Who is prone to heartburn

Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications, such as:. Proton pump inhibitors are the most effective treatments for chronic acid reflux. Unlike some other medications, you only need to take them once a day to prevent symptoms.

There are also downsides to using proton pump inhibitors on a long-term basis. Over time, they can deplete vitamin B in your body. In particular, they can raise your risk of hip, spine, and wrist fractures. Surgery is only necessary in rare cases of acid reflux and heartburn.

The most common surgery used to treat acid reflux is a procedure known as Nissen fundoplication. In this procedure, a surgeon lifts a portion of your stomach and tightens it around the junction where your stomach and esophagus meet. This helps increase pressure in your lower esophageal sphincter LES. This procedure is performed with a laparoscope.

Complications are rare and the results are extremely effective. However, surgery may lead to increased bloating and flatulence or trouble swallowing.

If you experience regular acid reflux or heartburn, speak to your doctor. They may recommend lifestyle changes to help prevent your symptoms. For example, they may advise you to eat smaller meals, remain upright after eating, or cut certain foods from your diet. They may also encourage you to lose weight or quit smoking.

In rare cases, you may need surgery. Excessive pressure on the abdomen can put pressure on the LES, allowing stomach acid to enter the esophagus or even the mouth. Pregnant women and overweight people are especially prone to heartburn for this reason.

Other medical conditions that may contribute to GERD include asthma and diabetes. Studies have suggested there is an inherited risk for GERD. Genetic factors may also be an important aspect in a patient's susceptibility to Barrett's esophagus , a precancerous condition caused by severe GERD.

Some people have a naturally weak LES that is unable to withstand normal pressure from the contents of the stomach. But other factors also can contribute to this weakening and lead to heartburn episodes. Alcohol relaxes the LES, allowing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.

It also increases the production of stomach acid and makes your esophagus more sensitive to stomach acid. Drinking alcohol can also lead to making less healthy food choices and eating foods you know can trigger your heartburn. The chemicals in cigarette smoke weaken the LES as they pass from the lungs into the blood.

Cigarette smoking slows the production of saliva, which is one of your body's defenses against damage to the esophagus. Smokers also produce fewer acid-neutralizing chemicals in saliva, called bicarbonates.

Also, smoking stimulates the production of stomach acid and changes stomach acid by promoting the movement of bile salts from the intestine into the stomach. Digestion is slowed while you are smoking and the stomach takes longer to empty. People differ as to which foods trigger heartburn. These are the most common:. How you eat can also trigger heartburn episodes:. Being overweight or obese places pressure on the abdomen that can trigger heartburn, and weight loss is recommended.

Even wearing tight-fitting clothes can cause pressure in the abdomen. This forces food up against the LES and causes it to reflux into the esophagus. Tight-fitting belts and slenderizing undergarments are two common culprits. You can also feel increased symptoms when you lie down or have a full stomach.

Some people find certain types of exercise triggers heartburn. High-impact exercises that involve jumping, as well as exercises such as crunches that place pressure on the abdomen, are the most likely to be triggers. Nearly any medication may cause heartburn, but there are clearly some drugs that are bigger culprits than others. There is more than one way in which drugs can cause heartburn and sometimes heartburn is due to a combination of different causes.

You can work with your healthcare provider to either find ways to take your medications that will decrease your heartburn symptoms or to switch to a different drug which is less likely to cause heartburn. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

Medications that have been known to cause heartburn include:. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Normally, a band of muscles at the bottom of the esophagus, called the lower esophageal sphincter LES , will prevent backflow of stomach contents.

It may also be the result of chronic gastritis , motility disorders , or a hiatal hernia. Certain food can trigger excess stomach acid in some people, which can leak through the lower esophageal sphincter and cause heartburn. If it's weak or loses tone, the LES will not close completely after food passes into your stomach.

