What are the common causes of daily heartburn. How can persistent heartburn be effectively managed. What lifestyle changes can help reduce heartburn symptoms. When should you see a doctor about frequent heartburn. What are the potential complications of untreated chronic heartburn.

Understanding Heartburn: More Than Just an Uncomfortable Sensation

Heartburn, despite its name, has nothing to do with the heart. It’s a digestive issue that occurs when stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat. While occasional heartburn is common, experiencing it daily can significantly impact one’s quality of life and may indicate a more serious underlying condition.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is often the culprit behind persistent heartburn. GERD occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring of muscle that acts as a valve between the esophagus and stomach, becomes weakened or relaxes inappropriately, allowing stomach contents to flow back (reflux) into the esophagus.

Key Facts About Heartburn

• Affects 25 million adults daily in the United States
• More than one-third of adults experience heartburn at least once a month
• Women typically report the onset of heartburn about 5 years later than men
• Increasing age, higher body mass index, and lower education levels are associated with more frequent heartburn

Common Causes and Risk Factors for Daily Heartburn

Understanding the causes and risk factors for daily heartburn is crucial for effective management and prevention. While some factors are beyond our control, many are lifestyle-related and can be modified to reduce symptom frequency and severity.

Dietary Triggers

Certain foods and beverages are known to trigger or exacerbate heartburn symptoms in many individuals. These include:

• Spicy foods
• Fatty or fried foods
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Tomato-based products
• Chocolate
• Caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks)
• Carbonated beverages
• Alcohol

Identifying personal dietary triggers through a food diary can help individuals make informed choices to reduce heartburn frequency.

Lifestyle Factors

Several lifestyle habits can contribute to the development or worsening of heartburn:

• Obesity or being overweight
• Smoking
• Eating large meals
• Lying down shortly after eating
• Snacking close to bedtime
• Wearing tight-fitting clothing
• Stress and anxiety

Medical Conditions and Medications

Certain medical conditions and medications can increase the risk of experiencing frequent heartburn:

• Pregnancy
• Hiatal hernia
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Connective tissue disorders
• Some blood pressure medications
• Certain muscle relaxers
• Some pain relievers (e.g., aspirin, ibuprofen)

Recognizing the Symptoms of Chronic Heartburn

While the primary symptom of heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest, chronic or severe cases may present with additional symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored.

Common Symptoms of Chronic Heartburn

• Persistent burning sensation in the chest, especially after eating
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Regurgitation of food or sour liquid
• Sensation of a lump in the throat
• Chronic cough, especially at night
• Disrupted sleep due to chest discomfort
• Chest pain, which may be confused with heart-related issues

Is chest pain always a sign of heartburn? While chest pain is a common symptom of heartburn, it’s important to note that it can also be a sign of more serious conditions, such as heart disease. If you experience severe or persistent chest pain, especially if accompanied by shortness of breath, jaw or arm pain, or nausea, seek immediate medical attention to rule out cardiac issues.

Diagnosing Persistent Heartburn: When to See a Doctor

While occasional heartburn is common and can often be managed with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications, persistent or severe symptoms warrant medical attention. Knowing when to consult a healthcare professional is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Signs It’s Time to See a Doctor

• Heartburn occurs more than twice a week
• Symptoms persist despite the use of over-the-counter medications
• Difficulty swallowing
• Persistent nausea or vomiting
• Unintentional weight loss
• Chronic cough or wheezing
• Chest pain during physical activity

How do doctors diagnose chronic heartburn? Physicians may use several methods to diagnose chronic heartburn or GERD, including:

1. Review of medical history and symptoms
2. Physical examination
3. Endoscopy to visualize the esophagus and stomach
4. Ambulatory acid (pH) probe test to measure acid in the esophagus
5. Esophageal manometry to measure muscle contractions in the esophagus
6. X-rays of the upper digestive system

Treatment Options for Daily Heartburn

Managing daily heartburn often involves a combination of lifestyle modifications, over-the-counter remedies, and in some cases, prescription medications. The goal of treatment is to reduce acid reflux, heal the esophagus if damage has occurred, and prevent complications.

Lifestyle Modifications

Often the first line of defense against heartburn, lifestyle changes can significantly reduce symptom frequency and severity:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid trigger foods and beverages
• Eat smaller meals
• Don’t lie down immediately after eating
• Elevate the head of your bed
• Quit smoking
• Wear loose-fitting clothes
• Manage stress through relaxation techniques

Over-the-Counter Medications

Several types of OTC medications can provide relief from heartburn symptoms:

• Antacids (e.g., Tums, Rolaids) – neutralize stomach acid
• H2 blockers (e.g., Pepcid, Zantac) – reduce acid production
• Proton pump inhibitors (e.g., Prilosec, Prevacid) – block acid production and allow time for esophageal healing

Prescription Medications

For more severe cases, doctors may prescribe stronger versions of H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors. In some cases, prokinetics may be prescribed to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and speed up stomach emptying.

What is the most effective long-term treatment for chronic heartburn? While treatment plans vary depending on individual circumstances, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often considered the most effective long-term treatment for chronic heartburn and GERD. However, long-term use of PPIs should be monitored by a healthcare provider due to potential side effects.

Potential Complications of Untreated Chronic Heartburn

Left untreated, persistent heartburn can lead to serious complications affecting the esophagus and overall health. Understanding these risks underscores the importance of proper management and timely medical intervention.

Esophageal Complications

• Esophagitis: Inflammation of the esophagus
• Esophageal stricture: Narrowing of the esophagus due to scar tissue
• Barrett’s esophagus: Changes in the esophageal lining that increase cancer risk
• Esophageal cancer: While rare, the risk increases with long-term, untreated GERD

Other Health Impacts

• Dental erosion due to stomach acid exposure
• Chronic cough or asthma exacerbation
• Sleep disturbances leading to fatigue and decreased quality of life
• Laryngitis or hoarseness

How often should individuals with chronic heartburn be screened for complications? The frequency of screening depends on individual risk factors, but generally, those with long-standing GERD symptoms should discuss the need for periodic endoscopic screenings with their healthcare provider, especially to monitor for Barrett’s esophagus.

Natural Remedies and Alternative Treatments for Heartburn Relief

While medical treatments are often necessary for managing chronic heartburn, many individuals find relief through natural remedies and alternative treatments. These approaches can complement conventional therapies and may help reduce reliance on medications.

Herbal Remedies

• Ginger: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties
• Chamomile tea: May reduce inflammation and promote relaxation
• Licorice root: Can increase mucus production, protecting the esophagus (avoid in large amounts or if you have high blood pressure)
• Aloe vera juice: May help soothe the digestive tract

Dietary Supplements

• Probiotics: May improve digestion and reduce reflux symptoms
• Melatonin: Some studies suggest it may reduce nighttime reflux
• Calcium carbonate: Acts as an antacid

Alternative Therapies

• Acupuncture: May help regulate digestive function
• Meditation and relaxation techniques: Can reduce stress-related acid reflux
• Chewing gum: Stimulates saliva production, which can neutralize acid

Are natural remedies as effective as medications for treating chronic heartburn? While some natural remedies show promise in managing heartburn symptoms, their effectiveness can vary widely between individuals. They are generally considered complementary to, rather than replacements for, conventional treatments, especially in cases of severe or chronic heartburn. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new treatment regimen, including natural remedies.

Prevention Strategies: Minimizing the Risk of Daily Heartburn

Preventing heartburn is often easier and more effective than treating it after it occurs. By implementing certain lifestyle changes and being mindful of risk factors, many individuals can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of heartburn episodes.

