Suffering from acid reflux? Here's what you can do

Suffering from acid reflux? Here's what you can do

Heartburn is a painful, burning feeling in the middle of your chest. It's not really in your heart, though. It's caused by stomach acid rising into your oesophagus (reflux), which runs through your chest, close to your heart.

Heartburn is an occasional symptom for many people and a chronic condition for others, occurring frequently. When it's chronic, you might have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

When related to GERD, heartburn occurs when stomach juices, including acids and enzymes, backwash into your oesophagus. Your stomach has a thick mucous lining that protects it from these substances, but your oesophagus doesn't. A valve at the bottom of your oesophagus called the lower oesophagal sphincter is supposed to keep stomach contents from coming back up. But sometimes it's weak or doesn't close all the way.

Acid reflux that causes heartburn may also indicate other hidden problems in your digestive system. For example, you may have too much acid in your stomach, which can cause complications like gastritis and stomach ulcers. Acid reflux may also aggravate your asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions. If reflux rises into your throat, it can cause swelling and lead to ulcers and growth there.

You may notice heartburn more when:

• Lying down.

• Bending over.

• You had a late dinner.

• You had a rich, acidic or spicy meal.

Heartburn may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. It should go away when the last meal you ate has passed out of your stomach. Once your stomach has emptied its contents, there should be nothing left to come back up (reflux). Depending on the meal, it can take two to five hours for your stomach to finish digesting. Rich and fatty meals take longer to break down in your stomach.

It may be hard to tell the difference between heartburn and other types of chest pain. If you're unsure about the type of pain you're feeling, it's always a good idea to discuss it with a healthcare provider. It may also help to focus on other symptoms that you might have with it. These accompanying symptoms can help you distinguish heartburn from a heart attack or other oesophagal disorders.

If your heartburn is from acid reflux, you may have:

• Burping

• Sour taste in the mouth

• Nausea

• Regurgitation of food

Other atypical symptoms of acid reflux include:

• Stomach bloating and overfullness

• Hiccups

• Chronic cough

• Worsening asthma

• Sore throat

• Laryngitis

• Difficulty swallowing or feeling like there's a lump in your throat.

• Chest pain similar to angina (non-cardiac chest pain).

Different things can cause your lower oesophagal sphincter to weaken or relax too much, such as:

• Inhaling smoke

• Extra abdominal pressure from body weight, tight clothing or pregnancy

• Hiatal hernia, when your stomach pushes up through your diaphragm

• A heavy meal that stretches your stomach and stays in it longer

• Indigestion and gas, when gas bubbles rise through your GI (gastrointestinal) tract

• Lying down too soon after eating

• Certain foods, including coffee, chocolate, citrus fruits, mint and tomato sauce

• Certain medications, including birth control pills and blood pressure medications