Heartburn is an unpleasant burning sensation in the esophagus and chest that occurs due to increased acidity. The scheme for the occurrence of heartburn is quite simple: gastric juice rises from the stomach into the esophagus, its acidic components irritate the mucous membrane, causing a burning sensation. But there can be several reasons for heartburn, that is, the reflux of juice from the stomach into the upper parts of the digestive system. Consider the main reasons why heartburn appears.
If you rarely experience heartburn, you should associate it with festive tables and parties. Overeating of spicy, fatty, high-calorie foods, especially in combination with alcohol, will definitely cause such a reaction in the body.
To avoid such heartburn, you should not abuse fried and fatty foods.
Heartburn can be caused by sweet black tea, and fresh rye bread with a lot of yeast, onions, chocolate, mint, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Such cases of heartburn, fortunately, are easily treated - you just need to take a dose of an acid-reducing drug. It is also useful to revise the diet a little, replacing harmful products with safer counterparts. For example, instead of the usual onion, you can buy a Texas sweet variety or Russian meadow - they do not cause heartburn. White onions are scalded with boiling water before use to reduce its pungency.
You can also do with other products that torment you. Chocolates should be eaten less often, moreover, gradually moving from bitter varieties to milk and white chocolate. Bread should be chosen without yeast, but it is better to try to completely abandon this high-calorie product.
Getting rid of food heartburn is completely in our hands. However, supporters of an unhealthy lifestyle suffer from this type of heartburn quite regularly.
If you have managed to gain excess weight, this condition can also cause heartburn.
Peppermint in gum, caffeine, and alcohol relax the esophageal sphincter, which holds stomach acid in place.
Smoking and frequent consumption of coffee and carbonated drinks irritates the stomach, causing it to throw out portions of acid more often, and heartburn becomes chronic.
You can get rid of it once and for all by adjusting your diet and daily routine.
Patients suffering from stomach ulcers often experience heartburn. They usually have an increased acidity of the gastric juice, and its discharge into the esophagus causes great discomfort, even if they are very slight. Ulcers begin to form on the mucosa of the esophagus, which increases heartburn. Gastroenterologists advise abandoning the tradition of taking soda during heartburn, as it reduces acidity for a short time, and in some cases can cause an even stronger reaction a little later. Only a doctor can prescribe the right drugs for heartburn.
In addition, with various diseases of the stomach, its motor function may be disturbed, and gastric juice will be sent in waves into the esophagus. This problem should also be solved under the supervision of a gastroenterologist.
Heartburn can be caused even by such seemingly insignificant problems as uncomfortable clothes that squeeze the stomach, lifting weights while eating, eating on the run. It is also harmful to chew food badly and dine in front of the TV - food leftovers are poorly digested, causing an increase in acidity.
Doctors do not recommend taking long breaks between meals, because during “non-working” hours, gastric juice stagnates and becomes more concentrated. In the event of an attack of heartburn, such an acidic liquid has a much stronger effect on the delicate mucosa of the esophagus. Switch to fractional meals with several healthy snacks throughout the day, this will dilute the gastric juice. During those meals that we used to consider basic - breakfast, lunch and dinner - use dessert spoons instead of tablespoons, reduce the volume of the plate. After the end of the meal, it is useful to stand still for 5-10 minutes so that the digestion of food is more efficient.
Heartburn at night provokes the habit of eating at night. If about 3 hours have not passed since the last meal, and you have already gone to bed, expect an attack of heartburn. In a horizontal position, gastric juice, abundantly produced during meals, can easily overflow into the esophagus. If you can’t refuse a late dinner, ease your suffering with high pillows, or raise the head of the bed higher with the help of props under the legs at the head.
Smoking provokes heartburn due to the property of nicotine to increase the acidity of the stomach. In addition, when air is inhaled through a cigarette filter, pressure builds up in the abdominal cavity, which also causes the stomach to overreact and attack the walls of the esophagus.