Dietary Modifications

• Keep a food diary to identify personal trigger foods
• Eat slowly and mindfully
• Avoid eating large meals, especially close to bedtime
• Limit alcohol and caffeine consumption
• Choose low-fat, high-fiber foods

Lifestyle Adjustments

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Quit smoking or avoid secondhand smoke
• Wear loose-fitting clothing around the abdomen
• Elevate the head of your bed by 6-8 inches
• Practice stress-reduction techniques like meditation or yoga

Meal Timing and Habits

• Wait at least 3 hours after eating before lying down
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day
• Chew food thoroughly to aid digestion
• Avoid bending over or exercising immediately after meals

How can workplace habits be adjusted to prevent heartburn? For those who experience heartburn at work, consider the following strategies:

• Keep healthy snacks on hand to avoid overeating at mealtimes
• Use lunch breaks for short walks to aid digestion
• Maintain good posture at your desk to reduce pressure on the stomach
• Stay hydrated with water instead of caffeinated or carbonated beverages
• If possible, use a standing desk or take regular breaks to stand and move around

By implementing these prevention strategies and being aware of personal triggers, many individuals can effectively manage their risk of experiencing daily heartburn. However, it’s important to remember that persistent symptoms should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to rule out more serious conditions and ensure appropriate treatment.

Heartburn That Won’t Go Away: Potential Causes and Treatment

posted: Aug. 18, 2020.

Heartburn is a very common discomfort that most people will experience at some point. But what if it won’t go away? At what point does heartburn become a cause for concern? 

How To Identify Heartburn

Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. It’s a condition that occurs in the esophagus when a small amount of stomach acid escapes your stomach and sits in your lower esophagus. The acids create an uncomfortable burning sensation that, because of its location near the heart, has been given the name “heartburn.”

Mild heartburn can pop up on occasion for a variety of reasons, but sometimes it can hinder your regular daily activity. If it gets that intense, or it seems like it won’t go away or is consistent over many days, it is important to have it checked. 

What Happens If You Have Frequent Heartburn?

The esophagus is prone to several conditions and disorders. Sometimes considered “frequent” heartburn, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the valve in the esophagus doesn’t work properly. GERD can also cause acid regurgitation when the acid from the stomach comes up through the esophagus and sometimes into the mouth. 

A few potential concerns that can result from untreated GERD or frequent heartburn are Barrett’s Esophagus and potentially a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma. Barrett’s esophagus occurs when the esophageal lining changes, becoming more like the tissue that lines the intestines. Your doctor will test for Barrett’s esophagus with an upper endoscopy and may order additional tests as needed. This assessment is very important because undetected and untreated Barrett’s esophagus can lead to esophageal cancer.

Although rare, Adenocarcinoma is increasing in frequency, making it more important than ever to have heartburn symptoms checked out. Experts aren’t sure exactly what is causing the increase in adenocarcinoma cases, and the increase has been seen mostly in white males, with the average patient being 67 years of age.  

How Can I Decrease My Heartburn?

Often, GERD symptoms occur because of diet or obesity. Eliminating carbonated beverages, caffeine, and fatty or spicy foods can help reduce the frequency of heartburn. Losing weight may also help. Some people may find relief with over-the-counter antacids, although they should not be considered a long-term solution. Anyone with persistent heartburn needs to have their condition diagnosed. 

Some common causes of heartburn include:

• Types of food/Diet
• Smoking 
• Obesity
• Snacking near bedtime
• Pregnancy
• Regular use of blood pressure medications, particularly those used for blood pressure, certain muscle relaxers, or pain relief
• Frequently drinking carbonated beverages, coffee, tea, or alcohol

Avoiding these can help reduce your symptoms or frequency of heartburn. If you’re experiencing frequent or debilitating heartburn that has begun to affect your daily life, don’t mistake it as “normal.” Make an appointment with GI Associates today!

Heartburn Risk Factors, Knowledge, and Prevention Strategies: A Population-Based Survey of Individuals With Heartburn | Lifestyle Behaviors | JAMA Internal Medicine

Background 
Twenty-five million adults experience heartburn daily. To target individuals for prevention programs, characteristics of persons with heartburn and the associated causes of this condition must first be identified.

Methods 
We conducted a population-based telephone survey of 2000 individuals with heartburn to describe the cause of the disease, knowledge of risk factors, and prevention strategies.

Results 
Lifestyle and work habits, and certain food and beverage consumption, were associated with heartburn. Women reported the onset of heartburn about 5 years later than men. Survey respondents were unaware of the risk factors for heartburn, and sex-dependent differences in knowledge were apparent. Logistic regression modeling identified increasing age, female sex, higher level of education, and frequent vs infrequent heartburn as significant (P<.02) predictors of whether patients told a physician about their heartburn symptoms. Increasing age, higher body mass index, and reduced level of education were significant (P<.02) predictors of frequent vs infrequent heartburn in this study population.

Conclusion 
The findings of this study provide a framework for the development of a heartburn prevention program based on lifestyle modification.

TWENTY-FIVE MILLION adults experience heartburn daily, and more than one third of adults experience heartburn at least once a month in the United States.^1-4 Heartburn, a burning sensation behind the breast bone, is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease. ⁴ Although not life threatening, gastroesophageal reflux can cause complications, including esophagitis, ulceration, and stricture formation. Moreover, gastroesophageal reflux is a risk factor for Barrett esophagus, a premalignant condition of the esophagus.^5,6 The high prevalence and associated long-term discomfort of heartburn affects quality of life and is costly to society. In 1996, more than $1 billion was spent on nonprescription heartburn remedies, including hydrogen₂ receptor antagonists and antacids (AC Nielsen marketing company, unpublished data, September 1996).

Heartburn occurs when the esophagus is exposed to gastric acid. Ordinarily, the lower esophageal sphincter, which separates the esophagus from the stomach, prevents acid from entering the esophagus. At inappropriate times, transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation occurs, resulting in gastroesophageal reflux and heartburn.⁷ Heartburn results when sensory nerve endings are stimulated by acid reflux or esophageal distention. ⁸ Consumption of certain foods and beverages has been reported to induce heartburn.^6,9 Body position, including recumbency, bending over, and the postprandial state, has also been associated with heartburn.^4,6 Lifestyle factors, such as stress, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, medication use, and certain exercises, may also precipitate heartburn.^6,10-13 Specific factors may be responsible for heartburn, but it appears as though these factors are unique for each individual. For instance, some patients report that coffee consumption causes their heartburn, while other patients are not affected by the consumption of this beverage. Furthermore, it is unclear whether individuals can identify the factors that cause their heartburn symptoms. Recommendations are generally made by physicians for dietary modification, weight loss, lifestyle behaviors, and body position, even though they may not know the specific cause of heartburn in an individual patient. ^5,6,14

Characteristics of individuals with heartburn, causes of heartburn, patient knowledge, and prevention strategies have not been described previously in the general population. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of nonprescription medications available to prevent heartburn. To target individuals for prevention programs that include dietary modification, lifestyle and behavior modification, and treatment remedies, individuals and the associated causes of their heartburn must first be identified. The assessment of an individual’s knowledge is crucial to successfully implement prevention strategies. We conducted a population-based survey to describe the sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of symptoms, self-reported causes of the condition, and knowledge of heartburn risk factors in individuals with heartburn. We also collected information on the different approaches used by individuals with heartburn to prevent the onset of symptoms.

A cross-sectional survey of 2000 individuals with heartburn was conducted. The study population included adults aged 18 years or older in the United States who reported having heartburn in the past 6 months. All eligible study participants were required to have telephone service. A survey instrument was developed and pilot tested and included a screening question to identify individuals with heartburn as well as questions related to sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of symptoms, self-reported causes of heartburn, knowledge of factors contributing to heartburn, and prevention strategies. The survey fieldwork was done by the MEDSTAT Group, Ann Arbor, Mich. Random digit dialing was used to select households stratified by state to ensure that the study population was geographically representative. Persons aged 18 years or older who answered the telephone were identified as individuals with heartburn if they had experienced heartburn during the past 6 months. Heartburn was defined as “a burning sensation in the chest behind the breast bone, which may or may not be associated with the sensation of food coming back into the mouth or an acid or bitter taste.” All eligible individuals were recruited for the study. Trained interviewers administered the standardized survey using computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Recruitment was ongoing until 2000 individuals successfully completed the entire survey.

Random calls (N=10,559) were made to complete 2000 surveys. About one fourth (or 2377) of the telephone numbers were ineligible because they were the wrong number, a cell or business number, or a computer or fax number. Seven hundred twenty-four respondents were ineligible for the study: 467 did not speak English or were deaf, and 257 did not have heartburn. Eligibility was unknown for 5130 potential survey respondents who either could not be reached by telephone (n=1160) or refused to answer the screening question (n=3970). Of the 2328 eligible subjects, 328 (14.1%) refused to complete the survey.

