What Causes Heartburn?

What Is Heartburn?

Heartburn is a symptom of a larger condition, such as GERD or even pregnancy. It is an uncomfortable burning sensation that typically begins behind the breastbone and slowly moves up the throat and neck. Some people who experience heartburn also have a sour taste in the backs of their mouths or throats. These symptoms can last for just a few minutes or several hours. Many suffers say their symptoms get worse after eating or when they lay down too quickly after eating.

What Does Heartburn Feel Like?

The most prominent symptom of heartburn is a feeling of burning in the centre of the chest, directly behind the breastbone. However, said burning sensation is not the only symptom of heartburn. Other symptoms of heartburn may include the following:

• A burning sensation in the chest that lasts anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few hours
• A burning sensation in the throat
• Pain in the chest when you lay down or bend over
• Difficulty swallowing
• A hot, acidic, sour or salty taste in the back of the throat

Some individuals may also experience bad breath, coughs, hiccups, a hoarse voice, bloating and nausea.

What Causes Heartburn?

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into your oesophagus, a tube that connects your mouth and stomach. To understand why this happens, it may help to understand how the oesophagus and stomach work.

Typically, when you eat, the food travels from the mouth, down the oesophagus and into the stomach. A valve at the end of the oesophagus tube — the oesophageal sphincter — should open up to both block the stomach contents from entering the stomach while allowing the food in the oesophagus through. The stomach contents the oesophageal sphincter blocks consists mostly of stomach acid, a very strong mixture that plays a very important role in the overall digestive process. While this mixture is crucial to digestion, it can harm the oesophagus.

Every once in a while, the valve that separates the oesophagus from the stomach does not close properly. When this happens, some of the acidic mixture from the stomach makes its way into the oesophagus, leading to the uncomfortable feeling of bile in the throat — which is typically characterized by a burning sensation and a bad taste in the mouth. When this happens, it is called reflux, and it, in itself, is not an uncommon condition.

That said, when reflux occurs frequently, or when it becomes chronic, doctors may consider underlying conditions. Common underlying conditions that can cause heartburn are as follows:

• Hiatal hernia (which occurs when the stomach bulges up into the chest)
• Pregnancy
• Certain medications, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Being overweight or obesity

For some people, the cause of heartburn goes back to their eating habits. For instance, because a trigger for heartburn is lying down after eating, some people may experience heartburn frequently because they eat right before going to bed. Eating large meals or meals high in acidic foods, such as tomato sauce, may also contribute to more frequent cases of heartburn.

What Can Trigger Heartburn?

If you are prone to heartburn, or if you live with a condition that makes you susceptible to heartburn, it is important to know what foods, substances or lifestyle habits can trigger an episode. For instance, eating too close to bedtime, consuming large portions at a time or even high stress levels can all increase the frequency with which heartburn episodes occur for you.

That said, there are certain foods and beverages that tend to trigger heartburn more often than not. If you are prone to heartburn, you may want to limit or avoid the following:

• Onions
• High-fat foods
• Citrusy fruits
• Citrusy drinks
• Tomatoes
• Tomato-based products
• Caffeinated beverages
• Carbonated beverages
• Alcohol

There are also certain lifestyle habits you may want to rethink. Such habits that are linked to heartburn and related conditions, including GERD and hiatal hernia, are as follows:

• High stress levels
• Smoking
• Wearing belts or clothing that is too tight

Can You Prevent Heartburn?

Though some people are more susceptible to heartburn than others, you can, for the most part, prevent the symptoms and related conditions. Some things you can do to prevent the uncomfortable symptoms and enjoy continued digestive health are as follows:

• Avoid overeating, as smaller portion sizes are easier on your digestive tract and, therefore, can lower your risk of heartburn.
• Avoid going to bed on a full stomach, as food is more apt to go up your oesophagus when you are lying down than when you are up and moving around. Ideally, you will finish your last meal three to four hours before going to bed.
• Eat more slowly, as slower eating can aid digestion and, therefore, reduce the risk of heartburn. To avoid eating too quickly, put your fork down between bites.
• Avoid triggering foods, such as acidic foods and beverages, carbonated beverages, alcohol, onions, foods high in fat and the like.
• Wear loose fitting clothes, as tight-fitting clothes and belts have been known to cause heartburn.
• Do not smoke, as smoking can weaken the lower oesophageal sphincter and, therefore, hinder its ability to keep stomach acids from entering into the oesophagus.
• Maintain a healthy weight, as people with lower weight have lower incidences of heartburn.
• Sleep on your left side to ensure your head and chest are higher than your feet. For more effect, place at least six inches of books or blocks under your bed posts at the head of your bed to elevate your torso. Though tempting, do not use pillows, as pillows could put more pressure on your stomach and aggravate heartburn.
• Exercise strategically. What this means is exercise, but only two hours after eating and drinking plenty of water.

Will Heartburn Go Away On Its Own?

For most people, heartburn is an occasional symptom that comes and goes depending on current lifestyle habits, dietary choices, health conditions or a mixture of the three. Most people who are prone to heartburn can control it by managing these factors and avoiding certain triggers. That said, if you find that you experience heartburn on a frequent basis despite taking steps to reduce it, or if your heartburn grows progressively worse, you may have GERD or a more serious underlying condition. In these cases, heartburn will not go away on its own but rather, will require treatment.

When To Talk To Your Doctor

Chronic heartburn can be both a symptom of or a precursor to a more serious health condition. For instance, chronic heartburn has been linked to respiratory problems, inflammation of the oesophagus, narrowing of the oesophagus, GERD, Barret’s oesophagus and chronic cough, among others. Chronic heartburn has also been known to cause oesophageal cancer. For these reasons, you should consult with your doctor if you experience one or more of the following:

• Increasingly severe or frequent heartburn symptoms
• Heartburn that does not resolve on its own and despite lifestyle or dietary changes
• Difficulty or pain when swallowing
• Heartburn that causes vomiting
• Continued heartburn despite taking over-the-counter antacids for more than two weeks
• Substantial or unexpected weight loss
• Serious wheezing or hoarseness in the throat
• Continued heartburn despite taking prescription medications
• Severe discomfort that interferes with daily activities or your lifestyle