Constant heartburn can occur in response to the habitual use of unsuitable food, but in some cases it indicates the presence of a pathological process in the body.. This sign is present in 75% or more of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.. According to statistics, heartburn occurs in 20-50% of people in developed countries, and 10-20% of people experience it once a week or more often..

If heartburn takes on a permanent character, a specialist consultation is required.

To make a diagnosis in the presence of discomfort in the throat and esophagus, in addition to collecting complaints and anamnesis, it may be necessary to:.

laboratory tests (general and biochemical blood tests, determination of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, coprogram);

instrumental studies (manometry of the esophageal sphincter, fibrogastroduodenoscopy, pH measurement in various parts of the stomach, as well as in the esophagus and duodenum, etc..

We are talking about functional heartburn in cases where the patient does not have pathomorphological changes in the mucous membrane and motor disorders of the esophagus.

Causes of persistent heartburn and risk factors Gastric contents are acidic. The sphincter normally prevents the reverse movement of food from the stomach, but in some cases it does not work properly, and the acidic contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, causing irritation of its mucous membrane. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus due to reflux of gastric contents, t. reflux is called reflux esophagitis. In addition to hydrochloric acid, pancreatic enzymes, pepsin, and bile acids contained in gastric juice damage the mucosa of the esophagus..

One of the most common causes of pathology is a weakening of the esophageal sphincter, which leads to the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a person.. This is facilitated by an increase in the content of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice.. GERD develops with prolonged exposure of the acidic contents of the stomach to the esophageal mucosa..

Complications of GERD, accompanied by persistent heartburn, are:.

cicatricial strictures of the esophagus (the appearance of areas where the esophagus is narrowed due to scar tissue), their malignancy;

Barrett's esophagus (Barrett's syndrome), in which there is a degeneration of the mucous membrane - instead of a flat multilayer, a cylindrical epithelium appears. Barrett's syndrome is found in 1% of the population (in 10% of patients who consulted a doctor about heartburn due to gastroesophageal reflux disease) and is a precancerous condition..

In addition, if a person constantly has heartburn, this may mean:.

neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract;

cholelithiasis, cholecystitis;

diabetes.

In the absence of disease, heartburn can occur when:.

the use of a number of drugs (in particular, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihypertensive drugs);

irregular meals;

overeating;

unbalanced diet (especially with excessive consumption of fatty, fried, spicy, spicy foods, fresh pastries, chocolate, strong tea and coffee);

frequent stressful situations;

alcohol abuse;

wearing tight clothing;

excessive physical activity;

tobacco smoking (especially on an empty stomach and immediately after eating).

The reason why heartburn develops during pregnancy is the pressure of the growing fetus on the internal organs, which disrupts the ability of the sphincter to prevent gastric contents from entering the esophagus..

Obesity is a predisposing factor for the development of persistent heartburn..

In some cases, a burning sensation behind the sternum is not a manifestation of heartburn, but occurs in a patient during an angina attack, with myocardial infarction.

Frequent heartburn: signs and associated symptoms Usually, discomfort in the esophagus occurs 15-30 minutes after eating, in some cases they disturb the patient at night. The nature of heartburn and associated symptoms may vary depending on the disease..

State.

signs.

GERD.

Burning in the esophagus usually occurs immediately or 20-30 minutes after eating, may be accompanied by sour eructation, cough, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, hoarseness, bleeding may occur with the development of erosions and ulcers. The patient's condition may be aggravated by forward bending of the torso, as well as at night during sleep..

Gastritis with high acidity.

Heartburn occurs 15-30 minutes after eating, and patients may also complain of abdominal pain, heaviness in the stomach, belching.

Stomach ulcer.

The patient usually begins to feel discomfort in the esophagus 15-30 minutes after eating (with duodenal ulcer - after 1-2 hours). There may also be sour belching, nausea and vomiting after eating, weight loss, pain in the epigastric region..

Barret's syndrome.

There is prolonged heartburn, swallowing disorder, vomiting with blood impurities, weight loss against the background of difficulty in eating, a person may be tormented by pain in the epigastrium.

Recurring Heartburn: Treatment and Prevention Infrequent attacks of heartburn due to eating disorders or errors in the diet usually do not require treatment.. The state of a person is normalized with a change in lifestyle.

To select a treatment regimen for this pathological condition, first of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of its occurrence.. The physician must do both..

The table shows some drugs that can be prescribed for this pathology..

Medicine.

Explanation.

Antacids.

They are prescribed in the complex of treatment for acid-dependent pathologies (gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer), the effect occurs relatively quickly, but is short-lived.

Gastroprotectors.

These drugs not only relieve symptoms, but also affect the cause of their occurrence, can be used for acid-dependent diseases, as well as for functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

Salts of alginic acid (alginates).

They are used for reflux esophagitis and discomfort in the esophagus, not associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Antisecretory agents.

These drugs reduce the production of hydrochloric acid, are used for gastritis, peptic ulcer.

Prokinetics.

These drugs improve the motor function of the digestive tract, are used to treat reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer, functional disorders.

If conservative treatment fails, surgery may be required..

Heartburn in pregnant women often develops due to uterine pressure, in this case no special treatment is required.

As a rule, it is necessary to exclude fatty, fried, spicy and salty foods, carbonated drinks, chocolate, strong tea and coffee, citrus fruits, tomatoes from the diet - these foods most often contribute to heartburn..

It is recommended to eat 4-5 times a day in small portions.. The volume of one serving should not exceed 200 ml. Immediately after eating, patients should not take a horizontal position.. The last meal should be no later than 3 hours before going to bed. The patient should consume at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day.

Folk remedies In this pathological condition, after consulting a doctor, you can use folk methods of treatment. Most popular:.

Baking soda. For heartburn, you can eat a pinch of soda with water (or dissolve soda in warm water and drink), but this remedy is not recommended for frequent use..

Vegetable oil. If you experience discomfort in the esophagus, you can drink 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (olive or sunflower).

Flax seed infusion. To prepare the product, 2 tablespoons of dry raw materials are poured into 100 ml of boiling water, insisted for 3 hours, drunk warm before going to bed.

Celery Root Infusion. To prepare the remedy, pour 2 tablespoons of ground root into 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, drink throughout the day. The infusion should be consumed for at least 1 week (even if the signs disappear earlier).

Infusion of yellow gentian.

This remedy is effective even with severe attacks, for its preparation, 20 g of dry raw materials are poured into 1 cup of boiling water, the infusion is allowed to cool and taken 1 tablespoon 30 minutes before meals.

potato juice. This remedy can be used to prevent the development of heartburn, but it also helps to get rid of the burning sensation in the esophagus that has already appeared.. Potato juice should be taken 2 tablespoons 20 minutes before meals.

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