Stomach acid can then back up into your esophagus. The esophagus lining isn't the same as that of the stomach and isn't able to cope with acid as well, so it's easily injured. It is this reflux of acid into the esophagus that produces symptoms and potential damage to it. Sometimes this malfunction is structural, but certain foods and beverages, drugs, and other factors can weaken the LES and impair its function. The exact link between GERD and obesity isn't fully understood, but being obese is considered both a potential cause and a risk factor for developing GERD.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs include aspirin , Motrin or Advil ibuprofen , and Aleve naproxen , and gastrointestinal side effects are common when taking them. These medications are usually associated with causing peptic ulcers , and can also make heartburn and esophageal irritation worse , perhaps by weakening or relaxing the LES. Certain prescription drugs may also cause or worsen the symptoms of GERD.

It's important to consult your healthcare provider if you start experiencing any symptoms while on medication. Here are some common culprits:. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Smoking: Smoking or breathing in secondhand smoke is also considered both a cause and a risk factor for developing GERD.

Smoking cessation is probably one of the best things you can do to lessen your symptoms or lower your risk of developing reflux in the first place. Hiatal Hernia: A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of your stomach is above the diaphragm, the muscle wall that separates the stomach from the chest. This lowers the pressure on the LES, which causes reflux. A hiatal hernia can happen in people of any age; many otherwise healthy people over 50 have a small one.

Impaired Stomach Function: Those with GERD may have abnormal nerve or muscle function in the stomach which, in turn, causes food and stomach acid to be digested too slowly.

This causes a delay in the stomach emptying its contents, raising pressure inside it and increasing the risk of acid reflux. Motility Abnormalities: In normal digestion, food is moved through the digestive tract by rhythmic contractions called peristalsis. If you suffer from a digestive motility abnormality , these contractions are abnormal. This abnormality can be due to one of two causes: A problem within the muscle itself, or a problem with the nerves or hormones that control the muscle's contractions.

Problems in peristalsis in the esophagus are common in GERD, although it's not clear if such occurrences are a cause or a result of the long-term effects of GERD. Pregnancy: The increase of the hormones estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy relax the LES, plus your expanding belly puts more pressure on your abdomen. Because of this, it's pretty normal for pregnant women to experience heartburn, which can lead to GERD.

No one really knows whether asthma causes GERD, or if it's the other way around. There are a couple of reasons why the two conditions are associated with each other. The first is that the coughing that accompanies asthma attacks may lead to changes in chest pressure, which can trigger reflux. Then there is the fact that certain asthma medications dilate the airways, relaxing the LES and leading to reflux.

Both diseases worsen the other's symptoms, but treating GERD usually helps asthma symptoms as well. Foods: There is an ongoing debate as to whether certain foods can cause heartburn. If you rarely have heartburn, food usually isn't associated with an attack. But if you have it on a recurring basis, you may notice that some foods or simply eating too much of anything seems to trigger it for you. Some choices stimulate acid production and some relax the LES.

If it relaxes when it shouldn't, food and stomach acid come back up into your esophagus and you may feel heartburn. You may frequently burp and feel bloated. Acid in your esophagus can make it spasm.

That causes pain and a feeling of tightness in the chest. Some cases of heartburn may be a sign of a more serious condition. See your doctor if your heartburn:. In most cases, doctors diagnose acid reflux by reviewing symptoms and medical history.

You may be able to ease your symptoms by making a few simple changes :. The most common surgical treatment options include:. For most people, GERD is a manageable condition. If left untreated, though, GERD can lead to serious complications. Scar tissue can cause the esophagus to become too narrow esophageal stricture. This can make swallowing difficult and painful.

Stomach acid entering into your lungs can cause serious harm. Lung damage can make you more likely to have chest congestion and wheezing. This puts you at increased risk for recurrent pneumonia or asthma. Long-term inflammation of the esophagus esophagitis increases the risk of precancerous cells in the esophagus. According to the HCUP , 4.