Weakening of the esophageal sphincter is one of the main causes of heartburn. Muscle failure, which is supposed to keep gastric juices out of the esophagus, is caused by several factors, primarily a lot of stress in a person's life. Also, some drugs can affect this muscle ring. For example, Spasmalgon, Diphenhydramine, Amlodipine, Atropine, some antidepressants and steroids - in a word, those drugs that provide relief from spasms and muscle relaxation.
A hiatal hernia allows part of the stomach to protrude towards the esophagus, causing acidic contents to be thrown up unhindered, causing heartburn. It provokes the appearance of heartburn and increased internal pressure in the abdominal cavity, when the gastric juice does not have enough space in the compressed space of the stomach. For this reason, pregnant women often suffer from heartburn, especially in the last months.
During pregnancy, heartburn also occurs due to an increase in the content of the hormone progesterone in the body. If a pregnant woman is experiencing symptoms of heartburn, she should reduce the frequency of eating foods that cause, for example, tomatoes, pickled vegetables, cabbage, coffee and soda. In some cases, meat, yeast bread, boiled eggs, and even food that is too cold or too hot can cause heartburn in pregnant women.
Heartburn manifests itself, among other things, as a symptom of several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs that are not directly related to increased acidity. These are chronic cholecystitis, pancreatitis, cholelithiasis, duodenal ulcer, stomach cancer, toxic and food poisoning. Having found heartburn that came on suddenly in the absence of other symptoms of hyperacidity, you should consult a doctor to exclude or start treating these diseases, which are much more dangerous and unpredictable, in time.
Symptoms of heartburn - burning and pain in the sternum, do not always indicate the ingress of gastric juice into the esophagus and heartburn as such. This sensation can also be a symptom of some cardiovascular diseases, including those that lead to a heart attack. Therefore, whatever the causes of heartburn, it is better to find them out with your doctor.
People don’t worry too much when they have heartburn, because it can be endured or eliminated by taking the right pill. Meanwhile, this symptom is very dangerous and may indicate serious diseases. Do not tolerate it - start treatment, but first find out what causes heartburn. Finding the cause is the first step to success.
It is known that food from the mouth enters first into the esophagus, then into the stomach. At the border of the two sections there is a sphincter, which prevents the return of food, tightly closing. This is characteristic of a healthy person. Why does heartburn happen? If the sphincter does not work properly, the contents of the stomach and even part of the food fall into the lower esophagus. This organ does not have protection from acidic enzymes, so it becomes irritated and inflamed. At the same time, a person feels a “fire” in the sternum, severe discomfort, pain, and suffers from belching.
Basically, burning occurs some time after eating, as a result of lifting weights. If such discomfort appears about once a month, we are talking about a moderate form - for its prevention, you can change the diet, lifestyle. With an average degree, the symptom occurs once a week, with severe - daily. In both cases, it is recommended to consult a doctor to rule out serious diseases.
The disease is characterized by inflammation of the mucous layer of the stomach, malfunctions of this organ, poor digestion of food, loss of strength, pain in the upper abdomen. Heartburn with gastritis is a characteristic, but not an obligatory symptom. A burning sensation occurs when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, more often appears with a disease with high acidity. To eliminate an unpleasant symptom, dieting, taking medications can help.
