the treatment for heartburn You may be one of the people who suffer from heartburn for long periods, especially since it is very annoying, but in this article, we will learn about the causes of heartburn, symptoms of heartburn, and ways to treat heartburn.
The esophagus is an organ of the digestive system, it represents a tube that connects the throat to the stomach, and at the end of the esophagus there is a muscle known as the lower esophageal sphincter,
this muscle connects the esophagus to the stomach and serves to regulate the passage of food and drink from the esophagus to the stomach, allowing movement in one direction.
In cases where a person suffers from weakness in the sphincter, whether permanent or as a result of eating certain types of food and drinks, the food and acids in the stomach return from the stomach to the esophagus,
making the person feel a burning sensation, and the food or acid may reach the throat of the sufferer, it should be noted that this heartburn is what is known as heartburn,
but in general, heartburn can be defined as the feeling of burning in the area between the upper part of the stomach.
Is heartburn a serious disease?
Abdomen to the upper chest, The patient with heartburn may feel a burning sensation in any part of this area, and in fact, sometimes patients are confused the pain or burning caused by heartburn with the discomfort caused by chest pain known scientifically as angina,
it is worth mentioning that the patient may feel burning after eating, bending over, or lying down.
In addition to the above, it should be noted that there are some cases in which it is difficult to differentiate heartburn from indigestion namely the patient's suffering from a feeling of discomfort in the stomach after eating fatty foods and fatty meals.
In fact, there are some cases that experience heartburn, but in a very simple and simple way, the patient does not feel burning or symptoms in general, while others may experience heartburn with its symptoms clearly.
The number of cases of heartburn in adults in the United States is estimated at 14-20%, and in another statistic conducted; it was shown that there are approximately 7% of Americans suffer from heartburn on a daily basis, of which 20-40% were diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, the most severe form of heartburn.
Treatment of heartburn
The treatment options used to control heartburn can be classified into two main groups, the first being home remedies or lifestyle adjustments, and the second being the use of medications.
Lifestyle adjustments for Treatment of heartburn
There are a number of treatment options that can be followed at home to control heartburn, each supported by the results of scientific research, including the following:
- Avoid eating large meals: such meals squeeze the lower esophageal sphincter, causing acid reflux in the stomach in addition to its contents. But in cases where the patient has heartburn, the process is not in this organization, so eating large meals puts pressure on them, causing part of the stomach acid to pass into the esophagus.
- Weight loss: above the stomach, there is a muscle known as the diaphragm, one of the functions of which is to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter. Thus, lose support from the diaphragm within what is scientifically known as hiatus hernia, and it is worth mentioning that hiatus hernia is what makes pregnant women, as well as people who are obese, more likely to suffer from heartburn, and what supports this is what I found studies show that weight loss has played an important role in relieving heartburn in the case of obesity.
- Eating low-carb food: scientists believe that eating food rich in carbohydrates causes the growth of bacteria and increases intra-abdominal pressure, and therefore is one of the most common causes of heartburn, the growth of bacteria has been explained by not fully digested and absorbed carbohydrates, and therefore it can be said that eating a little carbohydrate leads to the relief of heartburn, but more studies are needed.
- Abstain from drinking alcohol: alcohol causes heartburn symptoms to worsen.
- Limit caffeine intake: some studies have shown that consuming caffeinated drinks exacerbates the symptoms of heartburn, and therefore if the patient notices that he suffers from it; it is worth limiting caffeinated drinks .
- Chewing gum: this is because chewing gum plays a role in increasing salivation and helps to rid the esophagus of stomach acids.
- Avoid eating raw onions: due to the intensification of heartburn symptoms.
- Limit carbonated drinks: because they cause belching, which increases the chance of heartburn.
- Limit the intake of citrus fruits: some have shown that they increase the symptoms of heartburn.
- Limit chocolate intake: some studies have shown that chocolate increases the chance of heartburn symptoms, but more studies are still needed.
- Limit mint intake: it may increase the chance of suffering from heartburn and its symptoms, but more studies are still needed.
- Raising the head of the bed: this reduces the symptoms of heartburn during the night.
Pharmacological treatments
There are several over-the-counter medication options to control heartburn, including the following:
- Antacids: these antibiotics give a quick effect, but do not repair damage to the esophagus due to stomach acids.
- Proton pump inhibitors: the examples include omeprazole and lansoprazole.
- Histamine receptor blockers 2: give a slower effect, but last longer.