How to get rid of heartburn forever

She appears unexpectedly and delivers her signature fire strike. Feelings are not pleasant: burning behind the sternum and along the esophagus, a feeling of discomfort, sometimes belching, abdominal pain and completely spoiled the pleasure of eating. But worst of all, sometimes heartburn is the first sign of serious diseases, so you can’t ignore it. And surrender to her mercy – endure until she moderates her hot ardor – also not possible. Although it is not easy to win in the fight against it, estet-portal.com is sure that by studying the habits of the enemy, you can develop an effective tactic to get rid of it.

Why there is a burning sensation in the esophagus: get rid of heartburn

Heartburn occurs due to the backflow of stomach acid into the alkaline environment of the esophagus, which causes irritation of the mucosa. Poorly functioning gastric sphincters are to blame for this – circular muscles that regulate the transfer of contents from one part of the organ to another. Heartburn is more common in those who have high stomach acidity. However,  people with low acidity also experience an excruciating burning sensation. As a rule, it makes itself felt soon after eating, although there are times when unpleasant symptoms appear regardless of the meal. Heartburn – the phenomenon is extremely insidious: it seems, it’s okay, well, it will burn and stop, but with a pill it will stop very quickly. But did you know that heartburn that appears only once a week increases the risk of stomach cancer by 6 times! After all, from a glass of water with soda, she will not go anywhere, but will only hide for a while. To get rid of this trouble, you need to be examined by a gastroenterologist, who will prescribe treatment after determining the cause of the burning sensation.

Earing only once a week, heartburn increases the risk of stomach cancer by 6 times.

Who suffers from heartburn more often than others

They say that at least once in a lifetime, every second person on earth experienced a burning sensation behind the sternum. However, there are factors that increase the risk of heartburn:

• unhealthy diet, consumption of spicy foods, carbonated drinks, sweets, citrus fruits, tomatoes;
• obesity, tendency to be overweight. Excess weight causes an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, and food with acids is thrown into the esophagus;
• smoking, alcohol. Nicotine reduces the muscle tone of the sphincter, "closing the passage" from the stomach to the esophagus. Alcohol also relaxes the muscles. The bubbles of gas that abound in beer and champagne are guaranteed to provide fans of these drinks with unpleasant sensations in the esophagus;
• stress, processing. Stress destroys the body, causing cardiovascular disease, sexual dysfunction, decreased immunity, and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, stress is associated with troubles at work. Anyone who works in an unhealthy psychological atmosphere or overtime also faces gastrointestinal problems. Heartburn, which occurs as a reaction to work-related stress, is so common that the expression "office heartburn" has even appeared;
• diseases, medicines. "Fire in the esophagus" often accompanied by diseases such as gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, hiatal hernia, reflux esophagitis, a symptom of the operated stomach. An unpleasant burning sensation may be encountered after taking antibiotics, contraceptives, or medicines containing acetylsalicylic acid;
• pregnancy. At the beginning of pregnancy, due to the high level of hormones, digestion processes slow down. In the last months, the enlarged uterus presses on the stomach, and it is much easier for food with acids to rise up through the weakened sphincters.

How to get rid of heartburn at home

If the burning sensation occurs from time to time, you can use affordable, simple home remedies to get rid of it:

• The juice of carrots, light, cucumber, radish can cause an alkaline reaction that neutralizes the acidity of the content that has broken through the sphincter;
• Ginger, chamomile. Ginger infusion not only helps with nausea, but also perfectly relieves heartburn. Pour 1 teaspoon of grated or finely chopped ginger with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 10 minutes. A decoction of chamomile will soothe the irritated mucous membrane of the esophagus.
• Soda will save you if you don't have a tablet at hand: mix 1 teaspoon of soda in a glass of warm water and drink. This is the most popular folk remedy for heartburn. But remember that as a result of this reaction, carbon dioxide is released, which bursts the stomach. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to the help of soda only in extreme cases, and never at all for those suffering from peptic ulcer.
• Honey, aloe are especially effective if the burning sensation is caused by gastritis or peptic ulcer. Grind 3 sheets of thawed aloe (they should lie in the freezer for 3 days), mix thoroughly with 3 tbsp. spoons of natural honey.
• Almonds help to get rid of heartburn as they neutralize stomach acids. Remove the skin from the nuts and eat them slowly, chewing thoroughly.
• Flax seed. In ½ cups of boiling water, drop 1 teaspoon of flax seed, remove from heat, cool, strain. The resulting jelly-like substance will protect the mucous membranes from acid exposure by covering them with a thin film.
• Tea with cumin: 2 teaspoons of cumin, brew a glass of boiling water. Leave for 10 min.
• Marshmallow forms a "protective coating" on mucous membranes. 1 st. pour a spoonful of crushed marshmallow root with 1 cup of warm boiled water and leave for 30-45 minutes. Strain, drink 2-3 tablespoons 30-40 minutes before meals.
• Milk (no more than 1.5% fat). But remember: milk with a high percentage of fat will not bring relief, but harm.
• Coffee-grinded chalk: taken for a month at ½ tsp before meals.
• St. Take within a month before meals for ½ glass.
• Centaury: 3 tbsp. spoons of grass pour 1 liter of water, boil for 20 minutes. Then insist 3 hours in warmth. Strain, add 3 tbsp. spoons of natural honey. Take every 3 hours ½ glasses within two weeks.
• Potato juice: 1-2 tbsp. spoons 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
• A mixture of herbs of oregano, St. John's wort, nettle, plantain leaves (1 teaspoon each) pour 1 liter of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 2 hours. Strain, add 3 tbsp. spoons of honey, 5 tbsp. tablespoons of butter. Take a week for 1 tbsp. spoons before meals. This decoction is good if you are also worried about belching.

Some worldly tricks will also help get rid of heartburn and alleviate the condition:

• Attention – to the position of the body. Unpleasant sensations may be aggravated by the horizontal position of the body and by bending. Therefore, within 1-3 hours after eating, it is better not to lie down or bend over. So you complicate the acid "leap" through the sphincters.
• Small portions. In nutrition, it is worth adhering to the principle that the wits have defined as "less is better, more is better": portions are smaller, and the number of sittings is more. Eat 5-6 times, but little by little. And one more witticism from Ilf and Petrov: "Throughly chewing food, you thereby help society." The longer and better you chew, the more crushed the substance will enter the stomach. Since the sphincters form a rather narrow lumen in the organ cavity, a mass of very liquid consistency can pass through them. Solid, undigested food will not reach the intestines. Therefore, it is worth helping your stomach by chewing food as thoroughly as possible.
• Sleeping on high pillows should bring relief: this position will complicate the reflux of acid into the esophagus.
• Freedom in the waist area: give up tight clothes, corsets, belts – from everything that can put pressure on the stomach.
• Eat no later than 2 (ideally 4) hours before bedtime.
• Do not abuse (better to avoid) spicy, fried, sour foods. You should also be careful with strong tea, raw onions and garlic, chocolate, alcohol, coffee.

If home remedies don't help and the burning sensation comes back again and again, you should consult a specialist, because, as we have already decided, jokes are bad with heartburn.

When you can not do without drugs

If you've tried all the "homemade" drugs, quit drinking and smoking, eat right, but you can’t get rid of heartburn, you need to consult a specialist and take medication. After all, heartburn can be a symptom of serious diseases, up to diabetes and gallstone disease. In addition, home remedies only help relieve burning sensations when it bothers you occasionally.

There are several types of heartburn medication available in pharmacies. Which one to take, the doctor must say after the study.

• Antacids (Almagel, Maalox, Phosphalugel, Rennie, etc.) neutralize acidity. Some of the antacids cause constipation or diarrhea. To eliminate this trouble, it is better to give preference to those containing aluminum and magnesium hydroxide. The disadvantage of antacids is that they bring relief for no more than 2 hours.
• Alginates (eg Gaviscon) react with the acidic content of the stomach and turn into a layer of gel that floats on the surface of the stomach contents for up to 4 hours and enters the esophagus first if reflux occurs. Once in the esophagus, the drug envelops its walls, thereby preventing the irritating effect of the acid on the mucous membrane.
• Antisecretory drugs reduce acid production (Omez, Omeprazole, Ranitidine, etc.). They can only be taken with a doctor's prescription. Duration – up to 8 hours, however, the effect does not occur immediately, but about an hour after taking the medicine.
• Gastrointestinal motility stimulants (Motilium, Motilak). These drugs do not reduce acidity, but they relieve the symptoms of reflux, increase the tone of the sphincter, and therefore help get rid of heartburn.

Pregnant women are allowed to take Vikalin, Gaviscon, Maalox, Rennie, Almagel.

If you can't get rid of heartburn with home remedies, you need to see a doctor. And the faster the better. After all, a burning sensation behind the sternum may indicate the presence of serious diseases.

10 commandments for the prevention of heartburn

If you have had to get rid of an unpleasant burning sensation at least a few times, you should be guided by the following rules:

• stay away from carbonated drinks that contain unhealthy sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate;
• be careful with alcohol. The real "explosive mixture" for sensitive mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract are mixtures of alcohol with juices. Dry red wine with high acidity also stimulates increased acid production. Gas bubbles in beer raise intra-abdominal pressure, causing the acidic substance to move very quickly into the upper gastrointestinal tract;
• eat regularly. Uncontrolled raids on the refrigerator, overeating complicate the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• limit your consumption of sweets. First of all, because of sugar, which can cause acidity. In addition, due to unhealthy fats, for the digestion of which too much gastric juice is produced;
• Avoid Asian food and any spicy food. And do not generously flavor homemade food with spices. Seasonings are certainly useful, but, unfortunately, not for people with sensitive gastrointestinal tract;
• Forget the fried food. Of course, there is nothing tastier than a crispy fried potato or chicken. But in terms of their ability to quickly cause a fire in the esophagus, something is also unlikely to argue with them. Try to eat boiled food or, in extreme cases, baked in the oven;
• Do not drink mint tea after meals. Peppermint decoctions are good for indigestion or overeating. But not for those who are trying to get rid of heartburn. Menthol activates the work of the stomach and liver, which leads to increased secretion of gastric juice. In addition, drinking immediately after eating is generally harmful – everyone and any drinks. If you already overate (but it’s better not to do this), then go for a leisurely walk in the park;
• less citrus fruits, including juices from them. Alas, we will have to abandon the storehouse of vitamin C, since it, that is, ascorbic acid, irritates the mucosa of the esophagus;
• Eat calmly, slowly. This way you will be satisfied with less food, and you will not be in danger of overeating.
• Eat a diet rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates. Give up strong tea, coffee, tomatoes.

Getting rid of heartburn is not easy, because it is not easy to give up the habits and culinary addictions developed over the years. But if you put health on one side of the scale, and beer and chips on the other, then the choice, I think, will be obvious.