Descriptive statistics, including means, SDs, and percentages, were calculated to characterize the survey population for sociodemographic variables, frequency of heartburn symptoms, causes of heartburn, and knowledge of risk factors. Logistic regression modeling was used to identify predictors of frequent heartburn and informing a physician about heartburn symptoms. A commercially available statistical program¹⁵ was used for all analyses. Odds ratios (ORs), confidence intervals (CIs), χ² test statistics, and P values (2 tailed) are presented.

Sociodemographic characteristics of the 2000 individuals with heartburn representing all 50 states are presented in Table 1. The age range of the survey respondents was 18 to 91 years. Women made up 59% of the study population. Most survey respondents were white (87%) and married or living with someone (68%). About half of the men and women were college educated, and more than 70% of survey respondents lived in small cities or rural towns.

The self-reported frequency of heartburn was as follows: daily (21.5%), a few times a week (24.4%), once a week (11.3%), a few times a month (16.5%), once a month (11.5%), and less than once a month (13.8%). We classified individuals with heartburn as persons with frequent (daily or a few times a week) vs infrequent (once a week, a few times a month, once a month, or less than once a month) heartburn. Forty-six percent of the survey respondents had frequent heartburn. Approximately 38% of the survey respondents reported that the frequency of their heartburn was increasing with age, while 18% reported a decrease of heartburn frequency with age. The trend of increasing heartburn with age is presented in Figure 1.

Table 2 presents the prevalence of heartburn symptoms by sociodemographic characteristics. Women were somewhat more likely to report daily heartburn than men. Women reported the onset of heartburn about 5 years later than men (mean ± SD age, 34.7 ± 16.6 vs 29.9 ± 14.2 years; P<.001). Survey respondents who were not college educated were more likely to report frequent symptoms compared with individuals with heartburn who were college educated (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.21-1.73) (P=.001).

We asked survey respondents to report when they experienced heartburn using a checklist of potential trigger situations (Table 3). Respondents were allowed to respond to all questions that applied. Heartburn was experienced after or during a broad range of activities and events. Men and women reported heavy meals and high-fat foods, acidic foods, and lying down as causes of heartburn; 23% to 52% of the respondents attributed their heartburn to these situations. Women reported heartburn caused by a hectic day at home, stressful family situations, eating a heavy meal, and lying down more often than men. Women were 70% more likely than men to report stressful family situations (OR, 1. 70; 95% CI, 1.40-2.07) and 55% more likely than men to report a hectic day at home (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.25-1.92) as causes of heartburn. In contrast, men were 24% more likely than women to report a week of long work hours (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.99-1.55) and 50% more likely than women to report business travel (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.08-2.07) as causes of heartburn. We asked specifically about the frequency of heartburn after eating, during sedentary activities, and during sports and exercise. Men and women reported similar frequencies of exercise-related heartburn, although about 75% of those surveyed did not experience heartburn associated with exercise. As was expected, specific foods and beverages were reported to cause heartburn (Table 4). Men were 64% more likely than women to report drinking alcoholic beverages as a cause of heartburn (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.29-2.09). Women reported eating a higher percentage of heartburn-promoting foods, including fatty foods, chocolate, peppermint, citrus fruits or juices, and tomato products. No other predominant male-female differences were observed.

In preliminary analyses, we explored the relationship between age groups, frequent vs infrequent heartburn status, and the factors listed in Table 3 and Table 4. Statistical testing was not accomplished for age comparisons because of the small numbers available after stratification by age groups, but was done for analyses comparing frequent vs infrequent heartburn status. A hectic day at work, business travel, a week of long work hours, and a week with numerous deadlines were reported less by the older age groups as causes of heartburn. Heartburn before, during, and immediately after exercise or sports was reported more frequently as a cause of heartburn by the younger age groups. Furthermore, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages were reported less by the older age groups as causes of heartburn. No other important trends were observed. Consumption of fast foods, caffeinated beverages, and alcoholic beverages were reported less by the older age groups as causes of heartburn. Those with frequent heartburn reported a higher frequency for all the causes of heartburn listed in Table 3 and Table 4. Nearly all the comparisons reached statistical significance (P≤.05).

Obesity was associated with an increased frequency of self-reported heartburn. We calculated body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) and categorized those with heartburn into quartiles. Individuals in the highest quartiles of body mass index were more likely to report daily heartburn compared with those in the lowest quartile (referent) of body mass index; ORs ranged from 1.30 to 2.19. A dose-response relationship was apparent, with an overall trend test that was statistically significant (P=.02).

Most survey respondents were unable to identify known causes of heartburn. Table 5 presents the respondents’ knowledge of heartburn risk factors. To obtain valid responses to the questions on heartburn knowledge, we included questions on factors that are not known to be associated with heartburn. Although the survey population was composed of 2000 individuals with heartburn, most of them were unaware of the risk factors for heartburn. The findings revealed that men and women differ in their knowledge about risk factors for heartburn, which may reflect sex-dependent differences in lifestyle. For example, men were more likely than women to identify the following risk factors for heartburn: work schedule or conditions, alcohol consumption, smoking, and exercise. Conversely, women were more likely than men to identify the following factors as risk factors for heartburn: age, citrus juice consumption, weight, stress, and wearing tight clothes around the stomach.

Although all of the respondents surveyed had heartburn, with almost 50% having weekly symptoms, only 55% of men and 66% of women informed their physician. Survey respondents with frequent heartburn were 4.14 times more likely (95% CI, 3.41-5.02) to have told their physician that they had symptoms compared with survey respondents with infrequent heartburn (P<. 001). Of the 916 respondents with frequent heartburn, 716 (78.2%) informed their physician vs 199 (21.7%) who did not inform their physician; of the 1061 respondents with infrequent heartburn, 492 (46.4%) informed their physician vs 566 (53.3%) who did not inform their physician. Women were more likely to have told their physician about their heartburn symptoms compared with men. Regression modeling identified increasing age, female sex, higher level of education, and frequent vs infrequent heartburn as significant predictors of whether patients told their physician about their heartburn symptoms (Table 6).

Approaches used to prevent and treat heartburn are presented in Table 7 and Table 8. Forty-five percent of the survey respondents used a nonprescription medication to prevent the onset of heartburn symptoms. Other approaches to heartburn prevention included taking prescription medication and avoiding spicy foods. Women were more likely to take a prescription medication and avoid fatty foods and citrus juices, while men were more likely to do nothing to prevent heartburn. More than 75% of male and female respondents reported taking a nonprescription medication to treat heartburn. Although certain foods and lifestyles have been identified as potential causes of heartburn, most individuals did not report that they modified these behaviors to avoid or prevent heartburn. Table 9 presents the results of multivariate analyses. Increasing age, higher body mass index, and reduced level of education were statistically significant predictors of frequent vs infrequent heartburn in this study population.

This is the first population-based study to characterize individuals with heartburn for cause, knowledge of risk factors, and prevention strategies. Lifestyle and work habits, in addition to certain food and beverage consumption, were associated with heartburn. Most survey respondents were unaware of the risk factors for heartburn, and sex-dependent differences in knowledge were apparent. Women reported the onset of heartburn symptoms about 5 years later than men, which is likely to reflect differences in lifestyle. Obesity was associated with an increased frequency of self-reported heartburn, and a dose-response relationship was evident. Many survey respondents did not inform their physician about their symptoms, and nonprescription medication was the approach used most often to prevent or treat heartburn. College educated individuals were less likely to report heartburn symptoms compared with those without a college education. This may reflect differences in access to care and knowledge about prevention and treatment strategies. Thus, those respondents with less than a college education were about 20% less likely to use a prescription or nonprescription medication to prevent heartburn. Increasing age was an important predictor of frequent heartburn. It is unclear, however, whether heartburn was associated with aging because of a change in esophageal physiological characteristics, lifestyle, or increased use of medications that predispose to gastroesophageal reflux.

