Heartburn refers to a digestive disorder that produces irritation in the chest and brings a sour taste into the mouth. Mnay experience what is known as acid indigestion. Usually, heartburn happens after a heavy meal, especially lying or bending down after the meal. The heartburn can last for a few minutes or a few hours. Heartburn is caused when the gastric acid enters the food pipe, the esophagus. This happens due to the weakening and dysfunctional of lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which separates the food valve and the stomach, thus makes the gastric acid to enter in the food valve.
The opening of LES is called reflux and the entered acid causes irritation in the esophagus. This irritation can be helped with acid indigestion remedies. The most common causes that facilitate heartburn are categorized in to three: greater inward pressure on the food valve causes to open it, slackening of muscles that lessen the strength of valves, and finally increase gastric acid production in the stomach.
The factors that cause inward pressure on the esophageal valve either from inside or outside the stomach are: consuming very large amount of food, consuming oily foods or gas producing foods, pregnancy, wearing very tight clothes, lying down after a big meal, and bending down frequently after a big meal. The factors that weaken the valve muscles are smoking, chewing tobacco, eating certain kinds of food, and over consumption of alcoholic beverages. The elements that increase gastric acids are: oily foods, fatty foods items, stress, deep fried snacks, taking some kind of medications, and eating large amount of spicy foods. Click here for more information.
There are certain foods and drinks that weaken the food muscles and increases heartburns. They are tea, coffee, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, food items made out of tomato, tomato, citrus fruits and juices, alcohol, mints or peppermints, aerated drinks, obesity, and aspirin. Hiatal hernia is a protrusion that makes the stomach to move into the food valve and producing heartburn.
Studies show that asthma and diabetes also contribute much to heartburn and irritation. Achalasia is an esophageal disorder that affects the free flow of food in the esophagus and also prevents the valve from relaxing.This health condition is rarely seen in people and this facilitates heartburn. Another health condition, gastroesophageal reflux disease causes heartburn when the food value is not properly closed.