According to statistics about 47% of the total population experience heartburn. Of these, 9% experience heartburn more than once a week. The consequences of heartburn affect the quality of life, disrupting sleep, performance and physical activity. Heartburn is a symptom that may indicate the presence of a gastroenterological pathology. Millions of people live without an established diagnosis and treatment, which can have a negative effect on heartburn. What disease can cause heartburn? Why do heartburn remedies last for a short period of time?
What condition can cause heartburn? Consequences of heartburn
It has long been known that heartburn occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter is weak, causing food with stomach acid to enter the esophagus. If heartburn is regular, that is, such reflux of food occurs constantly, the mucous membrane of the esophagus begins to react under the action of a chemical aggressor.
First, such a consequence of heartburn develops - inflammation, in which the mucous membrane becomes edematous and hyperemic, later, against the background of a long-term inflammatory process and the action of the same acidic environment on it, defects appear. Erosions and ulcers of the mucosa are a precancerous condition that promotes metaplasia and dysplasia. Thus, the cells of the mucous membrane of the esophagus become similar to the cells of the stomach or intestines.
If the process is not stopped at this stage, then cancer cells appear in the mucosa. The risk of developing adenocarcinoma increases with each case of heartburn, with tumor growth, heartburn may remain the only symptom until the tumor blocks part of the esophagus. Then the act of swallowing is disturbed in the patient.
Rare episodes of heartburn can be triggered by some conditions and actions of a person, the elimination of which does not have the consequences of heartburn.
Heartburn can be caused by:
- Infectious esophagitis.
- Pregnancy.
- Alcohol, smoking.
- Consumption of carbonated drinks.
- The presence in the diet of a large amount of spicy, fatty and fried foods, overeating.
- Stomach diseases.
- Taking certain medications.
What medications are patients taking to prevent the effects of heartburn?
As a rule, patients themselves buy drugs in a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription, including antacids, H2 blockers and proton pump blockers. But, unfortunately, these drugs only temporarily remove the feeling of heartburn, while its cause has not been eliminated. These drugs do not affect the inflammatory process in the mucosa of the esophagus and do not cure ulcers and erosions, do not affect the tone of the esophageal-gastric sphincter.
That is, drugs do not prevent the effects of heartburn. In addition, most of them negatively affect the water-salt metabolism, provoking the development of edema, an increase in blood pressure, and then heart failure develops. Calcium carbonate, which is found in some preparations, causes the "rebound phenomenon".
"Rebound Phenomenon" - previously a consequence of heartburn
This phenomenon consists in a decrease in gastric secretion, as a result of which heartburn decreases, but calcium carbonate cations stimulate the cells of the stomach to secrete acid, which again enters the esophagus and causes heartburn. The same thing happens when taking soda. Therefore, drugs for heartburn should be used in exceptionally rare cases as emergency drugs, and not as a long-term treatment. After all, the drugs of these groups do not prevent the consequences of heartburn.
To prevent the consequences of heartburn and itself, you should know a few simple rules that, in the absence of pathological changes in the digestive organs, will not allow the development of heartburn:
- After eating, do not engage in physical exercises, housework with slopes (washing).
- It is not recommended to take a hot shower or bath after eating a hearty meal.
- Tea, coffee and other drinks should be drunk one hour after eating.
These recommendations are aimed at preventing the deterioration of the digestive process, which people provoke without knowing it. Indeed, with impaired digestion, the volume of food slowly leaves the stomach, and with weakness of the sphincter muscles between the esophagus and the stomach, the gastric contents enter the esophagus.
Thus, with a regular feeling of heartburn, the patient should consult a doctor. Drug treatment can be wasted and take away time that could have been devoted to treating the effects of heartburn.
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