This study used a telephone survey and, thus, excluded individuals who had no telephone service or who did not answer the telephone. Fifty-nine percent of the respondents were women, which probably reflects the greater likelihood of women to answer the telephone. Although we used random digit dialing (conducted during various times of the day), stratified by state, to ensure geographic representativeness, our study population was predominantly white individuals (87%) who lived in small cities or rural towns (72%), which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Another limitation of the study was our inability to collect information on use of medications or medical conditions, such as pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, and hiatal hernia, that predispose to heartburn.⁶

Physicians often recommend lifestyle changes in addition to medications to prevent heartburn. Decreasing consumption of spicy foods and caffeinated beverages, for example, has been suggested to improve symptoms. Weight loss is recommended for obese patients. Avoiding the supine position after eating may decrease gastroesophageal reflux and thereby prevent heartburn. The results of this study support these recommendations and show a relationship between certain lifestyle factors and heartburn. Future studies are needed, however, to confirm that behavior modification is useful in preventing and treating heartburn.

The findings of this study are important for the development of a heartburn prevention program, which incorporates lifestyle modification. It is apparent that most individuals with heartburn have little insight into the factors that cause heartburn. Lifestyle modification strategies necessarily must first begin with education so that dietary modification, behavior modification, and treatment remedies can be implemented. This is especially true for individuals who are reluctant to use medications. The results of this study need to be considered in the context of medications that are used to prevent or treat heartburn. Whether the need for medical intervention can be decreased by simple changes in lifestyle needs to be tested in the general population. Alternatively, many individuals are unlikely to be willing to modify their lifestyles because of easy access to safe and effective therapy.

Reprints: Susan A. Oliveria, ScD, MPH, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave, Box 99, New York, NY 10021 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Accepted for publication November 2, 1998.

This study was supported by Whitehall-Robins Healthcare, Madison, NJ.

We thank Deborah Plutzer and Bridgette Bayliss for their assistance with manuscript preparation.

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5 Things That Cause Heartburn

Onions, spicy dishes, and fried foods have gotten a bad rap. While there’s some evidence these foods can trigger heartburn, experts say how you eat is more important than what you eat when it comes to controlling painful flare-ups.

“The old adages about onions and fruit juice and things like that—those foods are not as problematic as we used to think,” says Michael D. Brown, M.D., a professor of medicine and digestive diseases at Rush University Medical Center. “When I talk to patients now, we talk about how much they eat and how they eat it, not what they eat.”

(Discover how restoring the balance of healthy flora in your gut can help you solve chronic health issues with The Good Gut Diet.)

Other experts agree.

“The evidence to support eliminating certain foods to reduce the symptoms of heartburn is not strong,” says Nyree Dardarian, R.D., director of the Center for Integrated Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University. 

So what is causing your heartburn? Brown says heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux, or the bubbling up of stomach acids into your esophagus.

Your esophagus—which connects your throat to your stomach—isn’t designed to handle those acids, so reflux creates a painful burning sensation. 

Related: The Fastest Cure For Heartburn

“Almost everybody experiences heartburn once in a while,” Brown says. “But if it happens often [twice a week or more], then you have GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.”

Brown says that clinical research has linked frequent heartburn and GERD to trouble swallowing, tooth enamel erosion, throat problems, and more serious issues like asthma or even pulmonary injury.

Related: How Heartburn Literally Causes Cancer

While specific foods may trigger heartburn for some people, Brown and Dardarian say there are more important factors raising your risk for the painful postmeal condition.

1. Eating too close to bedtime causes heartburn

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“Eating within 2 to 3 hours of lying down is a problem,” Brown says.

Your body can only do so much to fight gravity. And if you’re hitting the sack on a full stomach, you’re helping the contents of your belly slide up into your esophagus, he says.

Especially for people diagnosed with GERD, eating before lying down is a no-no, shows research from Japan. Even sitting back or reclining too soon after a meal could trigger heartburn, Dardarian says. 

2. Eating large or too-frequent meals causes heartburn

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The more food you pack into your stomach, the more likely some of it will sneak its way up into your esophagus, suggests a recent study from Canadian, Australian, and Iranian researchers.

Eating frequently and at odd intervals also seem to bring on the burn, Dardarian says. 

Related: 13 Power Foods That Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

3. High BMI is linked to heartburn

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Carrying excess weight slows food’s course though your digestive system, creates more pressure within your abdomen, and loosens the sphincter muscle that keeps your stomach contents out of your esophagus, concludes a study from the Annals of Internal Medicine.

All of those may explain the link between heartburn and a high BMI, the study authors say.

“Reduction in weight through lifestyle modifications such as meeting with a registered dietitian, eating less, and moving more may be the best solutions to reduce the pain,” Dardarian says. 

Related: 10 Weight-Loss Smoothie Recipes

4. Drinking too much causes heartburn

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“Alcohol is thought to relax the lower esophageal sphincter, a muscle that helps keep the contents of your stomach in your stomach,” Dardarian says.

If you’re drinking just before bedtime—and coupling that last glass of wine with a pre-bed snack—you’re especially asking for trouble.

Related: 8 Things That Happen When You Stopping Drinking Alcohol

5. Eating the wrong foods can cause heartburn

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Yes, research has linked onions, spicy foods, and soda to heartburn. But those triggers aren’t universal. 

“If you have bad symptoms when you eat something, by all means, don’t eat it,” Brown says.

But the idea that acidic foods will drive up your stomach acid levels and cause heartburn is problematic. 

“The thing about acid in food is that it’s minuscule compared to what’s already in your stomach,” Brown says. “Your stomach makes about 2 liters of hydrochloric acid a day to break down what you eat, so high-acid foods aren’t going to make much of a difference.”

So, What Foods Should You Eat?

Apart from avoiding those foods that set off your heartburn (duh), “a diet that contains lots of fiber, legumes, and vegetables, as well as olive oil and other components of Mediterranean-style diets, seems to be protective against GERD and heartburn,” Brown says.

Substituting water for carbonated beverages like soda also seems to be helpful, Dardarian says. 

The article It’s Not Food Causing Your Heartburn—Here Are The 5 Real Culprits was originally published on Prevention.com

Markham Heid
Markham Heid is an experienced health reporter and writer, has contributed to outlets like TIME, Men’s Health, and Everyday Health, and has received reporting awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Maryland, Delaware, and D.C.

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Heartburn | Cigna

Topic Overview

Heartburn is a feeling of burning, warmth, heat, or pain that often starts in the upper abdomen just beneath the lower breastbone (sternum). This discomfort may spread in waves upward into your throat, and you may have a sour taste in your mouth. Heartburn is sometimes called indigestion, acid regurgitation, sour stomach, or pyrosis. It is not caused by problems with your heart, although sometimes heart problems can feel like heartburn. See a picture of heartburn.

Heartburn may cause problems with swallowing, burping, nausea, or bloating. These symptoms can sometimes last up to 2 hours or longer. In some people, heartburn symptoms may cause sleep problems, a chronic cough, asthma, wheezing, or choking episodes.

Heartburn usually is worse after eating or made worse by lying down or bending over. It gets better if you sit or stand up.

Almost everyone will have troubles with heartburn now and then.

Heartburn occurs more frequently in adults than in children. Many women have heartburn every day when they are pregnant. This is because the growing uterus puts increasing upward pressure on the stomach.

Symptoms of heartburn and symptoms of a heart attack may feel the same. Sometimes your heartburn symptoms may mean a more serious problem and need to be checked by your doctor.

Dyspepsia is a medical term that is used to describe a vague feeling of fullness, gnawing, or burning in the chest or upper belly, especially after eating. A person may describe this feeling as “gas.” Other symptoms may occur at the same time, such as belching, rumbling noises in the abdomen, increased flatus, poor appetite, and a change in bowel habits. Causes of dyspepsia can vary from minor to serious.

