To begin, heartburn is not a cardiovascular problem; it is a gastrointestinal one. It is a medical term that refers to a disorder in which the contents of the stomach travel in the opposite direction, that is, backward into the food pipe, rather than towards the intestines.
The problem occurs when the diaphragm and lower esophageal sphincter become lax or weak and are unable to prevent stomach acid from coming into contact with the food pipelining.
What is heartburn
Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest that is a symptom of acid reflux (GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease).
To begin digestion, the stomach combines food, acids, and enzymes. The stomach is lined with unique protecting cells that prevent the acid from creating irritation. The esophagus lacks this protection, and when stomach acid and digestive juices reflux into it, they can cause inflammation and damage to the esophagus’s exposed lining.
Symptoms
Acid reflux or heartburn is most frequently characterized by a sensation of warmth, heat, or burning in the chest and neck. This is caused by stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus.
Additional symptoms
- a sense of burning in the center of the chest
- a scalding, indigestion-like discomfort
- a pungent, caustic flavor in the mouth
Heartburn causes
Heartburn is a frequent symptom that can be aggravated or caused by a variety of lifestyle choices and physical conditions, including the following:
- certain meals and beverages
- being obese
- overeating
- smoking
- tension and anxiety
- pregnancy
- certain medications
- a hernia in the hiatus.
Heartburn remedies
If you want to avoid acid reflux or get rid of heartburn quickly, the following tips will help you manage — and even prevent — your symptoms:
1. Lighten your clothes
You may be feeling heartburn as a result of tight clothing around your stomach. In this instance, the first thing to do is to loosen them up. Dress in loose, airy clothing.
2. Strive for a Healthy Body Weight
Weight loss may help alleviate your heartburn symptoms. Consult your healthcare professional about developing a diet and fitness plan that will help you in achieving a healthy weight.
3. Substitute healthful alternatives
Avoid foods that cause heartburn. Consider keeping a food journal to help you identify items that aggravate your heartburn. Decrease the amount of food you eat.
4. Consider prescription drugs
People with severe heartburn should also see their doctor about the usage of prescription drugs and whether they are appropriate for them.
5. Use a solution of water and baking soda
Baking soda possesses the ability to neutralize gastric acid. As a result, rapid relief maybe only around the corner in your kitchen. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of water and stir carefully.
6. Elevate the bed’s head
If you suffer from nighttime heartburn, lifting the head of the bed will help alleviate reflux.
7. Have dinner earlier
Healthcare providers frequently urge patients with acid reflux to abstain from eating three hours before bedtime.
It’s because lying horizontally following a meal complicates digestion, perhaps exacerbating GERD symptoms. Consuming a late-night meal raised acid exposure by 5% when lying down, compared to eating earlier in the evening.
8. Modify your sleeping position
While sleeping, elevating your head and chest above your feet can help avoid and alleviate acid reflux and heartburn. It can be accomplished by placing a foam wedge beneath the mattress or by elevating the bedposts with woodblocks. Avoid layering pillows, as this is rarely useful and may make your neck stiffer.
9. Gum without added sugar
Saliva helps neutralize acid, therefore increasing saliva production following a meal is an excellent approach to help prevent acid production. Chew a stick of gum for 30 minutes to help alleviate heartburn.
10. Stick to a low-carbohydrate diet
There is mounting evidence that low carbohydrate diets may help alleviate acid reflux symptoms.
Indeed, some experts believe that undigested carbs may promote bacterial development and abdominal pressure, which may contribute to acid reflux. Having an excessive amount of undigested carbs in your digestive tract frequently results in not just gas and bloating, but also burping.
11. Stop smoking if you smoke
Smoking decreases saliva production and impairs the effectiveness of the valve that prevents stomach acid from entering the esophagus, both of which increase the likelihood of heartburn. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the incidence and magnitude of acid reflux, and in some cases, remove it completely.
12. Eliminate stress
Chronic stress has a physical effect on the body, delaying digestion and increasing sensitivity to pain. The longer food remains in your stomach, the greater the likelihood of stomach acid refluxing.
Prevention
Modifications to one’s lifestyle and behavior can help avoid or alleviate heartburn problems. Avoiding acidic foods and beverages containing caffeine can help prevent heartburn.
Increased physical activity, achieving or maintaining a healthy weight, eating smaller meals, and sitting upright after eating may all help prevent heartburn.
Conclusion
Consult your cardiologist in Lahore if you have severe heartburn, or if it persists or increases after attempting to alleviate it. Heartburn can occasionally be a symptom of a more serious underlying problem, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or a side effect of a medicine you’re taking.
FAQs
1. Is there a permanent solution for heartburn?
Your surgeon will wrap the upper portion of your stomach around the lower esophagus during a procedure called a Nissen fundoplication. This strengthens the anti-reflux barrier and may result in lasting reflux relief.
2. Does water help acid reflux?
In general, drinking water can assist in balancing the pH of an especially acidic meal, hence reducing the likelihood of acid reflux.
3. How do you know when heartburn is serious?
This may involve the following:
- Heartburn that is frequent/constant
- Pain in the abdomen.
- Cough or hiccup.
- Swallowing Difficulties.
- Vomiting or nausea.
- Chest pain or pressure that is severe.