Causes of heartburn and how to get rid of it

2024 Author: Curtis Blomfield | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 20:44

In the article we will consider the main causes of heartburn and how to get rid of it. Almost everyone knows what kind of pathology it is. Heartburn is an unpleasant burning sensation in the lower esophagus. The nature of the occurrence of this phenomenon is the entry of gastric juice into this area, as a result of which the sections of the esophagus are irritated, which leads to the unpleasant symptoms described above. This, at first glance, harmless and familiar to many, sometimes leads to very serious consequences, for example, to erosion or oncological tumors of the esophagus.

Causes of heartburn

The main cause of this pathology is an increase in the level of stomach acidity. In rare cases, it can appear with a high sensitivity of the mucous layer of the esophagus, with low acidity.

Can there be heartburn due to nerves?

Very often, the disease is accompanied by some additional pathological processes or occurs against the background of severe nervous disorders after takingfood.

Exacerbation of this problem can be observed with the wrong lifestyle and diet.

The main causes of heartburn are:

1. Excessive consumption of alcoholic and carbonated drinks.
2. Smoking.
3. Abuse of spicy dishes, smoked meats, pickles. All this acts on the mucous membrane of the esophagus irritatingly, which, in turn, increases the acidity in the stomach. After this, its valve is weakened, with the help of which the entire contents of its cavity are kept inside. What else causes heartburn?
4. Eating a lot of citrus fruits, tomatoes, bread, baked and rich baked goods and fried foods can be another trigger for heartburn.
5. Excretion of acid in large quantities can also occur when overeating, when the walls of the stomach begin to stretch strongly, and it begins to function at an increased rate. The causes of heartburn are not limited to this.
6. Some medications can also increase stomach acid. Such medicines are Aspirin, Ibuprofen and others.
7. Very strong and prolonged stressful situations, depression, constant anxiety can cause severe heartburn.
8. Pregnancy. Heartburn in pregnant women is very common.
9. Eating before bed.
10. Prolonged wearing of tight belts, heavy lifting, pregnancy, weight problems also seriously affect the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which can be expressed as a phenomenon such as heartburn.

Reasonsheartburn should be diagnosed by a doctor.

Symptoms

This phenomenon is very difficult to confuse with any other. It is a strong burning sensation in the abdominal region, which sometimes reaches the esophagus. It tends to increase with movement and can cause acid belching, during which a characteristic bitter-sour taste develops in the mouth.

Many wonder what acidity causes heartburn.

These signs are "classic", but there are other symptoms that are considered a reason to see a doctor. So, for example, if it occurs regularly and is accompanied by loss of appetite and bouts of chronic fatigue, we can talk about serious diseases of the digestive system, which requires urgent treatment.

In cases where heartburn after eating is accompanied by dark stools, especially with the presence of blood in it, as well as vomiting, which may contain blood, this is already a reason to call an ambulance. Symptoms of dangerous diseases can also be the listed symptoms in combination with severe pain in the chest or back.

Nausea and heartburn

Heartburn, which is accompanied by such a phenomenon as nausea, does not pose a danger to human he alth, however, in this case, it is necessary to identify the nature of the origin of these phenomena, especially when they are regular.

There is heartburn in pregnant women. This phenomenon is considered to benormal, because a serious hormonal restructuring occurs in the body of the expectant mother. However, if these phenomena are not observed during pregnancy, then such heartburn may be a prerequisite for the occurrence of any disease, which may be a stomach ulcer, gastritis, inflammation of the gallbladder, pancreas, hepatitis, etc. Each of these pathologies carries in itself a certain danger to the whole organism, so you should not ignore the painful manifestations.

Persistent heartburn

If this phenomenon does not occur often, but only from time to time, then it should usually be considered a consequence of an improper diet. Such heartburn is not given much importance. However, if this unpleasant sensation occurs constantly, for example, after eating, then it is not advisable to consider such a process as an independent problem. There is a strong possibility that the cause of heartburn is the presence of a certain disease. It can manifest itself in this way.

So what causes heartburn?

Diseases that cause heartburn

So, the list of pathologies that can cause heartburn:

1. Stomach ulcer.
2. A duodenal ulcer.
3. Hernia, localized in the food hole. In this case, part of the stomach, and sometimes intestinal loops, are displaced through the food opening into the lower region of the esophagus. With the inferiority of the functions of the locking system after eating, a person begins to experience a feeling of heartburn.
4. Chronic gastritis usually causes persistent andprolonged heartburn after eating.
5. Cholecystitis (an inflammatory process occurring in the gallbladder).
6. Obesity. Large fatty layers, localized in the stomach, are able to put pressure on it, which is especially characteristic of overeating. This situation leads to the fact that food from the stomach begins to enter the esophagus and irritate it, causing heartburn.
7. Inflammatory processes of the duodenum.
8. GERD disease when there is a malfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter.
9. Persistent heartburn may result from surgery to the stomach, duodenum, liver, or gallbladder.
10. The period of pregnancy, which is characterized by increased pressure on the stomach.
11. Angina, characterized by specific pain that a person may perceive as heartburn.