Causes of heartburn

Heartburn occurs when food and stomach juices back up (reflux) into the esophagus, which is the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach. This process is called gastroesophageal reflux. Common causes of reflux include:

• Incomplete closing of the valve (the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) between the esophagus and the stomach.
• Foods and drinks, such as chocolate, peppermint, fried foods, fatty foods, sugars, coffee, carbonated drinks, and alcohol. After heartburn occurs, the backflow of stomach juices can cause the esophagus to become sensitive to other foods, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, spicy foods, garlic, and onions. Eating these foods may cause more heartburn.
• Pressure on the stomach caused by obesity, frequent bending over and lifting, tight clothes, straining with bowel movements, vigorous exercise, and pregnancy.
• Smoking and use of other tobacco products.
• Prescription and nonprescription medicines, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, prednisone, iron, potassium, antihistamines, and sleeping pills.
• A hiatal hernia, which occurs when a small portion of the stomach pushes upward through the diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates the lungs from the abdomen.
• Stress, which can increase the amount of acid your stomach makes and cause your stomach to empty more slowly.

Severity of heartburn

Mild heartburn occurs about once a month. Moderate heartburn occurs about once a week.

Severe heartburn occurs every day and can cause problems such as trouble swallowing, bleeding, or weight loss. Heartburn with other symptoms, such as hoarseness, a feeling that food is stuck in your throat, tightness in your throat, a hoarse voice, wheezing, asthma, dental problems, or bad breath, may be caused by a more serious problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A persistent inflammation of the lining of the esophagus occurs in GERD and can lead to other health problems. Heartburn may also be related to an infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria.

Persistent heartburn symptoms can be a sign of a more serious medical condition, such as severe inflammation of the esophagus or cancer of the stomach or esophagus.

Heartburn is more serious when it occurs with abdominal pain or bleeding.

• Abdominal pain, especially pain located directly below the breastbone, may be a sign of more serious problems, such as heart disease, peptic ulcer disease, gallbladder disease, a tear in the esophagus, or inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). For more information, see the topic Abdominal Pain, Age 11 and Younger or Abdominal Pain, Age 12 and Older.
• Vomiting of blood may mean bleeding in the digestive tract, often from the esophagus or stomach. If you have bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, or part of the small intestine attached to the stomach (duodenum), stools may be dark red or black and tarry. Large amounts of bleeding can lead to shock, a life-threatening condition. For more information, see the topic Nausea and Vomiting, Age 12 and Older.

Heartburn in children

Almost all babies spit up, especially newborns. Spitting up decreases when the muscles of the esophagus, which is the muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach, become more coordinated. This process can take as little as 6 months or as long as 1 year. Spitting up is not the same thing as vomiting. Vomiting is forceful and repeated. Spitting up may seem forceful but usually occurs shortly after feeding, is effortless, and causes no discomfort.

Children who vomit frequently after eating during the first 2 years of life have increased chances of having heartburn and reflux problems, such as GERD, later in life. Children with reflux problems also have increased chances of other problems, such as sinusitis, laryngitis, asthma, pneumonia, and dental problems. For more information, see the topic Nausea and Vomiting, Age 11 and Younger.

Treatment

The treatment of heartburn depends on how severe your heartburn is and what other symptoms you have. Home treatment measures and medicines that you can buy without a prescription usually will relieve mild to moderate heartburn. It is important to see your doctor if heartburn occurs frequently and home treatment does not relieve your symptoms.

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Heartburn’s Hidden Cancer Risk | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Stomach and Gut

Heartburn is common enough that almost everyone experiences it — and typically, it is a mild annoyance for most sufferers. This burning discomfort may be a sign of acid reflux, which involves stomach acid flowing up into the esophagus and irritating the lining of the esophagus. For millions of people, this condition develops into gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

GERD sufferers are more likely to develop significant health problems, including Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer  — often with no idea they’re at greater risk.

Short-Term Heartburn

For periods of a few months or less, acid reflux is unpleasant but rarely dangerous. If you experience infrequent heartburn, you should check with your primary care provider. Your doctor will typically recommend that you should:

• Refrain from eating three to four hours before bed.
• Eliminate caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.
• Refrain from lying down for long periods of time.
• Lose some weight.

Your doctor may also choose to check you for a hiatal hernia.

Worsening Esophageal Damage

When heartburn becomes frequent, some people’s bodies attempt to heal the damage by replacing the esophagus’ lining with tissue very similar to the small intestine, a condition known as Barrett’s esophagus.

This benign condition caused by stomach acid is a concern, as it increases the risk of esophageal cancer. Although the majority of patients with Barrett’s esophagus will never develop esophageal cancer, “given how deadly this cancer is, it’s a condition needing attention and treatment,” explains gastroenterologist Marcia “Mimi” Canto, M.D., M.H.S.

Some people with Barrett’s esophagus will not require immediate treatment but will need to have their progress monitored by a gastroenterologist. For others with precancerous changes, treatment may require endoscopic ablation of the Barrett’s esophagus.

Progression to Esophageal Cancer

A small percentage of people with Barrett’s esophagus will develop cancer, and the number of cases in North America is rising.

“Identifying cancer early really improves patient care and outcomes,” says surgeon Richard Battafarano, M.D., Ph.D.

Cancer that has not spread to lymph nodes can be removed using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques. When the cancer is more advanced, surgical removal is required. In advanced cases, often when patients hadn’t shown symptoms or been treated before the cancer’s discovery, chemotherapy or radiation treatments may be required before surgery.

Preventing Esophageal Cancer

Although only a fraction of people with GERD will develop health complications, explains Canto, “it’s not normal to have recurrent daily heartburn. Diagnosing Barrett’s esophagus and treating it before it can progress is a scientifically proven way to prevent cancer.”

Anyone with long-term reflux should make an appointment with their primary care provider instead of self-treating with over-the-counter medications. You should consult with your primary care provider if you have GERD and the following risk factors:

• Five years or more of reflux symptoms
• GERD symptoms from a young age
• Obesity
• History of smoking

Beat the burn heartburn that is

At least 40 million Americans suffer from heartburn. Most have only mild or occasional symptoms. However, about 15 million need medication on a daily basis to control that burning sensation.

What is heartburn?

The feeling varies from person to person, but most people complain about a burning sensation in the chest, near the level of the heart. Occasionally, the pain is lower, near the bottom of the breastbone or sternum. Real heartburn has nothing to do with the heart, but the location of the pain often requires that we make sure the heart is not involved.

The accepted medical term for the problem that causes heartburn is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It’s also commonly referred to as acid reflux.

What causes heartburn?

Quite simply, acid reflux refers to acid from the stomach flowing backwards up into the esophagus, also known as the swallowing tube. 

As most people know, the stomach makes acid to help digest our food. The lining of the stomach is built to withstand the effects of acid. The acid is supposed to travel downstream into the small intestine along with the food being digested and absorbed. Therefore, the first part of the small intestine, known as the duodenum, also handles acid quite well.

Unfortunately, the lining of the esophagus is not made to withstand acid. For most people, this is not a problem. Normally, a valve at the end of the esophagus prevents acid from refluxing, or flowing upstream, into the esophagus. When this valve fails, heartburn often results. Another factor for some people may be the presence of a hiatal hernia. This occurs when the opening in the diaphragm where the esophagus passes from the chest into the belly becomes enlarged, allowing part of the stomach to slide up into the chest. This interferes with the function of the valve at the beginning of the stomach, leading to acid reflux and heartburn.

What are symptoms of heartburn?

Heartburn, and a number of other complications of acid reflux, can vary from mild to severe, disabling pain. Other symptoms are usually associated with damage and scarring caused by the acid. These might include ulcers of the esophagus from the acid, causing worsening pain. Sometimes scarring occurs, which can actually partially block the esophagus, causing difficulty swallowing. Some people actually have food get completely stuck on the way down, requiring removal by their doctor.

Are there long-term risks?

Rarely, acid reflux can cause changes in the lining of the esophagus that are actually precancerous. This does not mean that cancer will occur. However, it does mean that some people end up with a higher chance of cancer than the average.

In the end result, the main question is, “When should I see my doctor?”

Clearly, most people with heartburn don’t need a doctor to help them. These are the people with mild, rare symptoms that are easily controlled with occasional over-the-counter medications.

