What Is Heartburn? Symptoms, Causes, And Effective Home Remedies

Heartburn is a common digestive issue marked by a burning sensation in the chest, typically caused by stomach acid refluxing into the esophagus. While often manageable with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications, persistent heartburn may signal more serious conditions like GERD.

What is Heartburn?

Heartburn occurs due to acid reflux, where stomach acid flows into the esophagus. The muscle at the bottom of the esophagus is called the lower esophageal sphincter, which works to prevent this backflow. When the LES relaxes inappropriately or becomes weak, stomach acid can flow back and give one that burning sensation of heartburn.

What Causes Heartburn?

Heartburn triggers often include dietary and lifestyle factors such as overeating, spicy foods, and alcohol:

• Overeating: Stretches the stomach, pushing acid into the esophagus.
• Spicy Foods: Can irritate the esophagus lining.
• Fatty Foods: Delay stomach emptying, increasing reflux risk.
• Alcohol: Relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, facilitating acid backflow.
• Coffee and Tea: These beverages will stimulate acids in the stomach and thus cause a severe condition of heartburn
• Smoking: Smoking cigarettes causes damage to LES since it lowers its tone, thus acids easily find their way into the esophagus and cause inflammation

Also, read: How Smoking affects your Heart Health?

• Some medications, especially aspirin, NSAIDs, and some blood pressure medicines, contribute to acid reflux.
• Pregnancy: Pregnancy hormonal changes may make the LES weaker. Additionally, the expanded uterus can exert pressure on the stomach and result in acid reflux.
• Hiatal Hernia: This is a condition where part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm. The portion that protrudes through the diaphragm makes the LES weaker and, therefore, increases the possibility of acid reflux.

Heartburn Symptoms

Heartburn symptoms range from mild to severe. Most of the common symptoms involve a burning feeling in the chest, most of the time worse when eating and upon lying down.

Common Heartburn Symptoms include: 

• Burning in the Chest: This is normally behind the sternum but may even shoot up into the throat.
• Bad Acid Taste: Heartburn gives a sour or bitter sensation in the mouth, usually after burping.
• Painful Swallowing: Acid reflux inflammation can make swallowing painful or difficult.
• Chest Pain: Heartburn-related chest pain can sometimes mimic heart attack symptoms, so medical evaluation is essential if in doubt.

Natural Lifestyle Changes To Control Heartburn

Generally, management of heartburn begins with a simple lifestyle change. Making a few adjustments, most people can reduce the occurrences and severity of their attacks.

• Avoid Trigger Foods: The first thing to be done is to identify your trigger foods and avoid them. Some of the more common triggers include spicy meals, fatty foods, chocolate, mint, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and carbonated drinks.
• Eat Smaller Meals: Eat five or six smaller meals instead of the traditional three large meals. This reduces pressure on the stomach and lessens the likelihood of acid reflux.
• Wait Before Lying Down: Avoid lying down two to three hours after a meal. Gravity prevents stomach acid from flowing up into the esophagus.
• Avoid or Decrease Use of Caffeine and Alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol tend to relax the lower esophageal sphincter and may intensify heartburn. In the majority of people, cessation or decreased use may solve this.
• Drink more Water: Sometimes drinking between meals will dilute acids produced by the stomach, whereas high intake during a meal can enlarge the stomach further making the condition worse.
• Raise the Head of Your Bed: If your heartburn is occurring during nighttime, raise the top of your bed 6-8 inches. Perhaps gravity will prevent the regurgitation of stomach acid down the esophagus.
• Wear Loose Garb: Compression of the stomach from tight clothes forces back the stomach acid into the esophagus. Hence, wear loose-fitting clothes, especially after the meal.
• Quit Smoking: Smoking will damage the LES and trigger irritation in the esophagus. Quitting will benefit your overall digestive system, and you will encounter fewer heartburn episodes.
• Maintain Stress Level: While stress does not cause heartburn, it can deteriorate the condition. Here are some stress management tools such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, or other exercises to maintain lower levels of stress.

Also, read: क्या आपका हृदय स्वस्थ है जानिए स्वस्थ हृदय के परीक्षण के तरीके

Remedies for Heartburn from Home

Incorporating these lifestyle habits with some home remedies helps patients get temporary relief from their heartburn symptoms.