Many processes and phenomena that occur in women in position are associated with hormones. Every second pregnant woman is faced with a burning sensation and bitterness in her throat: on average, it appears after the second trimester and persists until the birth of a child. What causes heartburn? One of the factors of nausea and discomfort is overeating, as a result of which intra-abdominal pressure rises, digestion becomes difficult, food is thrown into the esophagus. Causes of heartburn in women:
A burning sensation behind the sternum often occurs as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, an incorrectly selected diet. To prevent the disease, you should give preference to safe dishes: cereals (oatmeal, rice, millet, buckwheat), low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, honey, jelly, marshmallows, zucchini, bananas, beets, carrots. What food can cause heartburn after eating? Discomfort, flatulence appear after use:
Junk food is not the only factor in the appearance of discomfort. If discomfort, diarrhea, and other disturbances occur regularly after each meal, they may indicate gastrointestinal disease. Why heartburn after eating? The symptom is typical for:
Any alcoholic beverages have a negative effect on the human digestive system. If you take them for a long time, all organs become vulnerable: the mucus that protects the stomach ceases to be produced, erosion forms, hydrochloric acid begins to act more aggressively, a person is tormented by a burning sensation in the throat. Heartburn after alcohol - causes: the esophageal sphincter is in a relaxed position, stops contracting and passes gastric juice. Strong consequences appear with the simultaneous use of alcohol with salty, spicy, fatty foods.
Prolonged, uncontrolled fasting does not benefit the body - the digestive system suffers greatly from this. When the time comes for eating, the digestive tract prepares for the processing of products: they secrete gastric juice, form bile. If the body does not receive food from time to time, burning attacks gradually begin to appear. Without food, the juice breaks down the surrounding tissues, including the esophagus. Heartburn on an empty stomach - causes:
If bloating, burning pains and other unpleasant signs are rarely disturbing, most likely there is no pathology. If you are worried every day, you should be alert and think about eliminating the causes. Why morning heartburn? Causes:
The appearance of a symptom in the evening, at night, can be facilitated by many factors. Nighttime heartburn - causes:
The operation is carried out in order to improve the quality of life of people, but often its consequences are burning pain in the throat, belching with air. What are the causes of heartburn after gallbladder removal? After the operation, bile begins to enter the small intestine, even if there is no food there. Gradually, it acts on the mucous membrane of the organ, on the sphincter, weakening the muscles. For this reason, the obturator function of the esophageal organ decreases. In addition to bile, the onset of the disease is influenced by the forced intake of anti-inflammatory drugs.
If nothing is done, the symptom may become systematic. To eliminate it, you should find out what causes heartburn in a particular person. To do this, you need to undergo an examination. Why is there constant heartburn, belching? Possible factors of its development:
To relieve heartburn, doctors recommend a new drug Antareit.The drug has a unique combined composition for the Russian market, due to which it acts on the digestive system in a complex way: magaldrate neutralizes the increased acidity of gastric juice, stopping heartburn; has an enveloping effect, eliminating stomach pain; has adsorbing and cytoprotective effects, and simethicone absorbs excess gases, preventing belching and flatulence. The drug is not absorbed in the stomach, which avoids negative side effects and the "rebound syndrome" - increased heartburn after the end of the remedy.
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Heartburn - causes and treatment of the disease
The sensation of heartburn appears unexpectedly and, as a rule, is very painful. What causes heartburn, what provokes it and what needs to be done to avoid its occurrence in the future, will be described below. Heartburn is an unpleasant sensation that leads to extremely serious consequences if left untreated.
Heartburn can take a person by surprise
Heartburn is accompanied by a burning sensation and discomfort behind the sternum. This feeling intensifies when the position of the body changes: during bending or in a horizontal position. Also, a person is tormented by belching with a sour or even bitter taste.
Why does heartburn happen? This is mainly due to improper and irrational nutrition. Normally, the contents of the stomach and hydrochloric acid never enter the esophagus, because there is a sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus, which opens only when food enters the stomach. In some cases, the tone of this muscle is reduced, which leads to the flow of acidic juice into the esophagus. This is accompanied by an unpleasant burning sensation in the chest.
Burning sensations and discomfort behind the sternum can be masked as a myocardial infarction, and vice versa, therefore, an examination is mandatory. There are frequent cases when a person thought that he was worried about heartburn, but in fact it turned out that he suffered a microinfarction. Almost the only difference between these two conditions will be the pain in the left arm that accompanies a heart attack. Unfortunately, it does not always appear.
