Heartburn: why does it occur and how to get rid of it?

Causes of heartburn

Heartburn appears periodically, usually about an hour after eating. Most often, its appearance can be caused by rich or spicy foods. In some cases, heartburn occurs during physical activity, in a horizontal position or when bending the body forward.

Attacks of heartburn can be very rare, or they can bother a person quite often, disrupting their usual way of life. In this regard, there are three degrees of heartburn severity:

• moderate heartburn, which worsens once a week;
• moderate severity - heartburn worsens once a month;
• severe form of severity - heartburn occurs daily, causing associated problems.

The appearance of heartburn may indicate the presence of certain diseases in the body (peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastritis with high acidity, cholecystitis, diaphragmatic hernia, toxicosis of pregnancy, intolerance to certain nutrients).

The causes of heartburn are quite numerous. The most common cause of heartburn is increased acidity, although in some cases it can occur against a background of low acidity due to the special sensitivity of the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are the most common companions of heartburn, but sometimes its appearance is caused by neuropsychiatric disorders.

Bad habits and poor nutrition can not only cause, but also aggravate heartburn, which is the dominant factor in the process of its occurrence. The most common causes of heartburn include:

• excessive consumption of food (overeating), which stretches the stomach and stimulates abundant acid secretion;
• irritation of the gastric mucosa, which leads to an increase in the volume of acid and relaxation of the gastric valve, can be provoked by drinking large quantities of strong coffee and tea, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, hot seasonings, as well as smoking;
• consumption of unlimited amounts of fried food, pies, fresh baked goods, tomatoes, citrus fruits, various pickles;
• taking certain medications that provoke increased production of acid in the stomach and its reflux into the esophagus (Ortofen, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, etc.);
• factors that contribute to increased intra-abdominal pressure (excess weight, wearing tight belts, pregnancy, heavy lifting);
• rest in a horizontal position after eating;
• aerophagia (swallowing air while eating);
• neuroses, stressful situations accompanied by feelings of anxiety.

Heartburn can appear regularly after each meal, which does not place it among separate problems, but only indicates diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which include:

• cholecystitis - inflammation of the gallbladder;
• duodenitis – inflammation of the duodenum;
• hiatal hernia;
• obesity;
• chronic gastritis with hypersecretion;
• peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
• pregnancy;
• consequences of surgical operations for removal of the gallbladder, a fragment of the stomach or duodenum, gastric cancer, peptic ulcer.

Heartburn in these diseases and conditions is often accompanied by pain in the stomach. This is a serious reason to consult a gastroenterologist.

Warning

If you feel bitterness in your mouth after eating, you should take some preventive measures to further avoid it, for example:

• You need to eat food in small portions, 5-6 times a day, without waiting for the urge to eat;
• drink at least two liters of clean water daily, especially if you feel discomfort in the sternum;

• It is undesirable to perform active motor movements or play sports immediately after leaving the dinner table;
• legumes and dairy products should be excluded from the daily diet to prevent bloating;

Interesting! Burning sensation in the right hypochondrium: causes and what to do

• Chewing food thoroughly will help avoid discomfort.

Of course, preventive measures are important, but you still have to visit a gastroenterologist’s office. It is easier to prevent the disease in the primary stage than to treat it in the chronic stage.

Consequences of heartburn

Symptoms of heartburn usually occur when gastric juice affects the esophageal mucosa, which is the result of stomach contents entering the esophagus. The cardinal sphincter of the esophagus in its normal state prevents gastric contents from entering it.

But when the lower sphincter does not work adequately, and this happens with impaired motility of the duodenum, esophagus or stomach, all the prerequisites are created for the unhindered reflux of the acid contained in the gastric juice into the esophagus. If the acid irritates and burns the lining of the esophagus for a long time, it can be seriously damaged. This leads to dehydration, weight loss, and in some cases even bleeding.

In addition, acid provokes inflammatory processes, as a result of which erosions and ulcers can form on the walls of the esophagus. As a result of these pathological processes, in some severe cases, even ruptures of the walls of the esophagus may occur, which poses a threat not only to human health, but also to his life.

