Outline
Introduction
Ever had a painful (sometimes sour tasting) burning sensation in your upper chest after eating a hearty meal?
You’ve probably suffered from a heartburn (or this may be something else entirely). In this article we’ll discuss how a heartburn is caused and how it can be cured (if you are a person suffering for a heartburn, and have come here looking how to treat it, then head to the last paragraph).
The causes that lead to a heartburn may vary depending on your diet, BMI and whether you had certain foods recently, but however, it all comes down to a small, but important sphincter that
closes/opens the stomach's opening when food is being digested, or when you’re eating food. This sphincter, called lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, is the muscle that connects the esophagus to the stomach prevents acidic gastric juices from entering into the esophagus, this when functioning properly, creates a high pressure region in the stomach which aids digestion.
How it happens?
The diaphragm ( a skeletal muscle that contracts and relaxes to either to decrease or increase the air pressure in the thoracic cavity in order to breathe) also helps the LES in closing the stomach, as it contracts against it, minimizing the amount of gastric juices coming out of the stomach.
However, the LES sometimes relaxes at an entirely wrong moment, and gastric juices spill out of the stomach and into the oesophagus, causing the searing burning feeling during a heartburn (it's called Acid Reflux), sometimes, the gastric juice makes it as far as the mouth, if this happens rarely, then it can be completely harmless and there’s nothing to worry about, but if this become a regular occurrence, say twice a week, then you must visit a doctor immediately, as this can lead to something much worse.
Causes
Now, let’s look at some causes that may lead to a heartburn:
Intake of some drugs (for asthma, high blood pressure medicines etc), muscle relaxants and painkillers, if you think this is the cause of your heartburn, then consider consulting with your doctor.
Eating a greasy meal, fried food, dairy products can cause the LES to relax, but it doesn’t mean that eating such foods will always cause heartburn, if it does, then contact a doctor.
Drinking too much alcohol, caffeine, and carbonated drinks are known to increase the production of gastric juices, and this may lead to heartburn.
4. Smoking and obesity can help increase the chances of heartburn also.
Obesity's role in heartburns
Obesity also plays a major role in heartburns, as it can cause hernia, which disrupts the working of the LES, leading to things coming out of the stomach..
Pregnant women may also experience heartburn more often, due to an increased amount of some hormones, consult your doctor for more information.
Having a lot of heartburn can have adverse effects on the esophagus, as the highly acidic stomach acid can leave scars in it, causing trouble swallowing, as it narrows the esophagus. If this happens regularly, it can lead to esophageal cancer among many other things.
Treatment
Now, let’s discuss how to subside a heartburn.
Try taking some OTC medicines, antacids that neutralize the stomach acid and can give an instant relief.
Avoid lying down, and try to sit up straight, as it decreases the possibility of the gastric juices to come up to the mouth.
When suffering from heartburn, don’t eat citrus fruits, as they may increase the pain, and avoid chocolates too.
If you have heartburns twice a week or more frequently, then you may have GERD, which is not something you can treat at home with OTC medicines (even though they offer temporary relief), you may consult a doctor, who will diagnose your problem and will be able to prescribe effective medicines.
Now, if you have the following symptoms, the consider your doctor immediately:
Pain doesn't subside with OTC medicines.
Have difficulty swallowing, nausea, or vomiting.
The chest pain is very intense and is followed by sweating, shortness of breath or pain in other areas at the same time.
This interferes with sleep.
If you don’t have any of the above mentioned symptoms, then there’s nothing to worry about.
Sources
“Heartburn.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20373223.
Great one!