However, if you or a loved one has recurring, frequent heartburn, especially when it is not getting better with the usual over-the-counter medications, you should consider seeing your doctor. Most importantly, if you are having trouble swallowing, having pain with swallowing or having food get stuck on the way down, seeing your doctor is essential. While cancer in this area is uncommon, if it occurs, finding it right away is the key to the cure. 

Most people have benign acid reflux that is easily treated with medication. Often the medication can be temporary until the irritation is healed. For some people, long-term medication is needed. Rarely, an operation to prevent acid reflux is necessary.

For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

90,000 Heartburn during pregnancy – Leleka maternity hospital

Heartburn in pregnant women is quite common. Even if a woman has never encountered this phenomenon before, during pregnancy she may regularly feel a burning sensation in the esophagus, a urge to vomit, and a bitter-sour taste in the mouth. It is not dangerous for the life and health of the mother and child, but it is unpleasant. In addition, heartburn can be a harbinger of more serious diseases of the digestive system. Digestive juices, getting from the stomach into the esophagus, irritate and injure the walls, creating the risk of developing peptic ulcer of the esophagus and cancer.

Causes of occurrence

There are two main causes of pregnancy heartburn, changes in hormonal levels and intrauterine pressure.

In the body of a pregnant woman, the content of the hormone progesterone increases. Under the influence of this natural steroid, the wall of the uterus acquires the ability to implant a fertilized egg. But this same hormone slightly relaxes the sphincter, which blocks the entrance to the esophagus. Because of this, digestive juices seep from the stomach up the digestive tract.Such heartburn occurs only in the first semester and quickly goes away on its own.

In the second half of pregnancy, heartburn is usually associated with increased intrauterine pressure. The growing fetus presses down on the stomach and causes gastric juices to rise up the esophagus. These symptoms are more difficult to get rid of. Of course, they will naturally go away after giving birth, but up to this point, seizures can be quite unpleasant.

In order to make them more rare and less painful, the following measures can be taken:

• Eliminate foods that cause heartburn from the menu.As a rule, these are salted and smoked meats, fried and fatty foods, which are not shown during pregnancy anyway.
• Switch to fractional meals: eat more often, but less. After a heavy meal, the volume of the stomach increases sharply, and intrauterine pressure also increases. If the portion is smaller, this does not happen.
• Fractional nutrition will also prevent bouts of heartburn that occur on an empty stomach when, under the weight of the abdomen, digestive juices spread along its walls.
• It is also recommended to give up coffee, alcohol, smoking and other bad habits.They can negatively affect the health of the fetus, and they also provoke seizures.
• Don’t lie down after eating, especially on your back. In this position, the fetus presses down on a full stomach. It is better to rest in a half-sitting position, leaning on a pillow.
• Avoid wearing clothing that tightens or squeezes the abdomen. It also increases intrauterine pressure.

For expectant mothers who continue to play sports during pregnancy, it will be reasonable to revise the usual set of exercises, and exclude those in which the stomach is compressed: squats, forward bends.

From folk remedies, pregnant women are advised to take flax seeds. When added to a salad, they blend harmoniously with vegetables and prevent heartburn attacks. You can also brew flaxseed jelly: grind 50 grams of seeds in a coffee grinder and pour 100 ml of boiling water. The cocktail is not very tasty, but effective.

It is also advised to eat seeds, nuts and milk. But these products can both relieve an attack and provoke its intensification, so you need to use these products with caution.

For particularly painful or unpleasant bouts of heartburn, you can take antacids. They reduce the acidity of the stomach, remove unpleasant symptoms. Some of them contain supplements with mild pain relieving and cooling effects. But you shouldn’t get too carried away with them either.

Do not ingest baking soda solution. Yes, for a while, soda neutralizes stomach acid, but then the discomfort will resume. And baking soda can provoke puffiness. In the last trimester of pregnancy, many women already suffer from edema and swollen legs, it is not worth aggravating the situation with soda.

It should be noted that these changes occur in all pregnant women, but not everyone has heartburn. If a pregnant woman does not complain of these symptoms, this is not a cause for concern.

90,000 Doctors say that heartburn can lead to esophageal cancer | News | Izvestia

Heartburn, sore throat, perspiration and dry cough can be signs of a disease that affects virtually every fourth adult resident of Russia. This was told by medical experts on September 12 at a scientific and educational conference on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).The event took place at the sites of the SOGAZ Medicine group of clinics with the participation of Olympus.

“Gastroesophageal reflux disease is one of the most common diseases of the digestive tract, which affects one third of the population of developed countries today. Among the adult population of Russia, this figure is 23%. At the same time, the number of patients with GERD all over the world is constantly growing, which is associated with a widespread change in lifestyle. So, one of the risk factors for the development of GERD is obesity, which today has become a global problem, ”said the head of the department of high-tech surgery at the Moscow Clinical Scientific and Practical Center.A.S. Loginova, Doctor of Medicine Oleg Vasnev.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a chronic condition in which acid produced in the stomach is released into the esophagus. This causes constant irritation and inflammation of its mucous membrane and, as a result, can lead to the development of esophageal cancer.

According to experts, this disease is extremely difficult to diagnose correctly. The main symptom of GERD is heartburn, as well as belching, sore throat, cough, pneumonia, chest pain and a number of other symptoms with which patients turn to various specialists: an ENT specialist, a pulmonologist and even a cardiologist.However, these doctors often treat only “their” diseases, unaware that the root cause of the problem is GERD. Meanwhile, the disease progresses, reducing the quality of human life and leading to the development of serious complications, including adenocarcinoma.

Candidate of Medical Sciences Andrei Protsenko notes that heartburn is considered a harmless consequence of malnutrition, but this is not the case. Therefore, while it is possible to remove it with pills, people live in peace, not thinking that it can be a symptom of a much more dangerous disease.And only in the last stages, when the condition worsens so much that a person can neither eat nor sleep, or complications develop, he turns to a doctor, but then conservative therapy no longer helps and only surgery remains, said Protsenko.

According to the chief physician of SOGAZ Medicine, Professor Andrei Obrezan, it is extremely important that not only gastroenterologists, but also pulmonologists, otorhinolaryngologists, cardiologists, therapists, surgeons and doctors of other specialties know about this disease, as it is “disguised” as others illness.

“The pandemic of the new coronavirus infection COVID-19, which we faced this year, clearly demonstrated how important it is to timely identify and treat chronic diseases: patients who have them are especially vulnerable when faced with the virus and are much harder to tolerate,” – added Andrey Obrezan.

Why does heartburn appear and how to get rid of it?

The orchestra played their last blues and the guests began to part ways. Our hero slowly walked along the street lit by lonely lanterns.It was already well after midnight, it would be time to go home. But the dream could not keep up with it, and the reason for this was not at all the high spirits, woven from incendiary rhythms, friends’ jokes and the alluring aromas of a richly set festive table. Inside, an unpleasant feeling grew and grew stronger, it flared up and soon was already in full blaze, rising higher and higher, until it got stuck with a sour-bitter burning lump in my throat. Perhaps, almost everyone easily recognized in this feeling – heartburn. It is this unexpected guest who so often comes to us when the music dies down and the lights of celebration go out.

We sacredly honor our culinary traditions, and therefore any holiday, be it a birthday or a meeting of friends who have not seen for several years, is always a reason for a magnificent meal with a table just bursting with a variety of dishes. Such an abundance cannot leave anyone indifferent, and besides, we cannot offend the hostess – we persuade ourselves, alternating the Caesar salad with baked pork, generously seasoned with mustard and horseradish, smoked salmon, flavoring all this splendor with a piece of goose stuffed with apples, and to top it off having delighted “your stomach with the classic” Sacher “chocolate cake.All this – tasty, high-calorie, fried, salty and spicy food, flour products, all kinds of drinks – is the cause of increased secretion of gastric juice, an excess amount of which provokes gastroesophageal reflux – a pathological reflux of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus. And as a result, heartburn will not be long in coming.

