Heartburn and belching are common gastrointestinal complaints.. Their appearance does not always indicate the presence of a serious disease, but brings a lot of discomfort.. Symptoms can occur with errors in nutrition, overeating, during pregnancy. At the same time, sour belching and heartburn may indicate inflammation of the esophagus and stomach..

Heartburn and belching can be a sign of a digestive problem, especially when they occur regularlyWhat you need to know about symptomsHeartburn and belching can occur either alone or together. To determine the cause and treatment tactics, it is important to understand why these symptoms occur, what changes in the body they indicate.

Heartburn Heartburn is a burning sensation in the esophagus, which is localized in the retrosternal region.. The occurrence of a symptom is associated with the ingestion of gastric juice on the mucosa of the esophagus.. Two main factors influence the development of heartburn:.

Relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Increasing the acidity of the stomach.

The lower esophageal sphincter separates the esophagus from the stomach, preventing the return of food. In case of violation of its work, the aggressive contents of the stomach can enter the esophagus. The higher the acidity of the stomach, the greater the damage to the esophageal mucosa.

What is typical for heartburn:.

nature of sensations - burning;

localization - chest area;

provoking factors - increases in a horizontal position, with torso tilts, after eating, at night;

facilitating factors - natural antacids (milk, soda) and drugs that reduce acidity.

Belching is the release of gastric gas into the oral cavity, accompanied by a characteristic sound.. The symptom occurs when the pressure inside the stomach increases.. Belching can have a different character:.

bitter - appears as a result of the reflux of bile into the stomach;

putrefactive - occurs due to fermentation processes, rotting food in the stomach;

sour - appears with increased acidity of gastric contents.

If the symptoms appear together Sometimes the symptoms occur at the same time, along with a burning sensation in the esophagus, belching of sour. This can be observed with increased acidity of the stomach or the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus..

Heartburn and belching: causesSymptoms can appear for a variety of reasons, ranging from eating disorders to gastritis and esophagitis. In some cases, discomfort occurs intermittently, in others - constantly.. If symptoms occur intermittently, the cause is most likely due to malnutrition.. Constant heartburn and belching indicate damage to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

Improper nutrition The periodic appearance of heartburn and belching in most cases indicates an improper diet.. There are a number of factors that provoke the onset of symptoms:.

Binge eating.

Eating before bed.

The habit of lying down after eating.

The habit of eating on the go, not chewing food thoroughly. This often results in swallowing air while eating..

The use of gas-producing foods - peas, beans, cabbage. As a result, gas is formed in the stomach, which increases intragastric pressure, leading to belching..

Eating foods that increase acidity - citrus fruits, freshly squeezed juices, strong tea, coffee, hot spices, chili peppers. Increased acidity provokes heartburn and sour belching.

The use of foods that reduce the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter - mint, fatty and fried foods, chocolate. Relaxation of the sphincter leads to the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus.

Other factorsSmoking and drinking alcohol are also factors that provoke the joint appearance of symptoms.. Nicotine stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid, and also reduces the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter.

Symptoms are more likely to develop in people who are overweight. Tight clothing that tightens the stomach can also provoke their development..

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) The most common disease that is accompanied by heartburn and belching is GERD. The disease is characterized by damage to the esophagus due to prolonged contact of its mucous membrane with gastric contents.. Normally, the stomach is acidic and the esophagus is alkaline.. Therefore, hydrochloric acid entering the esophagus leads to damage to the mucous membrane.

The main signs of GERD are:.

heartburn;

sour belching;

pain in the chest area.

These symptoms are more likely to occur after meals and at night.. Manifestations in a horizontal position increase, with torso tilts.

There are also extraesophageal manifestations of GERD. Additionally, cough, sore throat, hoarseness may occur..

Gastritis Heartburn and belching may indicate damage to the stomach, often such symptoms occur with gastritis. The development of gastritis is influenced by many factors:.

Helicobacter pylori infection;

taking medications that irritate the gastric mucosa (glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);

malnutrition;

reflux of duodenal contents into the stomach (duodenogastric reflux);

hypovitaminosis – especially vitamin B12 deficiency;

genetic predisposition.

Heartburn most often occurs with gastritis with high acidity.. Also, gastroesophageal reflux can be observed in other forms of gastritis, which are accompanied by a violation of the evacuation of food from the stomach, an increase in intragastric pressure.

Belching with gastritis can have a different character.. Most often there is an eructation of sour, which is accompanied by a burning sensation behind the sternum.. Belching with a putrid odor is less common - this character indicates low acidity.

Other symptoms associated with indigestion are also characteristic of gastritis:.

heaviness in the epigastric region that occurs after eating;

severe pain in the epigastrium;

nausea, rarely vomiting;

bad taste in the mouth;

defecation disorders.

PregnancyIt is not uncommon for symptoms to first appear during pregnancy, both early and late..

In the first trimester, the cause of symptoms is toxicosis, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.. Frequent vomiting leads to irritation of the esophageal wall.

In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, the causes are different:.

Under the influence of progesterone (the main hormone of pregnancy), the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter decreases.

An increase in the size of the uterus leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. Because of this, the stomach is located more horizontally, and its volume decreases..

Most often, after the resolution of pregnancy, the symptoms go away on their own, without causing any consequences..

Diagnostic methods If heartburn and belching occur constantly, an examination is required. Frequent occurrence of symptoms usually indicates the presence of some pathology.. To identify the cause, the following research methods are assigned:.

Research method.

Explanation.

Daily pH monitoring in the esophagus.

The study is prescribed to detect gastroesophageal reflux (reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus). With the help of daily pH-metry of the esophagus, you can determine:.

the number of episodes of pH changes (refluxes);

their duration;

connection with food intake, body position;

The effect of drugs on the occurrence of refluxes.

Manometric study of the esophageal sphincters.

Allows you to detect changes in the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. A decrease in its tone often causes gastroesophageal reflux and belching..

Fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS).

Endoscopic examination is prescribed to assess the condition of the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach. With the help of FGDS, inflammatory changes, erosions, ulcers, strictures of the esophagus can be detected.

Detection of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Often, persistent heartburn and belching are symptoms of gastritis caused by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.. Various methods can be used to detect infection:.

Determination of Helicobacter pylori in feces;

urea breath test;

endoscopy with biopsy.

Heartburn and belching: treatmentThe main method of dealing with heartburn and belching is to normalize nutrition. In most cases, this is enough for the symptoms to disappear.. If the cause of the appearance of discomfort lies in the pathology of the esophagus and stomach, medical or surgical treatment is additionally used.. At home, you can use folk recipes, but this should not be the only method of treatment..

Lifestyle changes The lifestyle a person leads has a huge impact on the development of symptoms.. To reduce discomfort, you need to stop smoking, limit alcohol consumption, normalize body weight. Light exercise recommended.

Recommendations will help get rid of heartburn and belching:.

Sleep on a bed with a raised head end.

Wear clothes that do not compress the abdomen.

Drink water throughout the day (1.5-2 liters per day in small portions).

Diet therapy A light diet is needed to relieve symptoms.. It is recommended to exclude the following foods from the diet:.

coffee and strong tea;

mint drinks;

carbonated drinks;

herbs and spices;

fatty and fried foods;

grape;

canned food;

pastry products;

chocolate;

citrus;

tomatoes.

At the same time, you need to increase the content in the diet of natural antacids - products that reduce acidity.. These include low-fat milk, walnuts, peanuts, whole grains, greens and vegetables, and baked fruit.. Food should contain enough protein and vitamins.

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