How to get rid of heartburn?

More than 90% of the population has some problems with the gastrointestinal tract. This intimidating statistical figure is due to the fact that the human digestive system passes through the entire body, starting in the oral cavity and ending with the rectum. One of the most common symptoms, in addition to pain, is heartburn, which appears even from tea. Let's consider the mechanisms of its occurrence.

The appearance of heartburn

To understand why heartburn occurs, you need to know that a normal alkaline environment is in the human esophagus. And in the stomach, in turn, is acidic, since it produces hydrochloric acid. With the inconsistency of the sphincter separating the esophagus and stomach, the contents of the stomach passively pass in the opposite direction and enter the esophagus. A sharp difference between the acidity of the media of these two organs and causes signs of heartburn - a burning sensation, discomfort and heat in the filling space, which is amplified in the lying position, sour taste in the mouth, belching.

Causes of permanent heartburn

One of the most common causes is the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. Gastroenterologists claim that if a patient has only one symptom of heartburn, then with a probability of more than 75%, a diagnosis of GERD will be established. Also heartburn is often observed with gastritis with high acidity, peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, some diseases of the cardiovascular system, lungs, as well as with pancreatitis.

There is such a thing as functional heartburn. This phenomenon occurs in people who do not suffer from GI diseases. The reasons for which acidic gastric contents enter the esophagus are quite a lot:

  1. Food . It's no secret that moderate consumption of most foods will not cause harm. But excessive passion for chocolate, fresh pastries, citrus, spicy food, seasonings, and in principle overeating can lead to a search for the best remedy for heartburn.
  2. Drinks . Alcohol, especially strong, carbonated drinks and even coffee and tea can provoke burning in the esophagus with uncontrolled use. This does not mean that you need to abandon these products forever, just as in everything, it's worth keeping to the measure.
  3. Medicines . Unfortunately, many medications not only help us get rid of the pain and suffering, but also have certain side effects. Severe heartburn can cause iron preparations, aspirin, ibuprofen, some antibiotics, heart, anesthetics, steroid and chemotherapeutic drugs.
  4. Smoking . During smoking cigarettes or a tube, secretion of hydrochloric acid by the stomach is stimulated. In addition, the lower sphincter of the esophagus relaxes, which leads to severe heartburn.
  5. Pregnancy . Most pregnant women complain of heartburn , which increase by the third trimester. This is due not only to the growing fetus in the uterus, which shifts all internal organs and increases intra-abdominal pressure, due to which the contents of the stomach are more often thrown into the esophagus. In addition, progesterone, the hormone responsible for the normal course of pregnancy, helps to relax the esophageal sphincter.

How will get rid of heartburn?

In addition to quitting smoking, changing food preferences and reducing the level of alcohol consumption, there are special drugs designed to neutralize hydrochloric acid. These medications are called antacids, and the choice of the drug for each particular patient lies with the attending physician, since their uncontrolled use is fraught with various side effects. Of the folk remedies, the most effective are: