Main causes of heartburn and what to do

Heartburn can be caused by factors like poor food digestion, overweight, pregnancy and smoking. The main symptom of heartburn is the burning sensation that starts at the end of the sternum bone, which is between the ribs, and that goes up to the throat.

This burning is caused by the return of gastric juice to the esophagus, which, because it is acid, ends up damaging the cells of the esophagus and causing pain. Below are the top 10 causes of this problem and what to do in each case.

1. Smoking

The chemicals that are inhaled when smoking can cause poor digestion and promote relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, which is the muscle between the stomach and the esophagus, responsible for closing the stomach and keeping the gastric juice there. Thus, when the esophageal sphincter is weakened, the gastric contents can easily return towards the esophagus, causing reflux and heartburn.

In these cases, the solution is to stop smoking so that the body gets rid of the toxins from tobacco and returns to work normally.

2. Drinking caffeinated drinks

Excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, cola soft drinks, black, matte and green teas, and chocolate is also a major cause of heartburn. This is because caffeine stimulates the movement of the stomach, which facilitates the return of gastric juice to the esophagus.

To solve this problem, you should avoid consuming caffeine-rich foods and beverages, or at least reduce your consumption and see if your symptoms improve.

3. Eat large meals

Having the habit of consuming large volumes of food during meals is also one of the reasons for heartburn, as the stomach tips very full and distended, making it difficult to close the esophageal sphincter, which prevents the return of food to the esophagus and throat. In addition, overdoing fatty foods also hinders digestion and intestinal transit, making the food stay in the stomach longer, which can cause heartburn.

In these cases, one should prefer to eat small meals at a time, distributing the food in several meals a day and especially avoiding fried foods, fast food, processed meats such as sausage, sausage and bacon, and frozen ready food.

4. Pregnancy

Heartburn is common especially in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, as the lack of space for the organs in the woman's abdomen together with excess progesterone hinder the proper closure of the esophageal sphincter, causing reflux and heartburn.

In these cases, pregnant women should eat small meals throughout the day and avoid lying down for at least 30 minutes after meals, in addition to having a healthy and balanced diet. See more tips on how to fight heartburn in pregnancy.

5. Medicines

Frequent use of medications such as aspirin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Celecoxib, and various drugs for chemotherapy, depression, osteoporosis and high blood pressure can cause heartburn by irritating the esophagus and causing relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, which does not adequately block the passage between the stomach and the esophagus.

To treat heartburn, one should avoid frequent use of these drugs and remember not to lie down for at least 30 minutes after using the drugs. If the symptoms persist, talk to the doctor so that he can change the medication or advise another form of use.

6. Drink fluids with meals

Drinking fluids during meals causes the stomach to become very full, making it difficult to close the esophageal sphincter, especially when consuming carbonated drinks such as sodas.

In these cases, it is important to avoid drinking fluids 30 minutes before and after meals, so that digestion occurs more quickly.

7. Excess weight

Even small increases in weight can cause heartburn, especially in people with a history of poor digestion or gastritis. This is probably because the accumulation of abdominal fat increases pressure against the stomach, favoring the return of gastric contents to the esophagus and causing a burning sensation.

To solve the problem, you must improve your diet, avoid foods high in fat and lose weight, so that intestinal transit can flow back more easily.

8. Alcohol

Frequent alcohol consumption can cause heartburn because alcohol relaxes the muscles of the esophageal sphincter, favoring the return of food and stomach acid to the esophagus. In addition, alcohol increases the production of gastric juice and can cause gastritis, which usually has the burning sensation of heartburn as a symptom.

The solution for these cases is to stop consuming alcohol and have a balanced diet, with plenty of fruits, vegetables and water to promote the proper functioning of the entire digestive system.

9. Other foods

Some foods are known to increase heartburn, but without a specific cause, such as: chocolate, pepper, raw onion, spicy foods, citrus fruits, mint and tomatoes.

It is important to note whether heartburn comes after consuming any of these foods, which should be excluded from the diet if they are identified as one of the causes of stomach burns.

10. Physical activity

Some physical activities like yoga and pilates or specific exercises like sit-ups and movements that require upside down increase the pressure in the abdomen and force gastric contents back into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

To resolve, it is important to eat at least 2-3 hours before practicing physical activity, and if there is no improvement in symptoms, you should avoid exercises that cause burning and pain.