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Some people call it heartburn, others heartburn, some gastroesophageal reflux... but basically they all refer to the same thing.
A health problem that currently affects a good part of the population.
Not surprisingly, 40% of Spaniards suffer from it, at least once a month.
Proof that it is
something so common is that in the media we regularly see advertisements for all kinds of products
in which the protagonists suffer from going to eat at their mother-in-law's house or with friends, something that they seem to solve thanks to their purchase. .
If you want to know if these products work or not and what you can do in your day to day to feel better, I invite you to continue reading.
Why does heartburn occur?
The esophagus is the tube that carries the food we eat to the stomach, and is attached to it by
a muscular ring,
a sphincter, which opens to allow the passage of what we eat and drink and then closes again.
When that ring
doesn't close properly or opens when it shouldn't,
stomach acids go up the esophagus and that's when we feel heartburn or heartburn.
The pain occurs because
the esophagus is not prepared to withstand such an acidic pH
, unlike the stomach, which is.
What is the cause of that ring opening?
The causes can be
many and different
.
From having eaten too much to a hiatus hernia, going through a
Helicobacter Pylori infection,
our stomach emptying slower than normal, being pregnant, alcohol consumption...
Each case must be studied individually.
What do people with heartburn feel?
The vast majority of patients define it as a
burning sensation,
of having something that burns in the throat or chest after eating or at night, and that causes them
pain
.
Some patients may also
nauseate or cough
.
Why is it so common in pregnant women?
Firstly, because the baby is growing and taking up space, so the bigger it is, the more pressure it exerts on the stomach.
But a hormone, progesterone,
also plays an important role,
and its presence causes relaxation of that muscular ring that connects the esophagus to the stomach.
Factors that predispose us to heartburn
Obesity.
Stress.
Eat a lot.
Tobacco and alcohol use.
Perform intense physical exercise.
Certain foods.
What foods can cause heartburn?
Foods with
a lot of fat or spices
, carbonated drinks, alcohol,
coffee, mint or tea infusions
, acidic foods such as citrus fruits, garlic and onion and certain spices usually present in exotic restaurants.
What foods help prevent its appearance?
Those with a
high mucilage content
as they help protect the stomach mucosa.
Some of them are: zucchini, carrot or cooked potato, ripe banana, almonds, oats, pumpkin...
Do antacids work?
The
antacid medications
often advertised on TV do work, but
they shouldn't be used as a patch
so you can eat yourself to bursting without thinking about heartburn afterward.
They are sold without a prescription
and we have options such as
almagato
, which creates a film that protects the mucosa, or
alginates
that form a viscous barrier in the upper part of the stomach to prevent acids from going up into the esophagus.
If I have heartburn, should I go to the doctor?
Depends.
If it is something that
happened to us in a timely manner
that time we spent eating and drinking,
it is not necessary
.
But
if it is a common problem
and despite having corrected certain harmful habits that can cause heartburn we continue to suffer from it,
we should consult it.
That stomach acid in constant contact with the esophagus
can cause serious complications
such as bleeding, strictures or even cancer.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Saturated Nurse
Obesity