What Causes Heartburn?

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Digestive Diseases

What Causes Heartburn?

January 27, 2021

Heartburn is the main symptom of acid reflux. Acid reflux is when the lower esophageal sphincter, a band of muscles at the end of the esophagus, cannot block itself off properly, causing the contents of the stomach to rise into and irritate the esophagus.

Heartburn is the main symptom of acid reflux. Acid reflux is when the lower esophageal sphincter, a band of muscles at the end of the esophagus, cannot block itself off properly, causing the contents of the stomach to rise into and irritate the esophagus.

Feeling worried or nervous is a normal part of life. But too much anxiety can cause helplessness, confusion, and extreme worry that interfere with living. One of the main symptoms of anxiety is heartburn.

To alleviate discomfort caused by heartburn, your doctor may recommend medications and changes to your diet in terms of when or what types of food you eat. They may also recommend exercise routines like yoga or tai chi.

Heartburn can be a common effect of pregnancy, as a result of hormonal changes and the pressure of the baby against the stomach. To treat this condition, you should consult a health professional, who, depending on the severity of the case, may recommend different options, such as calcium carbonate (mild cases) or sucralfate (severe cases).

Another way to deal with this problem is through lifestyle changes, for example, eating less fatty foods, reducing caffeine intake, eating smaller portions, or sleeping with your head elevated.

Reflux esophagitis is an inflammation of the lining of the esophagus. One of its most common symptoms is heartburn. This condition usually affects people who are overweight or obese, are over age 50, smoke, have anxiety or depression, are sedentary, or take certain medications.

Your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve your symptoms. You may also find it helpful to elevate the head of your bed and not eat close to bedtime. Another recommendation is to make changes to your diet to avoid alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and chocolate.

Gastroparesis causes food to pass through the stomach more slowly than it should. In addition to heartburn, it can cause a quick feeling of fullness, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloating.

Gastroparesis is a long‑term condition that you can manage by making changes to your diet, such as by eating four to six small meals a day, reducing the amount of insoluble fiber you consume, or maintaining a predominantly liquid diet.

The hiatus is a small opening in the diaphragm that the esophagus passes through to meet the stomach. A hiatal hernia can be mild (generally causing no problems and even passing undetected) or severe (causing food and acid to rise into the esophagus, bloating, nausea and vomiting, and difficulty swallowing).

To treat a hiatal hernia, doctors recommend taking medications to manage heartburn. If the condition is severe, they may assess the need for laparoscopic surgery. Doctors also encourage patients to modify their habits: eat lighter, do not go to bed right after dinner, lose weight, and elevate the head of the bed a few centimeters.

Gastric ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of the stomach or small intestine. The main symptoms include heartburn, burning pain in the abdomen, indigestion, and nausea.

The treatment for gastric ulcers depends on their cause. Ulcers may come back after treatment, but this will largely depend on the treatment received.

US National Library of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Office on Women's Health.

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