The resulting ulcers scar over time, leading to narrowing of the esophagus. At the same time, a sensation of an impassable lump appears in the patient’s throat, and he experiences difficulty swallowing food. This condition, in addition to significant discomfort, can become an indication for complex surgery and significantly increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Diagnostics

To exclude pathology, you should visit a doctor, undergo an examination and, if necessary, begin treatment.

To make a diagnosis in the presence of unpleasant sensations in the throat and esophagus, in addition to collecting complaints and anamnesis, you may need:

• laboratory tests (general and biochemical blood tests, determination of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, coprogram);
• instrumental studies (manometry of the esophageal sphincter, fibrogastroduodenoscopy, pH measurement in various parts of the stomach, as well as in the esophagus and duodenum, etc.).

We are talking about functional heartburn in cases where the patient does not have pathomorphological changes in the mucous membrane and motor disorders of the esophagus.

Treatment

Treatment of heartburn involves eliminating the causes of its occurrence. Once the cause is established, it is necessary to neutralize the effect of excess acid.

The most common and simplest method of combating heartburn is baking soda, with which you can very quickly get rid of a chest burning sensation. But it can be used only in rare cases, since prolonged and repeated use of soda can cause negative consequences (weakness, headache, vomiting).

You can reduce the acidity of gastric juice with the help of mineral waters. To treat heartburn it is recommended:

• hydrocarbonate waters (Dilijan, Borjomi, Sairme);
• hydrocarbonate sulfate waters (Kislovodsk Narzan, Jermuk, Smirnovskaya, Slavyanskaya).

Antacids are medications that help treat heartburn by binding hydrochloric acid in the stomach with magnesium and aluminum salts. The most popular of them include: Phosphalugel, Rennie, Gaviscon, Almagel, Maalox, etc.

There are also drugs of the newest group, which, along with the traditional mechanism of action, form a gel film on the surface of the mucous membrane, which performs a protective function. This group of drugs that are used for long-term treatment includes drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors.

What it is

In order to understand why heartburn occurs, you must first understand what kind of phenomenon it is. Heartburn is an unpleasant burning sensation that occurs in the projection of the esophagus 40 minutes or an hour after eating. This condition is caused by the fact that the acidic environment from the stomach enters the esophagus.

The severity of the symptom directly depends on the amount of acid that enters the esophagus. In some patients, burning attacks occur only after heavy meals, in particular when it contained a lot of spices and herbs. In such a situation, heartburn is not considered a pathological manifestation, and if you follow the rules of nutrition, it will not occur.

In other patients, the symptom occurs regularly. Often it is not even related to nutrition; heartburn can appear after physical activity or at rest. Most often, such manifestations are a sign of disruption of the cardiac part of the stomach and the sphincter located in it. So if you experience a burning sensation during training, you should pay attention to it and visit a specialist.

Important! Regularly recurring attacks can lead to the development of extremely dangerous diseases of the esophagus, such as Malory-Weiss syndrome.

Diet

When treating heartburn, first of all, it is necessary to properly organize your diet and follow a diet.

First of all, if you have heartburn, you need to give up a number of foods:

• fatty, fried, spicy, salty foods;
• fermented milk products with high fat content;
• confectionery and fresh baked goods;
• all types of citrus fruits;
• chocolate;
• herbs and hot spices;
• strong tea and coffee;
• tomato paste;
• fried eggs in any form;
• alcoholic and carbonated drinks.

Preference should be given to steamed dishes, as well as boiled and baked vegetables (peas, carrots, lentils, potatoes).

The menu should also include foods that contain complex carbohydrates (brown rice, durum wheat pasta, bran bread or corn flour). The diet should be supplemented with the following products:

• lean meat;
• low-fat cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream;
• boiled eggs;
• low-fat fish;
• porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina);
• bananas and apples;
• non-acidic compotes;
• green tea.

