Heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Rather, it involves the esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach), and the stomach itself. The esophagus passes behind the breastbone alongside the heart, so the inflammation or irritation that takes place there feels like a burning sensation in the heart.
Causes
Gastric acids from the stomach splash back up into the lower portion of
the esophagus, causing pain. The medical term for this is gastroesophageal reflex disease
(GERD). The digestive acids don't harm the stomach, thanks to its protective coating, but
the esophagus has no such armor, which results in discomfort. The most common
heartburn triggers are:
Taking aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen,
arthritis medicine, or corticosteroids
Eating heavy meals or eating too fast
Eating foods like chocolate, garlic,
onions, peppermint, tomatoes, or citrus fruits
Lying down after a meal
Smoking after eating
Drinking coffee (regular or decaffeinated)
Drinking alcohol
Being very overweight
Wearing tight clothing
Swallowing too much air
Stress
A weakness or malfunction of the sphincter
muscle between the esophagus and the stomach
A bulging of the upper part of the stomach
through the diaphragm. This is commonly known as hiatal hernia.
Does the heartburn come with any of the following? Chest pressure or pain (may spread
to the arm, neck, tooth, or jaw) Chest discomfort with: Shortness of breath;
sweating for no reason: fast or uneven pulse; nausea; lightheadedness; or fainting |
 |
| Are you vomiting blood or black-colored matter or are your stools
tarlike, maroon, or bloody in color? |
|
| With heartburn symptoms, do you also have pain that goes through
to your back, a gripping pain in the upper abdomen, lightheadness, or fainting? |
|
| Is it hard for you to swallow? |
 |
| Has the heartburn occurred often over 3 days? |
|
Sit straight while eating. Stand up or
walk around after you eat. Bending over or lying down after you eat makes it too easy for
gastric secretions to move up to the esophagus.
If heartburn bothers you at night, raise
the head of the bed slightly. (Example: Put the head of your bed up on 6-inch blocks, or
buy a wedge especially made for putting between the mattress and box spring.) Don't just
prop your head up with pillows. That will make the problem worse by putting pressure on
your stomach.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting garments around
the abdomen. (Example: girdle)
Eat small meals. Limit alcohol.
Limit foods and drinks that contain air.
(Examples: baked goods, waffles, whipped cream, carbonated beverages)
Don't chew gum
Don't eat or drink for 2 to 3 hours before
bedtime.
If other treatments fail:
Take antacids. They coat your stomach and neutralize acids. For example, take 1 to 2
tablespoons of a nonabsorbable liquid antacid,
such as magnesium hydroxide every 2 to 4 hours,
or ones that come in tablet form, such as
Tums.
If antacids don't bring relief, consider taking an over-the-counter acid controller.
(Examples:
Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB, Zantac
75 and Axid AR) These can both prevent and relieve heartburn.
{Note: Read labels
before taking antacids or acid controllers. Adverse side effects are more likely
and more severe in older persons who take some
acid controllers. If you have questions, check with
your doctor.}
Don't take baking soda. It may help at
first, but when its effects wear off the acid comes back to a greater degree, causing
severe gastric-acid rebound.
Don't smoke. It promotes heartburn.
If you do take aspirin, ibuprofen,
naproxen, or arthritis medicines, take them with food.
{Note: Call your doctor if you find no relief from Self-Care Tips}.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 2002 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 06/05/02