It must be remembered that a burning sensation is just a symptom, and not an independent disease.
This is a sign that sometimes indicates serious damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Especially if heartburn bothers you regularly and on an ongoing basis. You need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
In addition to burning, there may be a cough. At night, aspiration of the contents of the stomach that has entered the esophagus is possible, and this is also possible with severe intoxication. In such a situation, damage to the bronchial tree occurs, possibly the development of aspiration pneumonia.
The main factor why heartburn occurs is a decrease in the tone of the gastroesophageal sphincter. It develops as a result of gastroesophageal reflux disease. This disease is characterized by constant reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Acid and digestive enzymes irritate the lining of the esophagus. The heartburn that accompanies this disease worries a person almost constantly. And drugs that could remove discomfort, act for a short time.
Also, a hiatal hernia disrupts the proper functioning of the digestive system and can lead to the fact that the contents of the stomach enter the esophagus, damaging its mucosa.
Increased acidity of gastric juice provokes the development of gastritis, and later - ulcers of the stomach or duodenum. High levels of acidity lead to heartburn. As you can see, it turns out a vicious circle, which can be broken only with proper treatment.
In men and women, heartburn can occur with alcohol abuse. In a state of intoxication, relaxation of all the muscles in the body occurs, which can also lead to leakage of gastric contents. This means that everything needs a measure, including food.
In most cases, an unpleasant symptom appears due to certain foods and violations of the rules of rational nutrition. Also, one of the reasons why heartburn happens is the uncontrolled intake of medications.
Mushrooms irritate the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach
Taking certain medications can lead to the fact that a burning sensation behind the sternum may appear. Sometimes it can occur after taking beta-blockers, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers. If you suspect that the occurrence of heartburn is associated with the medications you are taking, be sure to consult with a specialist. Antispasmodics cause additional relaxation of the sphincter separating the stomach and esophagus, which inevitably leads to the entry of gastric acid into the overlying esophagus.
Often, for the first time in a woman's life, heartburn can occur during pregnancy. Most often it accompanies the second and third trimesters. The release of progesterone causes a decrease in the tone of the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach, its relaxation and, accordingly, the entry of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. During pregnancy, intra-abdominal pressure increases, which can also cause unpleasant symptoms to appear.
One of the side effects of Utrozhestan is heartburn.
It is not uncommon for a pregnant woman to be prescribed progesterone to reduce uterine hypertonicity. But we must not forget that the drug does not act locally. Being in the blood, it affects the entire body, hence the decrease in the tone of the muscle that protects the esophagus from the effects of acid. In this situation, it is clear what causes heartburn, what provokes it.
To stop a burning sensation behind the sternum, you can use various means, including folk remedies.
The easiest way to prevent new attacks of heartburn is to correct nutrition and lifestyle:
The above describes in detail what heartburn is and how to get rid of it, but drug methods have not been described.
The main group of emergency drugs are antacids.
Antacids in the form of suspensions
They have an enveloping effect, protecting the mucous membrane. They also neutralize hydrochloric acid, reducing its aggressive effect. An important property is the fast action. That is why antacids help with an attack of heartburn.
Bismuth preparations also neutralize acid and help relieve the condition of a person suffering from heartburn. Useful are antisecretory drugs that reduce the production of gastric juice. This is extremely important in order to comprehensively influence the problem.
The first described group of medicines includes Almagel and Gaviscon. They are able to quickly alleviate the condition, stop an attack of heartburn and protect the mucous membrane of the esophagus. To the second - omeprazole. It is a proton pump inhibitor, which leads to a significant decrease in the level of acidity. This helps to alleviate the course of peptic ulcer, gastritis and get rid of heartburn.
Heartburn is a condition that is related to the digestive system and how it works. What causes heartburn?
There are some causes that can lead to heartburn, but to understand the causes of heartburn, you need to know how the stomach works.
When a person eats food, it moves from the mouth to the stomach. However, before it reaches the stomach, food must pass through a long, tube-shaped organ known as the esophagus.
There is a small opening in the esophagus through which food enters the stomach cavity (lower esophageal sphincter).
This hole opens only for such a period of time that it takes for food to pass into the stomach cavity.
Although sometimes this area may remain open or not close properly, which allows acid from the stomach to pass into the esophagus.
The acid usually results in a burning sensation in the sternum, accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth.
This phenomenon is heartburn. The latter can cause acrid belching, bloating, a feeling of fullness in the stomach, and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.
The reasons for the above condition are very important to know for any person. Identifying the cause will help the patient effectively fight against the symptoms of acid reflux and get rid of it quickly.
What causes heartburn? Very often, after excessive consumption of food, a person feels discomfort, feels a burning sensation in the upper abdomen. Over time, these feelings intensify.
This painful burning sensation is known as heartburn.
It is most often caused by reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. Severe heartburn usually occurs due to overeating, lying down after eating, excessive smoking, etc.
People of all ages are at risk for reflux. Older people tend to have more severe manifestations than younger people.
Anyone who eats a heavy meal and subsequently lies on their back or bends over from the waist is at risk of likely developing heartburn.
Anyone who snacks before bed is also at high risk of reflux.
What else causes heartburn, besides overeating and eating heavy foods? Pregnancy is one of the known risk factors for the weaker sex.
Especially often, heartburn in women in position occurs during the third trimester, since the growth of the uterus increases the level of pressure in the abdominal cavity.
Heartburn in this situation is resistant to dietary changes in the diet and to antacids.
According to some experiments, obesity contributes to the development of heartburn.
Experts have proven that being overweight or obese significantly increases the likelihood of acid reflux symptoms, especially in women.
What causes heartburn in adult men and women? What diseases can lead to it? People with asthma are at a very high risk of developing GERD and therefore heartburn.
One recent study found that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis) were more likely to have GERD and associated symptoms.
Why does smoker get heartburn? A growing body of evidence indicates that smoking increases the likelihood of developing GERD and chronic heartburn.
Smoking reduces the muscle function of the esophageal sphincter, increases acid secretion, disrupts muscle reflexes in the throat area, and disrupts the integrity of the protective layer of mucous membranes.
Smoking reduces salivation, which helps neutralize acid. Whether this is caused by smoke, nicotine, or both, is currently unknown.
Some people who use nicotine patches to quit smoking experience heartburn.
However, it is also unclear whether nicotine is the cause of this condition, or if stress causes the release of an acid reserve.
Alcohol has a mixed effect on acid reflux. Alcohol relaxes the muscles of the esophageal sphincter and, when consumed in large quantities, can irritate the esophageal wall.
All alcoholic beverages increase the level of acidity in the stomach. The combination of heavy drinking and smoking increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
What causes heartburn? Doctors and research scientists have identified certain factors that increase the likelihood of the condition occurring.
Such risk factors include pregnancy, hiatal hernia, and stress.
Heartburn is a symptom that occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, causing irritation of the esophagus.
In patients, the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach cavity either opens at the wrong time, or is weak and does not completely close the opening in the stomach.
When this process occurs, gastric juices and food particles may return to the esophagus more often than usual.
If gastric juices remain in the esophagus for long periods of time, or if acid reflux occurs frequently, the esophagus naturally protects itself from gastric juices, as it may simply become congested.
Thus, the wall of the esophagus is irritated, causing discomfort.
A disease like a diaphragmatic hernia of the esophagus can lead to heartburn.
This process occurs when the lower part of the esophagus or certain parts of the stomach adjacent to it are displaced through the wide-open diaphragmatic opening into the region of the chest cavity.
This causes the sphincter to weaken and stop blocking acid reflux.
While hiatal hernia occurs in people of all ages, it often occurs in the over 50 age range in both men and women.
