Heartburn and Belching: Causes and Treatment

Heartburn and belching are unpleasant phenomena that indicate abnormalities in the human body. They can occur regularly or appear one-time. Unpleasant burning sensation in the esophagus and in the stomach sometimes appears after eating, then disappears without a trace.

Causes

It is possible to get rid of sensations if the reasons for their appearance are established. Heartburn can develop due to increased acidity of gastric juice. It is possible with inflammation of the gastric mucosa and high sensitivity of the mucous membrane of the organ. Heartburn with belching may indicate a chronic condition of the digestive system.

With an unbalanced diet, poor chewing of food, excessive consumption of foods, the symptom may occur periodically.

Causes of symptoms:

• Drinking drinks with caffeine in the composition. Burning and sour eructations after strong coffee are common.
• Drinking alcohol and smoking.
• Stressful situations, emotional stress.
• Excess food intake.
• Conversations while eating, quick snacks. All this contributes to the ingress of excess air into the stomach.
• Pregnancy is a woman's condition in which symptoms in the absence of pathologies from the gastrointestinal tract are considered the norm. In the first trimester, they arise due to toxicosis, in the third, due to the intense production of progesterone.
• Wearing tight clothing: corsets, belts.
• Sour and spicy foods.

Belching can be triggered by regular chewing gum and drinking soda.

In addition to the factors provoking heartburn and belching, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract organs that provoke symptoms are distinguished:

• With an ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, acidity is increased, which contributes to the appearance of sensations. Heartburn and belching appear after eating or on an empty stomach.
• Reflux esophagitis is a disease when the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, causing severe irritation to the organ. Persistent heartburn with belching - the main symptom of the disease. A related symptom is nausea.
• Hyperacid gastritis is a stomach pathology in which the mucous membrane of the organ is inflamed due to the increased acidity of gastric juice.
• Hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm. In pathology, part of the stomach is displaced into the chest area. A symptom of the disease is a bitter and sour belching, pain radiating to the shoulder, scapula.
• Inflammation of the duodenal mucosa.

Heartburn and belching are frequent companions of overweight people and pregnant women.

Heartburn often occurs after taking a number of medications that can weaken the sphincter valve:

• Corticosteroid medicines.
• Psychotropic medicines.
• A group of anticancer drugs.
• Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs.

Symptoms

Heartburn is usually divided into true and false. Such a classification is needed in order to know what actions to take, normalizing the condition and excluding complications.

The true symptom appears after eating, after 30 minutes. It starts with an unpleasant burning sensation in the stomach area. Later, sensations slowly pass into the upper esophagus. Bitterness can be felt in the mouth if gastric juice gets on the root of the tongue. Gases accumulate in the stomach, pushing the contents of the organ outward. Belching appears. It gets easier after belching.

A false symptom should not be ignored, since it can be a sign of pathologies not only of the digestive system, but also of the heart. An urgent need to see a doctor with symptoms:

• The burning sensation is not related to food consumption.
• The burning sensation does not stop for more than an hour.
• The sensations do not subside when taking antacids.
• After a while, it begins to burn in other areas, for example, in the side, back.
• With heartburn, bitterness and belching are absent.

Ignoring symptoms and neglecting treatment can cause complications.

Diagnostics

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to establish why the condition has worsened. Examination of the digestive system will help determine the pathology. The doctor may order an endoscopy. The procedure allows visualization of mucous membranes and revealing superficial damage.

To determine the level of leukocytes and erythrocytes, a general blood test is prescribed. You will need to donate feces for microscopic examination.

Your doctor may advise you to do a CT scan of your abdomen. The procedure is informative and painless.

Additionally, an ultrasound examination of organs can be prescribed to identify pathologies. After the research, the gastroenterologist will prescribe treatment.

Treatment

If heartburn recurs often, while belching, sour taste may appear, you need to see a doctor to establish the cause of the symptoms. After a thorough examination, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes treatment.

First of all, the doctor will recommend adjusting the diet. Sometimes these measures are sufficient. If the situation is difficult, the necessary medication is prescribed.

