What is the most common cause of heartburn?

Have you ever felt that burning sensation in the chest after eating or suddenly in the upper or mid-chest region? It is nothing but the irritation that occurs in the esophagus because of several reasons. The pain feels worse when you are lying down and it can occur anytime.

The main cause of heartburn is acid reflux. However, other possibilities exist too which we have discussed in this article. There is nothing to worry about because it can be treated with lifestyle changes or over-the-counter medicines. If it has become common in your daily life to feel heartburn, you might be suffering due to an underlying disease.

You aren’t alone in this world who is facing heartburn. Let us discover some of the common causes behind this condition.

Some Common Causes behind Heart Burn 

Heartburn can occur because of several reasons and the most common one is when stomach acid reaches the esophagus.

Acid Reflux

Sometimes, it can lead to Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you have asthma then the risk of GERD is high. Consult a doctor if you are experiencing heartburn quite often. It can be felt by people of any age.

Lifestyle 

People who are taking aspirin, ibuprofen, sedatives, and blood pressure medicines are prone to suffer from occasional heartburn.

If you are taking out time to exercise then stop it today. Exercising can be a great trigger for heartburn if your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is weak. In case you do not want to avoid exercising, it is strictly advised not to do any exercise where you have to lay flat or put too much effort.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy puts extra pressure on the abdomen and stomach. As a result, it affects lower esophageal sphincter function.

During pregnancy, the imbalance in the hormone along with the pressure due to the fetus is one of the main causes of heartburn.

Lower esophageal sphincter

At the bottom of the esophagus lies a bundle of muscle, which is called the lower esophageal sphincter. This is the juncture where the stomach meets the esophagus. When you are swallowing food, LES relaxes and lets food and liquid enter directly into it. After that, it closes again but abnormal opening or weakening of this will take the food back to the esophagus.

Hiatal Hernia

It is a kind of stomach abnormality that can happen with people of any age. This condition occurs when the upper part of the stomach and LES goes above the diaphragm, eventually affecting the LES function.

Smoking 

Smoking has many negative impacts on your health and increases the risk factor for heartburn. It can cause issues in the mucus membrane, weakening muscle reflexes, boosting acid secretion, reducing the production of saliva, and influencing LES functioning.

Foods

Eating more than a sufficient amount of food and lying down right after that can result in heartburn. Moreover, eating large meals at night is bad for your health.

You may have consumed foods that stimulate acid production in your stomach. Trying alcohol, caffeine, carbonated beverages, acidic fruit juices, or eating acidic foods like tomato or chocolate develops higher chances of heartburn.

If you haven’t experienced heartburn yet but becoming obese, will trigger heartburn. Also, if you love spicy foods, the chances of heartburn are more.

Conclusion

As you are aware of the causes now, try to avoid all these things. Don’t let heartburn steal the comfort in your life. When something seems serious and heartburn has become a daily issue, reach out to the doctor as soon as possible. Otherwise, you are safe and just need to bring some changes to your daily routine.