Although most patients with hiatal hernias have no symptoms, the condition greatly increases their chances of developing heartburn.
Among other things, many women also develop heartburn during pregnancy, and its symptoms worsen over time.
Up to half of all pregnant women experience heartburn at some point in the pregnancy process, and up to 1 in 4 pregnant women suffer each day.
Why does heartburn occur in pregnant women? Some doctors believe this happens because the growing baby puts pressure on the stomach and pushes it against the diaphragm.
This increase in pressure on the stomach can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to open, which can cause acid reflux.
In addition, the normal hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can weaken the sphincter.
Both increased pressure on the stomach and a weaker sphincter can trigger acid reflux during pregnancy.
On the other hand, the use of tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, chewing or pipe tobacco, increases the likelihood of developing heartburn or worsens the symptoms of existing heartburn.
The fact is that smoking tobacco can similarly negatively affect the functioning of the lower esophageal sphincter, as well as increase the amount of acid produced in the stomach.
Tobacco products can also reduce the amount of saliva your body produces.
Saliva usually protects the esophagus from the effects of stomach acid, so less saliva often results in more intense heartburn.
People who smoke are also more likely to cough, which puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, causing it to open when it shouldn't.
All of these effects of tobacco use make acid reflux more likely to irritate and damage the esophagus. That is why it is important to fight any bad habit, get rid of it in time.
Certain foods can increase the chance of heartburn or worsen symptoms. These include:
Some citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, are highly acidic, causing increased stomach acid production and heartburn, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.
It is necessary to get rid of the habit of consuming such fruits in large quantities, especially on an empty stomach.
While tomatoes may contain some very beneficial nutrients, such as lycopene, that are very good for reducing cancer risk, it is very important to avoid excessive consumption due to their high acid content.
Any foods made primarily in tomato sauce, such as pasta, should be avoided.
Vegetables like garlic and onions can also trigger acid reflux, although not in all people.
Some of them may not be affected, while others may feel a strong effect of the above products even after eating a small amount of them.
To find out if a person is at a similar risk of the negative effects of garlic and onions, it is best to start a so-called "food journal" to note the foods that were previously eaten and led to heartburn.
Spicy food is another very common cause of heartburn in many people. Pepper or other spices, if taken in large quantities, can cause a burning sensation in the chest.
Although most people suffering from this problem avoid eating fried foods, they do not realize that there are other foods such as cheese, nuts, avocados and others that are also very high in fat.
Fats tend to slow down the emptying of the stomach, which increases pressure on the esophagus and leads to heartburn.
Coffee, soda, tea, and some other drinks contain caffeine. When these drinks are consumed in large quantities, they can trigger heartburn.
In this regard, it is necessary to try to reduce the amount of coffee consumed and reduce the size of each cup.
Also, try not to consume more than three or four cups of coffee in one day.
Although a person may not realize it, their favorite cocktail, beer or even wine, when consumed along with a heavy meal, can cause heartburn.
Therefore, it is very important to get rid of bad habits, for example, drinking alcoholic beverages.
Chocolate is another product causing this problem. Periodic and infrequent consumption is not prohibited.
However, when a person has the habit of eating chocolate every day after a meal, this often leads to heartburn. In this regard, it is better to "pamper" yourself with confectionery products only from time to time.
Some foods are known to cause the lower esophageal sphincter to weaken, while others cause more stomach acid to be produced.
Both of these problems can make acid reflux worse. Other types of foods can additionally irritate the esophageal wall after it has been damaged by reflux.
The amount and frequency of eating can also contribute to heartburn.
If the lower esophageal sphincter is not working properly and a person eats large meals, the level of food and acid in their stomach may be high enough to allow juices to return to the esophagus.
Finally, eating too late close to bedtime and then lying down can worsen symptoms.
Taking certain medications can increase your chance of developing heartburn or make it worse. These medicines include:
Why does heartburn appear after taking medication? CCBs and hormones in birth control pills can loosen the lower esophageal sphincter and allow it to open when it should be closed.