In any case, with the constant occurrence of heartburn, it is necessary to find out the cause of this condition.

Foods that cause heartburn

Prerequisite for the occurrence of heartburn can be foods that have been eaten. Almost all acidic foods (including fruits and vegetables) can cause this burning sensation in the stomach. Despite the fact that they are very useful, their excessive use can cause acidity, and, consequently, heartburn. This list also includes natural juices that contain acids, such as orange or apple.

Drinkingdrinks activates the production of gastric juice, which also leads to heartburn. Among all alcoholic beverages, these primarily include beer and wine.

All sorts of mousses, puddings and sweet desserts containing chocolate significantly relax the muscles of the esophagus, which contributes to the release of acid from the stomach. Caffeine and black tea work the same way. Can you get heartburn from coffee? Of course, and very often.

Fatty foods take too long to digest, which can cause some disturbances in the digestive system. Therefore, foods rich in carbohydrates and fats can trigger an attack of heartburn. These include primarily bacon, sausages, smoked meats, sausage. Nevertheless, you cannot completely refuse such food, you just need to monitor how much these dishes are consumed.

Spicy foods occupy almost the first place among all that can cause disturbances in the stomach. These are horseradish, red pepper, adjika, etc. Of course, not every one of them harms the body, so it is best to exclude all spicy foods and spices first. After that, you can begin to gradually introduce them into the diet one by one and observe how the body reacts.

If you are more prone to heartburn, dietitians recommend avoiding carbonated drinks completely from your diet, as they greatly stretch the muscles of the stomach, causing hydrochloric acid to slosh into the lumen of the esophagus.

During pregnancy

During pregnancy, women very often complain about the occurrence of suchan unpleasant phenomenon, like heartburn. This is primarily due to the fact that serious fluctuations in hormonal levels occur in a woman's body, which can affect the secretion of gastric juice. The second cause of heartburn during pregnancy may be a large fetus that presses on the stomach, resulting in the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus. The same thing happens in late pregnancy. During this period, almost all pregnant women complain of heartburn, especially in the morning.

How to avoid heartburn?

Most often, heartburn occurs after eating, so it is very important to eat foods that are not able to provoke its occurrence.

As for medications for the treatment of heartburn, there are a large number of them, but a doctor's consultation is necessary before use.

Some tips to help avoid heartburn:

1. Drinking tea with natural mint leaves.
2. Must avoid overeating.
3. Eating should be frequent, but little by little.
4. Thoroughly chewing food.
5. Exclude bad habits (smoking, excessive drinking).
6. Eat light, high-fiber foods.

Which doctor should I contact for heartburn? Initially, they go to an appointment with a therapist, who can then refer you for a consultation with a gastroenterologist.

Heartburn treatment

Treat this pathologic althe phenomenon is possible both by means of traditional medicine and medication. Nevertheless, it is desirable to initially understand what exactly is the reason for its appearance. It is necessary to treat directly those diseases (if any) that provoked heartburn.

One of the most effective ways to fight heartburn is to improve your diet. For this, it is not necessary to adhere to any strict diets and complex meal patterns. It is enough just not to overeat and eliminate too fatty and spicy dishes.

Home remedy for heartburn can also be effective. More on this at the end of the article.

All drugs that help with heartburn are divided into several main groups depending on the principle of their action. These include:

1. Antacids that can neutralize excess hydrochloric acid, which is the basis of gastric juice. These medicines are absorbed and non-absorbable. The first are made on the basis of baking soda. However, today experts do not advise the use of these medications, since they have a huge number of side effects. Modern antacids are being developed in the form of complex drugs that not only neutralize stomach acid, but also have adsorbing, cytoprotective and enveloping properties. In addition, these substances activate some processes related to the restoration of epithelial cells lining the walls of the stomach, the production of certain substances that contribute to the normalization of digestion.
2. Alginatesare substances obtained from a special variety of brown algae with enveloping properties. They protect the gastric mucosa from irritation, have a hemostatic quality, which is so necessary for the development of ulcerative processes in the stomach.
3. Proton pump inhibitors are specific antisecretory substances that help block the movement of protons across cell membranes. Thanks to this action, a significant reduction in the amount of hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach can be achieved.

All of the above medicines for heartburn have a specific mechanism of action. The list of the most common medications that are used to eliminate this unpleasant sensation include:

• "Phosphalugel";
• "Rutacid";
• Vikair;
• "Gastracid";
• Relzer;
• Rennie.

Folk recipes

Home remedies for heartburn include the following:

1. Add a small amount of almonds to a glass of warm milk, after crushing it, stir and drink.
2. At the first signs of heartburn, grated carrots are good.
3. A good effect can be achieved when used with heartburn kissel, which has enveloping properties and prevents the release of acid from the stomach.
4. Reception of vegetable oil (on an empty stomach) in the amount of one teaspoon.

We looked at the causes of heartburn and howget rid of her.