First aid for severe heartburn

Severe heartburn is a common problem even among people with a healthy digestive system.

It is enough to pay attention to the amount of advertising of various drugs from the severity in the stomach and the burning sensation to understand that many people face this problem. How to get rid of severe heartburn?

It is necessary to understand the reasons for its appearance, otherwise the medications will bring only temporary relief.

If the causes of the appearance of heartburn in time can not be eliminated, it is possible to develop various pathologies of the esophagus, from inflammation of the mucosa to the formation of cancer cells.

Causes of heartburn

If severe heartburn occurs rarely,, Most likely, the body simply reacts badly to a certain product or overeating.

But if the burning sensation in the chest appears fairly regularly, then first of all you should pay attention to your diet and regime of the day.

Apart from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, a violation of the correct diet is the most common cause of heartburn.

Bad habits

Drinking alcohol and smoking are often accompanied by very severe heartburn. For protection of the stomach and other organs, special cells that produce mucus and ensure the permanent presence of a thin protective film on the walls of the digestive organs.

Alcohol significantly reduces the secretion of mucus, so with regular use, the stomach and other digestive organs become more sensitive to various irritating and destructive effects.

In addition, alcohol increases the production of hydrochloric acid, which in combination with a weakened mucosa often leads to heartburn.

Prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to the development of various diseases of the stomach, esophagus, pancreas and other organs.

Incorrect nutrition

Improper nutrition is a common reason for heartburn. Excessive enthusiasm for fried, fatty, white bread, chocolate inhibits the work of the stomach, provokes stagnation of undigested food and, as a consequence, heartburn.

Some products stimulate increased release of hydrochloric acid: tomatoes, pickles, spicy food. Acidic fruits and drinks increase acidity in the stomach.

The predominance of products of a group in the diet can disrupt the proper operation of not only the stomach, but also other organs.

Severe heartburn is only the beginning of a list of possible pathologies caused by an unbalanced diet.

The most simple overeating can be the cause of severe heartburn. This problem is often encountered by those who eat irregularly, on the run, with large intervals of time between meals.

When the stomach is full, the cardiac valve can not completely separate the stomach from the esophagus, and part of undigested food and hydrochloric acid enters the esophagus.

Heartburn, provoked by a plentiful feast, is often accompanied by a feeling of heaviness or nausea, as the stomach does not have time to produce the right amount of hydrochloric acid.

People who are overweight often suffer from heartburn, which is not only prone to overeating, but also has an increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Incorrect day regimen

Just like overeating, the wrong organization of the day regimen can cause severe heartburn even in a person who does not suffer from digestive problems. The main mistake is exercise and sleep after eating.

As soon as you start eating, the stomach begins to release digestive enzymes in a large volume to quickly chop up the food and direct it further along the digestive tract.

Sleep, like active sports, slows digestion and causes stagnation of food in the stomach.

Physical exercises that involve the abdomen - tilts, twists, exercises on the press - in addition to inhibiting digestion deform the stomach, increasing intra-abdominal pressure.

Even a cardiac valve that normally closes completely can not withstand increased stress, and some of the contents of the stomach will enter the esophagus.

Severe heartburn and stomach pain from an after-dinner sleep are triggered by a similar mechanism: in a horizontal position, the pressure on the cardiac valve increases significantly, while the digestive process slows down.

Doctors do not recommend eating at night or going to bed after dinner to avoid stagnation of undigested food, fermentation and heartburn.

Heartburn during pregnancy

When pregnant, women often suffer from severe heartburn, and the reason for this - natural changes in the body of the future mother.

In the early days, the problem is most often caused by overeating or unbalanced nutrition, after the fourth and fifth months the main cause of heartburn is already the changed hormonal background and fetal growth.

So that the uterus can stretch more easily, without spasms, the body begins to release an increased amount of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes smooth muscles.

The cardiac sphincter loses its tonus due to this hormone, so it can not completely close, and some hydrochloric acid enters the esophagus.

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Hormonal changes in the body of a woman lead to a decrease in the activity of digestive juices, so it is often impossible to get rid of heartburn until the very birth.

Fetal growth, especially in later periods, leads to a shift in the internal organs of the expectant mother: the intestine and diaphragm are raised, which begin to deform the stomach.

When the baby begins to actively move, it can trigger heartburn. The main means to combat this disease in pregnant women is a fractional diet, often in small portions, so as not to overload the stomach.

Pathologies that cause burning

Severe heartburn often accompanies various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Despite the fact that serious pathologies tend to accompany other symptoms( pain, nausea, vomiting, stool disorder), regular or prolonged heartburn, especially at night, is also an occasion to consult a doctor.

Most often heartburn is accompanied by such diseases as:

• gastritis;
• peptic ulcer;
• cholecystitis;
• duodenitis;
• hiatal hernia, etc.

Heartburn can also be caused by neoplasms in the stomach or esophagus: scars, tumors, adhesions, etc., so with acute or regular burning and discomfort after eating, do not postpone the visit to the doctor.

Diagnostic procedures, of course, are unpleasant, but can save you not only from heartburn, but also from the development of complications.

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Emergency relief for heartburn

What should I do if I have severe heartburn? The simplest and most effective way is to take medication. For the temporary neutralization of gastric juice and relief of heartburn, so-called antacids are used - these are medicines that contain magnesium, calcium or aluminum compounds.

These drugs have a number of advantages:

• rapid action( usually less than 15 minutes);
• relative safety( drugs are almost completely removed from the body and do not have a long-term effect on digestive processes);
• availability( sold in virtually any pharmacy in free access).

One of the most popular drugs in this category is Gaviscon, which is sold in the form of tablets or suspensions.

When interacting with hydrochloric acid, "Gaviscon" forms a harmless gel that covers the walls of the stomach and esophagus, protecting the mucous membrane.

The drug is approved for use by pregnant women and children on the recommendation of a doctor.

"Almagel" works the same way - the drug not only protects the walls of the stomach, but also adsorbs toxins, relieves pain.

Neutralizing heartburn Almagel can quickly enough, but its effect lasts not so long, about 1 hour.

Maalox is a good help. The drug not only restores the acid-base balance, but also promotes regeneration of the mucosa, relieves pain, so it is often recommended for exacerbations of gastritis and peptic ulcer.

The drug is considered safe enough, use is allowed even for children over 6 years and pregnant women.

There is a rather large assortment of antacids, but their use is recommended to be agreed with the doctor, especially if you are on medication: antacids can enhance or, conversely, reduce the effectiveness of certain medications.

Do not forget that all these drugs relieve only the symptoms( heartburn, eructation, heaviness in the stomach), but do not struggle with the causes of their appearance.

Folk remedies for heartburn

If you do not want to resort to tablets, then refer to folk recipes for heartburn. There is a fairly large selection of different herbs and herbal preparations to improve digestion, but they should be used with caution - it may develop individual intolerance or allergies.

One of the safest medicinal plants is the pharmacy chamomile - it rarely develops an allergy, the chamomile acts gently, pleasant enough to taste.

To get rid of heartburn from chamomile tea is insisted: it is necessary to pour 2-3 tablespoons of raw material with steep boiling water, let it brew for about 10 minutes and drink.

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Dill, anise and fennel also help to cope with severe heartburn. Seeds of these plants can be consumed separately or together. It is enough to insist on one teaspoon of raw materials and drink in small sips.

Freshly squeezed potato juice helps a lot. It is taken every day on an empty stomach, half a glass.

Immediately after squeezing the juice should be allowed to stand for 5 - 10 minutes, so that the excess starch precipitated. But do not leave the juice for more than 20 minutes, especially in the sun.