Perhaps there are few lucky ones who do not know this unpleasant burning sensation behind the breastbone, which can poison life at the most inopportune moment.Indeed, according to statistics, heartburn is familiar to 20–40% of the adult population of the planet (Zvyagintseva T.D., Shargoroa I.I., 2007). And according to the results of a large-scale study conducted in the United States, 44% of adults experience heartburn at least once a month, 20% at least once a week, and 7% of respondents suffer from heartburn every day (Lapina T.L., 2003). And among our compatriots, this condition is noted even more often – in our country about 60% of men and 64% of women suffer from heartburn. At the same time, heartburn can ruin not only a wonderful evening, but also negatively affect the quality of life in general.Thus, according to surveys, patients with heartburn symptoms rate their quality of life lower than patients with untreated angina pectoris or arterial hypertension. Unfortunately, despite the extremely high prevalence, heartburn is often ignored by patients and only 5-7% of them seek medical help (Zvyagintseva TD, Shargoroa II, 2007). Therefore, the question naturally arises: how to normalize the work of the gastrointestinal tract and what to do if, nevertheless, heartburn began to prevail?

Who is fueling this fire?

First, let’s figure out what lies behind this unpleasant burning sensation and, just as important, what contributes to its occurrence.Heartburn is the result of reflux and prolonged contact of acidic gastric contents (pH <4) with the esophageal mucosa. In this case, hydrogen ions penetrate into the intercellular space of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and irritate the nerve endings, causing excessive nerve impulses, resulting in an unpleasant burning sensation. There can be many reasons for the appearance of heartburn, and this is not only excessive consumption of fatty foods, chocolate, carbonated drinks, flour products, fried foods, hot seasonings, but also products containing caffeine (coffee, cola, tea), taking certain medications, smoking , flatulence, alcohol, hasty, fast, plentiful food intake with swallowing of air (aerophagia), horizontal posture after a meal, and much more.

Ambulance for heartburn

Given the negative impact of heartburn on the quality of life, it is very important to quickly stop it. To combat this unpleasant sensation, antacids have been widely used for more than 100 years – substances that can neutralize hydrochloric acid, which is part of gastric juice. Among the substances that neutralize the acidic environment of gastric juice, one of the most commonly used are sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate.

In this context, the EHO dietary supplement, which includes sodium bicarbonate, citric acid and sodium carbonate, seems relevant.Thanks to these components, EHO is used to improve the digestion process, as well as for disorders of the stomach, which are manifested by heartburn, nausea and a feeling of heaviness.

What happens when you pour EHO powder into a glass of water? Sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, interacting with water, are converted to sodium citrate, while carbon dioxide is released. As a result, a buffer solution is formed, the acidity of which is lower than that of the contents of the stomach, as a result of which its acidity decreases, eliminating the cause of heartburn.

Science Against Heartburn

The substances that make up the EHO product have long been used for digestive disorders manifested by heartburn, and their properties have already been fairly well studied in the course of various studies. Thus, a study was conducted to determine the time required to neutralize the acidic environment of gastric juice with a combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid compared with placebo in healthy volunteers (Johnson S.M., Suralik J., 2009). Previous research has shown that an antacid used alone causes a rapid and significant increase in gastric pH.Sodium citrate, formed by the interaction of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, is a fast-acting acid neutralizer that, in appropriate doses, can raise the pH of the stomach within a few minutes.

This study involved 29 healthy volunteers aged 18–55 years, of whom 24 completed the study. The study participants were randomized into 2 groups of 12 people each: the participants of the 1st group received a combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid, the 2nd – plain water (placebo).According to the results of the study, the use of a combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid led to a statistically significant change in pH as early as 6 seconds after ingestion. Thus, the combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid quickly reduces (starting from the 6th second) the increased level of acidity of gastric contents, which is the cause of heartburn. In this case, the average time required to reach a pH of ≥3.5 was 40.5 seconds for sodium bicarbonate + citric acid.The use of a combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid was statistically significantly better than placebo in achieving clinically significant neutralization of gastric acid. The combination of sodium bicarbonate + citric acid was well tolerated.

In clinical studies, it was found that sodium bicarbonate and citric acid – components of EHO – are more effective than placebo, starting to neutralize gastric acid as soon as 6 seconds after ingestion and reaching a pH of ≥3.5 after only 40.5 seconds.

It should also be noted that the properties of such a combination of active substances were studied in the course of a comparative clinical study conducted in the EU – Prague (Czech Republic) (Kvasnicka F., 2012), according to the results of which the combination of sodium carbonate + sodium bicarbonate + citric acid increased pH more rapidly gastric contents compared to a combination of calcium carbonate + magnesium carbonate.

EHO product is very convenient to use – just dissolve the contents of 1 sachet in a glass of water and drink.EHO can be consumed by adults and children over the age of 12. In this case, the minimum interval between doses should be 2-3 hours, but no more than 2 sachets per day. It should be noted that ENO Lemon and ENO Orange are available today, both with a pleasant citrus flavor.

Thus, modern remedies are able to help normalize the digestive system and restore a feeling of comfort.

Press service of “Weekly Pharmacy

Information for the professional activities of medical and pharmaceutical workers. Not a drug. Certified by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Hygienic conclusion No. 05.03.02-03 / 69836, dated 12.07.2012, No. 05.03.02-03 / 69835 dated 12.07.2012, No. 05.03.02-03 / 69834 dated 12.07.2012

Tsikava information for you:

90,000 Heartburn every day: reasons for what to do

It is easy to get rid of periodic heartburn with the help of drugs – antacids, diet and taking care of your health. The temporary uncomfortable burning sensation behind the sternum disappears after the elimination of its causing causes.But constant burning pains in the chest area are a sign of many diseases that a person sometimes does not even know about. And if they are not diagnosed in time, then such painful processes turn into long-term ones, from which there will be no salvation.

When does heartburn suffer every day? What does this mean and how to deal with it? When do you need to take care of your health, and when to wait out temporarily?

Causes of heartburn every day

A painful burning sensation in the chest area occurs for four main reasons:

• temporary physiological conditions;
• wrong attitude to your health, neglect of the routine and diet;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• ischemic heart disease.

The first three reasons can be safely combined according to the mechanism of heartburn. Since burning painful sensations are based on the reaction of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach to the aggressive effects of external factors. As a rule, the causes of heartburn every day are weakness of the round muscle of the esophagus (sphincter) at the border with the stomach and inflammation of the lining of the esophagus. This condition develops in various ways, but due to the weakness of the sphincter, the gastric contents penetrate back into the esophagus and irritate it.The person is worried about the burning sensation.

Physiological causes of daily heartburn

The physiological causes of daily heartburn include pregnancy. Such a period in the life of the expectant mother brings not only positive emotions, but also many health problems. One of the first to suffer is the digestive system. A burning sensation behind the breastbone often appears in the second and third trimester. Why does heartburn appear?

1. Gradually the uterus grows, pushing up many organs.The intestines and stomach are pushed aside. They put pressure on the esophagus, in which the round muscle – the sphincter – is weakened. As a result, food, or simply gastric juice, penetrates upward. In the lower part of the esophagus, the environment is alkaline as a result of the reflux of acidic gastric contents, the walls of the esophagus become inflamed. Pregnant women often complain of heartburn after eating, while walking, and when bending over. This is due to the weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter.
2. Another important reason leading to this symptom is a change in hormone levels.They also weaken the sphincter.

If every day heartburn, what should unhappy women do? In such situations, expectant mothers should communicate with the attending physician. In terms of treatment, doctors in this case usually recommend some short-course antacids and proper nutrition. The choice of drugs is limited, so before taking any medication, you need to consult with a healthcare professional.

For women who avoid taking any medicinal substances during the period of bearing a child, you need to limit yourself to frequent fractional meals and follow dietary recommendations.

Every day heartburn due to inappropriate eating behavior

Cooks, tasters, canteen and restaurant workers are at risk of daily heartburn. Excess nutrition is not only the cause of excess body weight, but also stomach and esophageal problems.

Why can there be heartburn every day? Excess food, heavy body weight and wearing tight clothing are predisposing factors for weakening of the esophageal sphincter.

The mechanism of occurrence of heartburn has already been described and practically resembles the same as during pregnancy, with the exception of the influence of hormones.Pressure on the sphincter and its weakening is what awaits people who do not care about their health and regularly violate the regime.

But in this case, the constant burning sensation will disturb only with regular overeating and wearing tight corsets and belts.

