Causes of heartburn and how to get rid of it

In the article, we consider the main causes of heartburn and how to get rid of it. What is this pathology, almost everyone knows. Heartburn is a burning sensation in the lower esophagus. The nature of the occurrence of this phenomenon is the ingestion of gastric juice in this area, as a result of which the esophagus is irritated, which leads to the unpleasant symptoms described above. At first glance, this harmless and familiar condition for many people sometimes leads to very serious consequences, for example, to erosion or cancer of the esophagus.

Causes of Heartburn

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

Could there be heartburn on a nervous basis?

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

An exacerbation of this problem can be observed with an improper 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 affects the mucous membrane of the esophagus annoyingly, which, in turn, increases the acidity in the stomach. After that, there is a weakening of his valve, with which the entire contents of his cavity is held inside. What else can cause heartburn?
4. Another provocateur of heartburn can be the use of a large number of citrus fruits, tomatoes, bread, baked and rich baked goods and fried foods.
5. The release of acid in large quantities can also occur during overeating, when the walls of the stomach begin to stretch very much, and it begins to function in an increased rhythm. The causes of heartburn are not limited to this.
6. Taking certain medications can also increase the acidity of the stomach. Such medicines are Aspirin, Ibuprofen and others.
7. Very strong and prolonged stressful situations, depression, a constant feeling of anxiety can cause severe heartburn.
8. Pregnancy. Heartburn in pregnant women is very common.
9. Eating before bedtime.
10. Long wearing tight belts, weight lifting, pregnancy, problems with being overweight also seriously affect the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which can be expressed by such a thing as heartburn.

The causes of heartburn should be determined by the doctor.

Symptoms

This phenomenon is very difficult to confuse with any other. It represents a strong burning sensation in the abdominal cavity, which sometimes reaches the esophagus. During movements, it is usually enhanced and can provoke belching with acid, during which a characteristic bitter-sour taste appears in the mouth.

Many people wonder at what acidity there is heartburn.

These signs are "classic", but there are other symptoms that are considered an occasion to consult 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 stool, 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 listed symptoms in combination with severe pain in the chest or back.

Nausea and heartburn

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

There is heartburn in pregnant women. This phenomenon is considered quite normal, since a serious hormonal restructuring is taking place in the body of the expectant mother. Nevertheless, if these phenomena are not observed during pregnancy, then such heartburn can 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 there is a certain danger in the whole organism, therefore, it is not worth ignoring painful manifestations.

Constant heartburn

If such a phenomenon does not occur often, but only from time to time, then, as a rule, it should 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 such a process is inappropriate to consider as an independent problem. There is a high probability that the cause of heartburn is the presence of a certain disease. It can manifest itself in this way.

So what causes heartburn?

Heartburn diseases

So, a list of pathologies that can cause heartburn:

1. Stomach ulcer.
2. Duodenal ulcer.
3. A hernia located in the food hole. In this case, part of the stomach, and sometimes intestinal loops, are displaced through the food hole to 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 sustained and prolonged heartburn after eating.
5. Cholecystitis (an inflammatory process that occurs in the gallbladder).
6. Obesity. Large fat layers localized in the stomach are capable of exerting 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 esophagus sphincter.
9. The constant occurrence of heartburn can be the result of surgical interventions related to the stomach, duodenum, liver, or gall bladder.
10. The period of pregnancy, which is characterized by an increase in pressure on the stomach.
11. Angina pectoris, characterized by special pains that a person can perceive as heartburn.

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

Heartburn Foods

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

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

All kinds 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 act on the same principle. Is there heartburn from coffee? Of course, and very often.

Fatty foods are digested too long, which can cause some disturbances in the digestive system. Therefore, foods rich in carbohydrates and fats can provoke an attack of heartburn. These include primarily lard, sausages, smoked meats, sausages. Nevertheless, it is impossible to completely refuse such food, you just need to monitor how much these dishes are consumed.

Spicy foods take almost the first place among all that can cause disturbances in the functioning of the stomach. This 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 start gradually introducing them into the diet one by one and observe how the body reacts.

With an increased tendency to cause heartburn, nutritionists recommend completely eliminating carbonated drinks from the diet, since they greatly stretch the muscles of the stomach, causing hydrochloric acid to splash out into the lumen of the esophagus.

During pregnancy

During pregnancy, women very often complain about the occurrence of such an unpleasant phenomenon as heartburn. This is due primarily to the fact that in the woman’s body there are serious fluctuations in the hormonal background, which can affect the secretion of gastric juice. The second cause of heartburn during pregnancy can be a large fetus that presses on the stomach, as a result of which gastric juice is thrown 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 makes itself felt after eating, so it is very important to eat foods that are not able to provoke its occurrence.

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

A few tips to help prevent heartburn:

1. Drinking tea with the addition of natural mint leaves.
2. Overeating should be avoided.
3. Eating should be often, but little by little.
4. Chewing food thoroughly.
5. Eliminate bad habits (smoking, excessive drinking).
6. Eat light fiber-rich foods.

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

Heartburn Treatment

It is possible to treat this pathological phenomenon both with the help of traditional medicine and with medication. Nevertheless, it is desirable to initially understand what exactly are the reasons for its appearance. It is necessary to treat directly those diseases (if any) that provoked heartburn.

One of the most effective methods of dealing with heartburn is to establish a diet. For this, it is not necessary to adhere to any strict diets and complex meal patterns. It’s enough just not to overeat and eliminate too fatty and spicy dishes.

A home remedy for heartburn can also be effective. About this at the end of the article.

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

1. Antacid medicines that can neutralize an excess of hydrochloric acid, which is the basis of gastric juice. These medicines are absorbable and not absorbable. The first are made on the basis of baking soda. However, today experts do not recommend the use of these medications, since they have a huge number of side effects. Modern antacids are developed in the form of complex drugs that not only neutralize stomach acid, but also have an absorbent, cytoprotective and enveloping property. 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. Alginates are substances obtained from a special variety of brown algae with enveloping properties. They protect the gastric mucosa from irritation, have hemostatic quality, which is so necessary in the development of ulcerative processes in the stomach.
3. Proton pump inhibitors are specific antisecretory substances that help block proton movement through cell membranes. Thanks to this action, a significant reduction in the amount of hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach can be achieved.

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

• "Phosphalugel";
• "Rutatsid";
• "Vicair";
• "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 chopping it, stir and drink.
2. At the first sign of heartburn, grated carrots help a lot.
3. A good effect can be achieved by using kissel for heartburn, which has enveloping properties and prevents acid from leaving the stomach.
4. Reception of vegetable oil (on an empty stomach) in the amount of one teaspoon.

We examined the causes of heartburn and how to get rid of it.