• Chewing Gum: Sugar-free chewing gum will stimulate more saliva production. Saliva will neutralize the stomach acid, which will then be pushed back into the stomach.
• Baking Soda: One teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a glass of water will neutralize stomach acid. This remedy, however, should not be repeated because it may lead to other side effects like bloating and gas.
• Aloe Vera Juice: Aloe vera juice has a soothing effect that can reduce inflammation in the esophagus. A small quantity before meals may also provide relief.
• Ginger: Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger tea or grated ginger to the meal may help in gaining relief from heartburn.

Also, read: How Do You Check Your Heart Health At Home?

Over-the-Counter Heartburn Medications

When home remedies and lifestyle modifications are not enough to manage your heartburn, then over-the-counter heartburn medications may be of help to ease the condition.

• Antacids: Antacids, such as Tums, Rolaids, and Mylanta, work by neutralizing stomach acids. They provide quick relief but do not address the cause of heartburn.
• H2 Blockers: H2 blockers are medications like ranitidine or Zantac and famotidine or Pepcid. These medications reduce the production of stomach acid. They provide relief that lasts longer than that provided by antacids but can take up to 30 minutes to become effective.
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): PPIs are potent acid reducers that should be used under medical supervision to avoid potential side effects from long-term use.

When to seek for medical help?

Occasional heartburn is common, but frequent or severe symptoms should not be ignored. This could progress into complications if not properly addressed.

Watch for These Warning Signs

Frequent or severe heartburn may require medical evaluation. Warning signs include:

• Persistent chest pain resembling a heart attack.
• Difficulty swallowing or a feeling of food getting stuck.
• Unexplained weight loss or black stools.

Diagnosis and Treatments Available

Doctors may run tests to identify the cause of significant or persistent heartburn and suggest appropriate treatments.

Diagnostic Tests:

• Upper Endoscopy: A thin, flexible camera tube is passed through the mouth to look into the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. It can reveal inflammation, ulcers, or any other anomalies.
• Esophageal pH Monitoring: The test that will determine what level of acidity there has been in the esophagus for 24 hours. This is a way to measure the severity of acid reflux.
• Barium Swallow: The patient swallows a barium solution, and X-rays are taken to observe the esophagus and stomach. This can be used to diagnose problems such as a hiatal hernia.
• Esophageal Manometry: This measures the strength and functioning of the muscles of the esophagus and LES.

Treatment Strategies:

• Lifestyle Changes and Medications: In most patients, heartburn can be controlled with diet changes, lifestyle modifications, and OTC medications.
• Prescription Medications: When the symptoms are more severe, the doctor can opt for the stronger versions of H2 blockers or PPIs. Other medications include prokinetics, which speed up the stomach's emptying time.
• Surgery: As a last resort, the surgeon will intervene. In most instances, fundoplication is performed whereby the top part of the stomach wraps around the LES to fortify it.

Complications from Untreated Heartburn

Chronic heartburn results in severe health complications if left untreated:

• Esophagitis: Inflammation of the esophagus leads to ulcers and bleeding. It may make it painful to swallow.
• Barrett's Esophagus: The esophagus is lined with a new kind of lining due to acid reflux that occurs continuously. This makes it vulnerable to cancer.
• Strictures: Scar tissue forms as a result of acid damage, which can narrow the esophagus, thereby causing difficulty in swallowing.
• Respiratory Problems: Acid reflux may cause respiratory problems, such as asthma, chronic cough, or laryngitis.

Conclusion

Heartburn, while common, should not be overlooked. It often results from lifestyle habits or dietary choices, but persistent or severe cases can be indicative of more serious underlying conditions like GERD. By understanding the triggers and adopting lifestyle modifications, many people can manage their symptoms effectively. Simple changes such as avoiding trigger foods, eating smaller meals, and raising the head of your bed can make a significant difference. For more stubborn cases, home remedies and over-the-counter medications may offer relief. However, if symptoms persist, worsen, or are accompanied by alarming signs like difficulty swallowing or unexplained weight loss, seeking medical attention is crucial. Addressing heartburn early can prevent complications and promote better digestive health.