Prevention measures

Compliance with the rules of prevention will not only prevent the occurrence of acid reflux, but also avoid pathologies of the digestive system:

• proper diet: including balanced, healthy meals;
• fractional meals;
• moderate food consumption;
• chewing pieces of food thoroughly;
• refusal of physical activity after eating;
• giving up bad habits: alcohol, tobacco products;
• wearing loose clothing that does not restrict movement;
• adherence to sleep and rest patterns;
• avoiding stress;
• timely completion of medical examination.

We recommend: Does persimmon help with heartburn and how to use it correctly?

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers many recipes to combat heartburn.

• burnt chalk powder with spicy roots;
• an infusion prepared from equal parts of the herb celandine, licorice root, yarrow, St. John's wort, chamomile flowers;
• a decoction of licorice root and orange peels with the addition of honey;
• chewing grains of oats or barley between meals with gradual swallowing of saliva;
• fresh potato juice before meals;
• warm infusion of flax seeds before bedtime;
• infusion of dried marsh grass;
• lemon soda pop;
• raw pumpkin seeds;
• chamomile tea with honey.

Appearance in children

The reasons for the appearance of this symptom in children are the same as in adults. But in a child, especially a small one, it is very difficult to notice signs of a burning sensation.

If he cannot explain in words what is tormenting him, then his behavior can suggest heartburn.

It is worth paying attention to how the baby behaves after eating. If after some time he begins to cry, which is repeated several times, you should pay attention to this and take him to the doctor.

The baby may experience belching or nausea. If the symptom appears frequently, the baby will be in a bad mood and may have trouble sleeping.

Interesting! Burns in the esophagus and stomach: what to do, determine the causes

If the child is older, but it is difficult for him to describe the symptom, it will be enough to ask him where he is tormented by unpleasant sensations. And just by localization one can assume heartburn. When asked directly, they can pinpoint the exact location where the burning sensation is felt.

What you can do yourself

There are situations when a symptom does not arise from a disease, but from overeating, for example, in this case it is not advisable to take medications. If heartburn occurs, how to get rid of it yourself in this case?

Often drinking helps with heartburn, namely warm milk, to which you can add honey. Some use salt, activated carbon, freshly squeezed juices or infusions of certain medicinal herbs (chamomile, mint, dill). You can drink mineral water, provided that it is slightly alkaline or alkaline.

It is very important to understand why heartburn occurs, because the disease will progress over time, and it is better to treat it in the early stages.

What else can be used for heartburn? Every housewife has table salt in her kitchen. This is the most affordable remedy of all. Simply put a small pinch of salt in your mouth and begin to dissolve; when saliva forms and the salt is almost dissolved, you need to swallow it. This will relieve the painful symptom.

What examinations should I take?

In order not to rack your brains about why heartburn happens and how to get rid of it, you need to get examined. If a person constantly experiences burning attacks in the esophagus, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Treatment should be carried out by a gastroenterologist.

The patient needs to undergo a series of examinations to identify the causes of heartburn:

• FEGDS. This examination method (fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy) allows you to assess the condition of the mucous membrane from the upper parts of the esophagus to the lower parts of the duodenum. Diagnosis requires special preparation and premedication. The advantage is that during the examination it is possible to take material for a biopsy and culture to identify Helicobacter Pillory and find out why heartburn occurs.
• Fractional sensing. It is carried out to test the secretory function of various parts of the digestive tract, as well as measure the pH of various secretions. This procedure takes quite a long time and requires the introduction of special stimuli.
• X-ray of the abdominal cavity and chest. This method of instrumental examination is advisable if a diaphragmatic hernia is suspected.
• General clinical tests. Examinations are carried out for all pathologies without exception. Their necessity lies in the fact that some diseases may be accompanied by bleeding, which is asymptomatic and noticeable only on the results of a hemogram.

It is important to understand why heartburn occurs, because the method of treatment will depend on the cause.

A comprehensive examination allows you to make an accurate diagnosis, which is necessary to prescribe adequate and complete treatment.