These tips help settle heartburn
Everyone has had to deal with it at least once – heartburn. This annoying, burning sensation in your stomach and esophagus can have many unpleasant side effects. Some are more likely to suffer from it than others, but do you suffer from it at least once a week? Then it is important to be aware of the following things.
With heartburn, acidic stomach contents often flow back into the esophagus.
Esophageal Sphincter
Heartburn happens to many people, especially after consuming a heavy meal. That’s the case because the pressure in your stomach is often increased after meals. This opens the esophageal sphincter muscle to get rid of excess stomach gas. During this process, some stomach acid may occasionally come up. Do you suffer from heartburn more than twice a week? Then there is a good chance that your esophageal sphincter opens more often than average. Possible causes for this are obesity, pregnancy, fat or highly seasoned food, smoking, alcohol, stress or fatigue.
Effects
The painful burning sensation behind your breastbone can be very annoying. Heartburn can also cause complaints such as an irritated throat, coughing and swallowing problems, a sharp or bitter taste in your mouth, and bad breath. The consequences of this are that you may sleep less well at night, and you no longer enjoy your meals. After a while, the stomach acid can damage your esophagus and eventually cause an esophageal infection. Do you suffer from persistent heartburn? Then contact your doctor for comprehensive advice.
Food diary
If you often suffer from heartburn it is wise to keep a food diary. This way you can find out more easily which food and drinks can cause heartburn. For example, for some people it may be due to fresh orange juice or chocolate. In this way, you’ll know which foods and drinks you should avoid to prevent heartburn.
Also try the following things:
- Try to eat smaller portions to find out if this reduces your symptoms.
- Eat as little high-fat food as possible and avoid alcohol.
- After eating, it is best to take it easy to digest your food. Do not lie down on the couch, because this can cause the stomach acid to rise.
- If you often suffer from heartburn at night, raise the head of your bed. By doing this your chest is higher than your stomach and the symptoms can be reduced.
Medication
Do you still suffer from heartburn after trying these tips? Then there are other ways to reduce the symptoms. You can take stomach acid inhibitors and stomach acid binders. The production of acid is inhibited by stomach acid inhibitors. A stomach acid binder neutralizes and binds the acid in your stomach, causing the burning sensation to disappear. It is important to read the directions provided with the medication, before use. In some cases, there are side effects or the medication should not be used due to a pregnancy or vitamin B12 deficiency.