Tricyclic antidepressants and anticholinergics can decrease saliva production and slow down digestion.
All of these effects make acid reflux more likely and its symptoms worsen, making the disease more difficult to treat.
Heartburn also appears to be more common in people with certain medical conditions. Among them are:
There are many causes of chronic or severe heartburn. A chronic condition in many cases indicates more serious diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal hernia, esophagitis, or Barrett's esophagus.
This means that all of the above ailments can provoke the development of cancer of the esophagus.
In those situations when a person began to notice chronic heartburn in himself, immediate medical attention is required.
It is important for every person to know what causes heartburn and how to treat it. For this purpose, you need to contact a specialist.
The doctor will likely refer the sick person for several tests and prescribe certain antacids or other stronger medications, depending on the severity of the condition.
The specialist will likely also suggest lifestyle changes and diets for GERD and acid reflux.
Doctors do not know the specific causes of this condition. They do, however, know a number of factors that increase a person's chances of developing heartburn.
These risk factors do not guarantee that a person will have heartburn.
They simply increase the likelihood of its occurrence. The attending physician will help the patient identify factors that may contribute to his treatment. Also, the doctor will tell you how to properly treat this condition on your own.
Many people know the unpleasant burning sensation behind the sternum, called heartburn, we do not perceive it as something serious. What does the average person do when they experience burning or pain in the esophagus? He uses a long-known folk remedy for heartburn - soda, diluted a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate in half a glass of water, drinks and safely forgets about burning in the esophagus until the next opportunity. Meanwhile, the connection between heartburn and esophageal cancer has long been unquestioned. It turns out that the harmlessness of heartburn is nothing but imaginary complacency.
In case of heartburn, you should contact your local therapist or, more optimally, a gastroenterologist. Held:
I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this article will provide tips on symptomatic relief from heartburn, because it is not an independent disease, but just a sign of some disease or condition. Therefore, as they say, cope with heartburn, but do not forget about the treatment of the underlying pathology. Well, if we talk, for example, about heartburn during pregnancy, then after a happy delivery, it disappears on its own.
Medicines for heartburn What should be done for heartburn in the first place? That's right: reduce the acidity of the stomach in order to neutralize the harmful effects of hydrochloric acid on the esophageal mucosa with a possible reflux. For this purpose, apply: Almagel (Alumag, Gastracid, Almol, Maalox), Rennie, Gastal. The main acid-neutralizing component in these preparations are aluminum and magnesium hydroxides, carbonate and magnesium hydroxycarbonate. Once again, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that antacids do not have any systemic effect, but simply allow you to forget about heartburn for a while. They do not cure the disease itself. The second group of drugs used to relieve heartburn are proton pump inhibitors. Their role is to reduce the production of hydrochloric acid by the cells of the gastric mucosa. These include Omeprazole (Omez, Cisagast, Ultop, Omizak, Losek Maps, Helicid), Lansoprazole (Helicop, Epicurus, Lanzabel, Lancid), Pantoprazole (Sanpraz, Ultera, Controloc), Rabeprazole (Rabelok, Pariet), Esomeprazole (Nexium).
The mechanism of action of the third group of heartburn drugs - H2-histamine receptor blockers - differs from the previous one, but the essence is the same: they inhibit the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. These are Ranitidine (Ranigast, Acilok, Zantak), Famotidine (Kvamatel, Famosal), Cimetidine. H2-histamine blockers have a long-term effect, however, due to possible serious adverse reactions, a medical consultation is necessary before taking it.
Can you drink baking soda for heartburn? There is also a double-edged sword here: soda neutralizes the acid, but at the same time, carbon dioxide will form during the chemical reaction, which, in turn, irritates the gastric mucosa, stimulating it to produce hydrochloric acid. If you still want to relieve heartburn without resorting to medication, then it is better to cook oatmeal in water.