Medications

When belching with heartburn, the doctor may advise the patient to take medications in the form of suspensions or gels, or pills for heartburn.

An antacid agent - Almagel, Maalox will help get rid of heartburn with belching.

Alginates create a protective film on the mucous membrane, protecting it from the effects of acid. A popular drug in this group is Gaviscon.

Proton pump inhibitors reduce the production of hydrochloric acid by blocking the parietal cells of the mucous membrane - Omeprazole, Omez.

Histamine receptor blockers will reduce gastric acid production. The most popular are Ranitidine, Famotidine.

Some conditions may require surgery.

A person should understand that self-medication is dangerous - the doctor should select the medicine after a thorough examination and diagnosis. Many well-publicized drugs will be useless if the symptoms are triggered by serious pathologies. The doctor will select the appropriate medication only after the diagnosis has been established.

Traditional methods

As an adjunct or as the main method of treatment with rarely occurring symptoms, it is possible to use traditional medicine recipes.

The most common remedy in fight heartburn is soda. The remedy relieves the symptom for a short period of time. The use of soda for patients with gastritis and ulcers is contraindicated.

Medicinal herbs help with belching with heartburn. Chamomile decoctions, oak bark infusions, flaxseed infusions cope well with unpleasant sensations. To prepare the broth, you need to fill the raw material with water and slowly bring to a boil. After cooling, strain and take on an empty stomach.

Popular folk recipes:

• Sunflower seeds and pumpkins are excellent for treating symptoms. The remedy is allowed for pregnant women. Pumpkin seeds help expectant mothers to fight toxicosis. Nausea disappears if you eat at least 10 grains. To combat the burning sensation, you need to eat a handful of seeds.
• A slight burning sensation is eliminated with honey diluted in warm water. The drink should be consumed twice a day - before breakfast and dinner. Severe heartburn is blocked by a mixture of honey and aloe juice. The ingredients are mixed in a 1: 1 ratio and taken one hour before meals.
• Frequent belching is eliminated by carrot-apple juice after eating. It is permissible to eat a carrot or an apple after a meal.
• If you consume 250 ml of potato juice on an empty stomach for 10 days, take a break, then resume the course, it will be possible to eliminate belching, burning, nausea.

Preventive measures

Regardless of the cause of the symptoms, you need to follow simple rules in order to alleviate the condition or avoid discomfort altogether:

• It is recommended to eat often, but in small portions.
• The food should be thoroughly chewed and the meal should be in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Refrain from physical activity, carrying weights, light walks after eating are recommended.
• It is contraindicated to eat before bedtime.
• Eliminate alcoholic beverages and quit smoking, or do not smoke on an empty stomach.
• Correct the menu, excluding harmful and hard-to-digest foods.
• Follow the instructions of the attending physician, take medications on time, undergo examination by a gastroenterologist at least once a year, treat gastrointestinal diseases on time.

To know what caused the burning sensation, it is possible to keep a food diary, in which, throughout the month, indicate the meals and drinks consumed and the reaction to them. These foods will need to be excluded from the diet, thus getting rid of discomfort.

By following the diet, eating fresh and healthy foods, you can speed up the healing process.

Diet

For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, a diet is required. It is prescribed by the attending physician. If the onset of symptoms is due to certain eating habits, dietary adjustments should be made. Recommended for use:

• Porridge made from oatmeal or cereal.
• Wholemeal bread.
• Diet meat of low-fat and low-calorie varieties.
• Boiled low-fat fish.
• Unpolished rice.

It is recommended to exclude from the menu:

• Spicy, fried foods.
• Hot and cold drinks and food.
• Strong black tea and coffee.
• Confectionery.

Diet is an important preventative measure.

If heartburn is frequent, accompanied by belching of air, you should review your own regimen and diet. Perhaps the reason is improper or untimely nutrition. If the symptoms persist after taking the drugs, and the person has pain, you need to see a doctor and get tested. With the help of modern equipment, the doctor will quickly identify the pathology and prescribe treatment. It is required to undergo an examination and start treatment as soon as possible in order to prevent serious complications.