What is heartburn?
Heartburn occurs when stomach acids creep into your esophagus, which causes a burning sensation in your chest and a sour or bitter taste in your mouth, according to the Family Doctor. Because it directly affects the functionality of the esophagus, heartburn can lead to coughing, trouble swallowing, or a hoarse throat. You can experience these symptoms a few minutes or hours after consuming certain foods or beverages. While uncomfortable, heartburn’s occasional symptoms are common and can be corrected with dietary or lifestyle changes.
What causes heartburn?
Your eating habits, such as eating spicy foods, large meals, or eating before you go to sleep, can increase your chances of experiencing heartburn. Being pregnant, overweight, or a smoker also can increase your risk. Heartburn can be a symptom of acid reflux, which makes it occur more frequently.
Most heartburn causes, however, are a result of pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, otherwise known as the LES. The LES is a muscle between the esophagus and the stomach working as a gateway for any food or liquids you consume.
When you eat or drink something, it travels through your esophagus. Once it reaches the LES, the muscle opens, allowing the food or liquid to go into your stomach. When functioning correctly, your LES will immediately close after allowing the food or liquid into your stomach. When heartburn occurs, your LES stays open, allowing for stomach acids to go up your esophagus, which leads to the uncomfortable burning in your chest or throat.
How to treat and prevent heartburn
To treat heartburn, the Family Doctor recommends taking antacids or H2 blockers. Over-the-counter antacids such as Maalox, Mylanta, and Riopan can neutralize stomach acids and should be taken one hour after eating or when you start to experience heartburn. These come in liquid and tablet forms to fight the feeling of heartburn quickly and provide short-term relief.
H2 blockers, including Pepcid, Tagamet, and Zantac, will reduce the amount of stomach acid produced. These medications can be tablets, liquids, or capsules, and they are effective 30 to 90 minutes after you take them. You should take them with your first meal, before your evening meal, or before bedtime.
To alleviate that pressure put on your LES and those uncomfortable symptoms, follow these tips from Harvard Health Publishing:
- Eat smaller meals but more often
- Sit upright after meals
- Chew sugarless gum after a meal to increase salivation, which helps neutralize acids and washes them down into the stomach
- Avoid late-night eating
- Do not exercise immediately after a meal
If symptoms of heartburn persist and occur more than twice a week, talk with your doctor. The symptoms could be a result of acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, hiatal hernia, or a peptic ulcer, all of which require more than over-the-counter medication.