Stomach acid spills into your esophagus, burning like a forest fire.

Stop it: Reach for an over-the-counter acid blocker such as Pepcid AC or Zantac 75, or chew sugarless gum. A study in the Journal of Dental Research found that chewing gum for 30 minutes after a high-fat meal lessens acid reflux by generating enough saliva to make you swallow more and push acid back down.

Still hurts? You might have gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. See a doctor; GERD can lead to esophageal cancer.

Prevent it: Make stomach acid work against gravity at night by placing 2-inch blocks under the legs at the head of your bed, says Ted Epperly, M.D., president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Also, if you're a smoker, here's one more reason to quit. "Nicotine relaxes the LES valve, the muscle at the end of the esophagus, which usually opens only to allow food to pass into the stomach," says Dr. Smith. "Once it's loosened, acid can shoot back into the esophagus."

Hemorrhoids

Understand them: The veins in or around your anus are swollen and irritated.

Stop them: Apply a hemorrhoid-shrinking nonprescription ointment (such as Preparation H) in the morning, at night, and after each bowel movement. And soak the offending area in a tub filled with several inches of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day. This can help decrease the painful swelling, Dr. Smith says.

Still hurts? If the pain persists after 2 weeks, you may require surgery.

Prevent them: Consume at least 25 grams of fiber and slug back no fewer than eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Understand it: A nerve running from your forearm to your wrist is squeezed or inflamed within the narrow passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand.

Stop it: Hit the mat. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a twice-weekly yoga regimen practiced for 8 weeks eased symptoms and improved grip strength. You can also wear a wrist splint at night or while typing or driving. "It keeps your wrist neutral, which prevents further compression and irritation of the nerve," says Tanya J. Lehky, M.D., director of the Clinical EMG Lab at the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Still hurts? Ask your doctor for a referral to a hand surgeon, who can either inject corticosteroids into the carpal tunnel to reduce swelling and inflammation, or perform surgery to correct the problem.

Prevent it: "Set your keyboard at a height that allows your hand to work in a straight or neutral position," says Dr. Lehky. "Bending your wrist too far forward or backward pressures the nerve."