Almost everyone knows heartburn. A burning and often painful sensation behind the breastbone caused by an increase in gastric acid. The gastric acid irritates the oesophageal mucosa and this is perceived as the typical heartburn. Here you can read about where it comes from and what you can do about it.
The sour, burning sensation is just one of the many ways in which reflux of stomach contents is perceived. Non-acidic reflux also occurs. This may be caused by diet (see below) or it may be anatomical: when gastric acid rises into the oesophagus, it may (but does not have to) be perceived as heartburn. The cause of the symptoms may also be a hypersensitivity of the oesophagus to naturally occurring stomach acid or a stretching in this area.
Another symptom occurs specifically when lying down: when the entrance to the stomach does not close properly and food or drink flows up the oesophagus and collects in the throat.
And what about GERD?
GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. This refers to the consequences of reflux of gastric acid from the stomach (gastro) into the gullet (oesophagus).
Typical symptoms of heartburn:
- Hoarseness or frequent throat clearing
- Strong throat mucus or secretion feeling behind the nose
- Difficulty swallowing solid or liquid food items or tablets
- Coughing after eating or lying down
- Breathing problems or coughing
- Severe, irritating cough
- Foreign body sensation in the throat or globus sensation (the feeling of having a lump in your throat)
- Burning in the heart area, chest pain, upset stomach or acid reflux
In principle, the above symptoms should be investigated by a doctor to determine the cause. If the symptoms occur for the first time, medical attention should be sought immediately, especially in the case of chest pain.
How can heartburn be avoided?
Once other possible causes of the complaints have been ruled out, you can basically try to treat the complaints by changing your behaviour and using home remedies. Foods that are very fatty, acidic or spicy can trigger the onset of symptoms. Smoking also increases the symptoms!
If you suffer from heartburn, you should investigate whether it is related to the consumption of certain foods or drinks. If that is the case, then try cutting out the product to see if your symptoms improve. In general, spicy foods, fatty meals, yeast dough, citrus drinks, tomato juice, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks and coffee are associated with heartburn.
To test which foods may trigger the symptoms, you should avoid the following foods in the evening, for example:
- coffee (varies depending on the roasting process)
- alcohol
- yeast dough
- garlic & onions, chilli & tabasco
- fast food
- soft drinks (cola) & orange juice
- chocolate
- tomatoes & tomato juice
- lemons
- peppermint
- dairy products
- nicotine
You should also avoid large meals, especially in the evening.
And if I get heartburn now?
Baking soda is also suitable as a short-term immediate measure against the unpleasant burning sensation. Please do not use regular baking powder. In addition to baking soda, it also contains other substances that balance out the effect of the baking soda (and in doing so, form a gas that makes the dough rise). Also, no toxic washing soda should be used.
Of course, there are also medications (antacids) that work against the rising acid, but you should only take these after consulting your doctor. For short-term relief, slightly lower-dose antacids are also available from pharmacists.
Symptoms can also be alleviated by drinking a glass of warm water in the morning before breakfast and then waiting 30 minutes. If you suffer from nocturnal reflux, sleeping with your upper body elevated (not just your head) can help.
Helpful against the symptoms of heartburn are:
- ginger
- green salads
- brown rice
- celery
- berries
- melon
- banana
- avocado
- apples and pears
- white bread or potatoes (including raw potato juice)
- almonds and nuts well chewed
- chewing gum
- drinking milk
- caraway, fennel or aniseed tea
- sleeping with upper body elevated
Does it matter if I have heartburn before a weight loss surgery?
If you suffer from occasional or frequent heartburn before a planned surgery, you should mention this in the preliminary discussions. The therapists will take this into account when it comes to the recommended surgical method. If necessary, a gastroscopy is performed before the procedure to check whether the symptoms are really due to heartburn. It is also possible that the rising gastric acid has already changed the surface of the oesophagus. So it may be that one advises against a gastric sleeve surgery and, for example, suggests a gastric bypass surgery. This would automatically also be a treatment for heartburn. But a gastric sleeve surgery may also be possible if the cause of the heartburn is an enlargement of the passage of the oesophagus through the diaphragm and this enlargement is narrowed during the operation.
What if I still have heartburn after the surgery?
Besides the fact that being significantly overweight can cause heartburn, the procedure for gastric sleeve surgery can also affect anatomical structures, leading to a new onset of heartburn.
If you suffer from heartburn after gastric sleeve surgery, it may pass. You may need to take stomach protection tablets (antacids) for a period of time and slowly taper them off. In this case, it is to be expected that the symptoms will subside as soon as the diet has normalised. But there are also stubborn cases that require lifelong tablet-taking.
If the symptoms are severe, you may be recommended to have the gastric sleeve converted into a gastric bypass. This would alleviate the complaints.
Even if you have had a gastric bypass, you should talk to your therapists. This can also be treated with antacids or dietary adjustments. But here, too, it is to be expected that the symptoms will disappear over time.