Heartburn every day due to diseases of the digestive system

Diseases of the digestive system are a large group of diseases in which a person may experience heartburn and burning persistent pain in the chest area.This happens for the following reasons.

1. Excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach, when it begins to act not only on food processing, but also on the tissues of neighboring organs (the mucous membrane of the esophagus, stomach, round muscle at the border of the esophagus and stomach).
2. Why does heartburn still bake every day? Due to stagnation of food in the stomach and duodenum. This is due to a malfunction of the muscle system of the stomach, due to a lack of enzymes for processing food, if the round muscle between the stomach and intestines does not function well.
3. Weakness of the lower esophageal sphincter.

What diseases are symptomatic of daily heartburn

What diseases lead to such an unpleasant state and what to do in this case? If you suffer from heartburn every day, the diagnosis may be as follows.

1. Inflammation of the gastric mucosa, the initial part of the small intestine, esophagus (this is gastritis, duodenitis, esophagitis). This also includes GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is characterized by insufficiency in the work of the esophageal sphincter and inflammation of the mucous membrane of this organ.
2. Ulcerative lesions of one of the above-mentioned parts of the digestive system.
3. Disorders in the work of the digestive glands: pancreatitis, diseases of the gallbladder, some liver diseases.
4. Oncological diseases and conditions leading to them: stomach cancer, Barrett’s esophagus, oncological process of any of these organs.

Continuous use of drugs that irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus is also accompanied by heartburn. Such substances include:

• “Aspirin”;
• “Diclofenac”;
• Ketorolac;
• “Nimesulide”;
• Certain hormonal preparations.

Heartburn every day with coronary heart disease

Every day, heartburn can be caused by ischemic processes in which the heart lacks oxygen. The reason for this may be constant stress and the reaction of the heart vessels to them, constant hard physical work, atherosclerosis and an increase in blood cholesterol levels, when the vessels narrow and there is not enough blood flowing through them to the heart muscle. The lack of blood supply to this organ manifests itself in the form of constant burning pains.And since the heart and esophagus are located close to each other, a person experiences constant heartburn.

But in order to make such a diagnosis, it is necessary to be fully examined. The doctor will prescribe medications to improve blood flow to the heart muscle and to protect the cells of the heart. Otherwise, the heart will not stand, and the person will have a heart attack.

What to do if you suffer from heartburn every day

What to do if you have heartburn every day? All these diseases and conditions that lead to the daily symptom of heartburn require medical supervision.

Chronic and acute illnesses should be treated during periods of exacerbation. Drugs are prescribed to reduce the level of hydrochloric acid, protecting the mucous membranes, normalizing the work of internal organs.

If taking medications leads to heartburn, it is important to tell your doctor about it with the subsequent cancellation or replacement of this substance.

Untreated diseases are dangerous with serious complications: bleeding, the formation of deep ulcers, degeneration into oncological conditions.

If heartburn has turned into a nightmare and bothers at any time of the day, interfering with the usual way of life and annoying, you need to act immediately. Daily exposure to the acidic environment from the stomach to the esophagus can lead to serious complications, including oncological processes. Temporary dietary interventions do not always work. In such cases, it is important to trust specialists who will help not only make a diagnosis, but also safely get rid of the obsessive problem.

If you suffer from heartburn

Heartburn is a condition that most people have experienced on themselves, regardless of gender and age. This phenomenon is characterized by a sharp movement of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus.

Symptoms of this pathology are a strong burning sensation behind the sternum, in the esophagus and stomach, as well as an unpleasant sour taste in the mouth. Rare seizures do not greatly affect a person’s quality of life. But what if you suffer from constant heartburn?

Heartburn bakes every day for a reason.If the condition does not go away for a long time, it is necessary to undergo examinations, check the condition of the digestive system, and make adjustments to your lifestyle.

Why does heartburn happen every day 90 100

Unpleasant sensations occur every day in several cases:

Incorrect diet, disturbed food intake. If increased requirements are imposed on food, the food is steamed, boiled, baked, but at the same time it has to be eaten 2 times a day, in the middle of the night, or the whole day’s norm in the evening – the digestive organs are under great stress.To prevent heartburn from appearing on a daily basis, you need to correct your food intake.

Exercise immediately after eating. First of all, this applies to movements that lead to compression of the stomach – extension, flexion of the trunk, swinging the press, lifting weights. After eating, at least 30 minutes should pass, after which you can start physical labor.

Heavy emotional state. All processes in the human body are controlled by the central nervous system. Under the influence of stress, depression, overexertion, various failures occur.Gastritis is one of the diseases that occurs from the nerves. Its first signs are persistent or frequent heartburn. In the presence of painful symptoms – nausea, headache, abdominal discomfort, sour taste in the mouth, we are talking about the presence of diseases of the digestive tract. It can be gastritis, esophagitis of the esophagus, disruption of the gallbladder, liver. It is recommended to seek the advice of a specialist, if necessary, undergo an examination.

Other reasons 90 100

In addition to the listed reasons, the occurrence of heartburn is sometimes influenced by other, less common factors, including:

· smoking – contributes to the development of internal pressure, causing a burning sensation in the chest area;

· cough – provokes a contraction of the diaphragm, which leads to bouts of heartburn;

· tight clothing – squeezes the chest and abdomen;

· onions – excessive use of it contributes to the occurrence of heartburn;

· age – after 40 years, the gastric sphincter closes the digestive zone worse.

What diseases are associated with heartburn 90 100

It is often difficult to make a correct diagnosis. Since the symptoms of several gastrointestinal diseases have similar symptoms, among them is the presence of heartburn. In any case, a burning sensation behind the breastbone, in the throat indicates the development of GERD – gastroesophageal reflux disease .

Characteristic symptoms:

· Continuous heartburn;

· Antacids remove the unpleasant sensation for a short time;

· in the morning bitterness or sour taste is felt in the mouth;

• there is a feeling of fullness in the stomach after a small portion of food;

· pain in the sternum, radiates to the left, up to the throat;

· painful sensations of medium intensity, pressing, compressive nature;

The pain is worse after eating or swallowing.

Heartburn is a symptom of gastritis .

Characteristic symptoms of the disease:

· pain in the stomach of a compressive, compressive nature;

Constant heartburn with belching;

· painful sensations occur 2 hours after eating, almost never occur at night;

Metallic, bitter taste in the mouth

· nausea, sometimes with vomiting;

· violation of appetite;

· increased salivation.

Hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm 90 100.

The disease is characterized by the expansion of the diaphragm, under the influence of a neoplasm. The size of the hernia can grow so much that the diaphragm passes the abdominal organs, often the stomach.

The cause of the disease is a weakening of the muscles of the diaphragm, esophagus in general, high intra-abdominal pressure. Heartburn occurs suddenly when you bend over. Reinforced in a horizontal position. Felt in the back, in the region of the heart. It tends to pass independently when lying down.

Stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer . Appears against the background of increased acidity in other diseases, gastritis, esophagitis of the esophagus. Erosions and ulcers appear on the mucous membrane of the esophagus. This disrupts the normal activity of the digestive organs, and slows down the process of digesting food.

Main manifestations:

· pressure, pain in the stomach after eating, periodically becomes severe;

· persistent heartburn due to acidity;

nausea

Unpleasant odor

· vomiting mixed with blood;

• feeling of fullness in the stomach after a small amount of food;

· plaque on the tongue;

Bitter, sour taste.

In addition, heartburn may indicate other diseases, including those not directly related to digestion:

chronic pancreatitis;

· dyskenia of the biliary tract;

cholecystitis;

· Insufficiency of the esophageal sphincter;

• cholelithiasis; cancer.

Main treatment 90 100

Regardless of the cause of heartburn, it is recommended that when such a condition occurs, contact a gastroenterologist, first of all, in order to exclude diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.In this case, the specialist conducts the necessary examinations and, if necessary, prescribes treatment.

In most cases, antacids are prescribed by a doctor for treating heartburn. They are drugs that coat the lining of the esophagus, reduce inflammation, and prevent seizures.

Who to contact for heartburn – doctors treating the disease

Moscow gastroenterologists – latest reviews

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