Heartburn can be caused by factors such as poor food digestion, overweight, pregnancy and smoking. The main symptom of heartburn is the burning sensation that begins at the end of the sternum bone, which is between the ribs, and rises to the throat.
This burn is caused by the return of gastric juice to the esophagus, which, because it is acidic, ends up injurying the cells of the esophagus and causing pain. Below are the top 10 causes of this problem and what to do in each case.
- Chemicals that are inhaled during smoking can cause poor digestion and promote relaxation of the esophageal sphincter.
- Which is the muscle between the stomach and esophagus.
- Responsible for closing the stomach and maintaining gastric juice.
- Therefore.
- When the esophageal sphincter weakens.
- The gastric content can easily return to the esophagus.
- Causing reflux and heartburn.
What to do: The solution is to stop smoking so that the body gets rid of tobacco toxins and gets back on track normally.
Excessive consumption of caffeine-containing beverages, such as coffee, cola soft drinks, black tea, matte and green tea, and chocolate, is also a major cause of heartburn. Caffeine stimulates the movement of the stomach, making it easier for gastric juice to return to the esophagus.
What to do: Avoid caffeine-rich foods and drinks or at least reduce your intake and see if your symptoms improve.
Having the habit of consuming large volumes of food during meals is also one of the reasons for heartburn, since the stomach is very full and relaxed, making it difficult to close the esophageal sphincter, which prevents food from returning to the esophagus and throat. In addition, excessive consumption of fatty foods also interferes with digestion and intestinal transit, allowing food to stay longer in the stomach, which can cause heartburn.
What to do: You should prefer to eat small meals at once, distribute food in several meals a day and especially avoid frying, fast food, processed meats such as sausages and bacon, and frozen prepared meals.
Heartburn is common, especially in the second and third trimests of pregnancy, as the lack of space for organs in the woman’s abdomen, combined with excess progesterone, makes it difficult to close the esophageal sphincter properly, causing reflux and heartburn.
What to do: Pregnant women should eat small meals throughout the day and avoid bedtime for at least 30 minutes after meals, as well as eat a healthy and balanced diet. Get more tips on how to combat heartburn during pregnancy.
Frequent use of medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib, and various medications for chemotherapy, depression, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure can cause heartburn by irritating the esophagus and causing the esophageal sphincter to relax, which does not adequately block the passage between the stomach and esophagus.
What to do: Avoid frequent use of these medications and remember not to go to bed for at least 30 minutes after using them. If symptoms persist, ask your doctor to change your medication or advise you on another form of use.
Drinking fluids during meals makes your stomach very full, making it difficult to close the esophageal sphincter, especially when consuming soft drinks such as sodas.
What to do: It is important to avoid drinking liquids 30 minutes before and after meals, so that digestion is done more quickly.
Even small weight gains can cause heartburn, especially in people with a history of poor digestion or gastritis. This is probably because the buildup of abdominal fat increases the pressure against the stomach, promoting the return of the gastric content to the esophagus and causing a burning sensation.
What to do: You need to improve your diet, avoid high-fat foods and lose weight, so that intestinal transit can go back more easily.
Frequent alcohol consumption can cause heartburn because alcohol relaxes the muscles of the esophageal sphincter and promotes the return of food and stomach acid to the esophagus. In addition, alcohol increases gastric juice production and can lead to gastritis, which often has a burning sensation of heartburn.
What to do: You should stop consuming alcohol and eat a balanced diet, with lots of fruits, vegetables and water to promote the proper functioning of the entire digestive system.
Some foods are known to increase heartburn, but without a specific cause, such as chocolate, pepper, raw onion, spicy foods, citrus, mint and tomatoes.
What to do: It is important to consider if acidity occurs after eating one of these foods, which should be excluded from the diet if identified as one of the causes of acidity.
Some physical activities such as yoga and pilates or specific exercises such as abdominals and movements that require face-down movement increase pressure in the abdomen and force the gastric content back into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
What to do: It is important to eat at least 2-3 hours before exercising, and if there is no improvement in symptoms, you should avoid exercises that cause burns and pain.