What is heartburn and how to get rid of it

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Drink a glass of skim milk or chew gum.

What is heartburn

Heartburn Mayo Clinic. Heartburn is a burning sensation that sometimes occurs behind the breastbone and rises to the throat. It appears due to the fact that gastric juice accidentally enters the esophagus and irritates its walls. This process is called acid reflux.

Acid reflux usually occurs or worsens after eating, in the evening, when lying down, or when bending over.

Almost everyone faces heartburn from time to time. If the attacks recur regularly, at least several times a week, doctors talk about NHS gastroesophageal reflux disease. Heartburn and acid reflux (GERD).

Where does heartburn come from?

Normally, the esophagus provides one-way movement of food or liquid. When you swallow, the muscle ring at the bottom of your mouth (called the esophageal sphincter) relaxes to allow the swallow to pass into the stomach. And then it contracts again so as not to release the contents of the organ back.

But sometimes the sphincter weakens. Or he becomes too relaxed - this can also happen under the influence of certain foods eaten. Or, for example, the pressure in the stomach increases so much that the muscle ring cannot withstand the load and stretches. And then the contents of the organ, together with gastric juice, rises higher up the esophagus, causing a burning sensation.

Why heartburn is dangerous and when you need to see a doctor as soon as possible

Heartburn itself, especially if it appears infrequently, does not threaten anything. But GERD is a far from harmless condition: the Mayo Clinic can take regular bursts of gastric juice. Heartburn damage the esophagus, complicate the Mayo Clinic. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) swallowing, cause a permanent lump in the throat and even lead to degeneration of the epithelium of the esophagus (the so-called Barrett's syndrome), and later, if unlucky, cancer.

Another thing is dangerous: more serious health problems can be masked under heartburn. In particular - Mayo Clinic heart attack. Heartburn or heart attack: When to worry.

Call an ambulance immediately if, in addition to heartburn, you feel Mayo Clinic. Heartburn:

• Severe chest pain or pressure.
• Chest pain that radiates to the arm or jaw.
• Breathing problems. It may be shortness of breath or just a feeling that it is impossible to breathe in deeply.

Schedule a visit to a gastroenterologist for the near future if:

• Heartburn occurs more than twice a week.
• Symptoms persist despite the fact that you have already consulted a doctor and are taking the remedies they recommend.
• You have trouble swallowing.
• You are haunted by nausea or wanton vomiting.
• You lose weight due to persistent poor appetite or discomfort when swallowing.

How the doctor will treat heartburn

No self-medication, if you have the symptoms listed above, is unacceptable. It is important to understand that regular heartburn is not an independent disease, but a symptom of some disturbance in the functioning of the body. Most often we are talking about GERD, but in some cases, Cedars Sinai exhibit a burning sensation behind the breastbone. Heartburn and Acid Reflux: What You Need to Know yourself with angina pectoris, hiatal hernia or even esophageal cancer. What exactly is the problem, only a doctor can find out.

To establish an accurate diagnosis, the gastroenterologist will ask you about your health, conduct a physical examination and, possibly, prescribe additional examinations. For example, it will send you for an x-ray: find out what condition the esophagus and stomach are in. Or for endoscopy: during this procedure, an optical probe will be inserted into the esophagus, which will allow you to examine in detail the condition of the walls of the organ.

When the diagnosis is made, the doctor will prescribe treatment.

How to get rid of heartburn right now

Only if there are no dangerous signs, and heartburn does not visit you often, you can try to cope with it with home methods. Which one will be most effective in your case cannot be predicted. So experiment with each one in turn.

1. Take the Mayo Clinic antacid medicine. Heartburn. These are over-the-counter drugs that quickly neutralize gastric juice and thus reduce irritation to the esophagus. Please note: it is impossible to cure an already damaged esophagus with antacids. You will need more serious medications that your doctor will prescribe for you.
2. Raise your shoulders and head. If you are lying down, stand up. Or at least place a higher pillow under your head. This will make it difficult for the NHS. Heartburn and acid reflux is the route of gastric juice into the esophagus.
3. Chew gum. In one small study, the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Esophageal motility abnormalities in gastroesophageal reflux disease found that if the gum was used for half an hour, the heartburn subsided. This is because chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which in turn flushes gastric juice from the walls of the esophagus.
4. Take Mayo Clinic Soda Solution. Sodium Bicarbonate - it is analogous to antacids. Stir a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm water and drink in small sips.
5. Drink Johns Hopkins Medicine Milk. GERD Diet: Foods That Help with Acid Reflux. But only low fat: Fat can make acid reflux more pronounced. Milk will create a temporary barrier between the esophagus and the acidic contents of the stomach and thereby quickly reduce the burning sensation.
6. Drink Harvard Health Herbal Tea. Herbal remedies for heartburn - chamomile, ginger, or licorice will do. Such drinks can reduce irritation to the esophagus. Pour boiling water over a teaspoon of dried chamomile, licorice or grated ginger root, or brew ready-made tea in a bag.
7. Drink homemade lemonade. Although lemon juice is obviously acidic, a small amount mixed with water can reduce stomach acidity during digestion. This is the opinion of some experts, for example, M. D. Deborah Wetherspoon, who refers to Can You Use Lemon Water to Treat Acid Reflux? American medical resource Healthline. This tool does not help everyone. But if you decide to try, you need to prepare lemonade like this: stir a tablespoon of lemon juice in a glass of warm water. And drink 20 minutes before meals.

How to prevent future heartburn

Most often, to forget about the discomfort behind the breastbone after eating, Mayo Clinic is enough. Heartburn is a little lifestyle change.

1. Lose excess weight. Fat deposits around the waist press against the stomach, forcing the juice up the esophagus.
2. Avoid tight clothing. Too tight jeans, tight-fitting T-shirts, tight belts - all this also increases the pressure on the organ.
3. Try to avoid foods that can cause heartburn. These are spicy foods, citrus fruits, onions, fatty and fried foods, tomatoes and products from them (for example, ketchup), chocolate, strong coffee, tea, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, peppermint.
4. Don't overeat. It is best to eat small meals five to six times a day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are too dense will increase the pressure in the stomach.
5. Do not bend over or exercise immediately after eating.
6. Don't lie down after eating. It is optimal to wait at least three hours.
7. Avoid late meals.
8. Raise the head of the bed so that your head and shoulders are above your belly.
9. Stop smoking. It also provokes heartburn.

This material was first published in September 2016. In April 2021, we updated the text.