Heartburn is a painful and burning sensation that starts in the chest and may go all the way up to the neck and throat. Acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and even pregnancy are some of the conditions that may cause this discomfort, but there are many more causes as well.

You may also experience a sour or bitter taste in the back of your throat when you have heartburn. This is a common symptom of the condition. The discomfort associated with heartburn may last anywhere from a few minutes to many hours. It usually feels worse after eating, especially if you lie down too soon.

Several Different Medical Conditions May Cause Heartburn

Heartburn may occur when the lower esophageal sphincter, also known as the LES, which is the valve that divides the stomach and the esophagus, is not closed securely enough. According to Kenneth R. DeVault, "The LES needs to relax to enable the food to move down," which is a quote from Kenneth R. DeVault. "However, this condition may emerge when there are an excessive number of relaxations or when they take place at an inappropriate period," These conditions may affect the LES, increasing the likelihood that you will have heartburn.

Hiatal Hernia

In a healthy individual, the LES valve is kept closed with the assistance of the diaphragm, which is the big muscle between the chest and the abdomen. A hiatal hernia occurs when a portion of the stomach protrudes beyond the diaphragm and into the chest cavity. Dr. DeVault states, "this allows acid to effectively be drawn up into the chest and stops the LES from operating adequately." It is possible to have a hiatal hernia and be completely unaware of it; the only symptom you may have is persistent acid reflux.

Pregnancy

According to Dr. DeVault, the hormonal shifts that occur during the first trimester of pregnancy seem to have a relaxing and weakening effect on the LES. But as the pregnancy progresses into its latter stages, hypertension becomes the primary concern. The increased abdominal pressure that pregnant women experience may be enough to shift the valve out of its normal place. "There is just so much pressure that it exceeds even a normal LES," he explains. This causes food and acid to flow back up in the incorrect direction, which may be quite uncomfortable.

Weakened LES Valve

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) valve is in about one in four patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, a disorder defined by two or more heartburn attacks each week impaired. This makes it possible for reflux to occur more often, but more must be understood about how or why it occurs.

According to Dr. DeVault, "the best that we can determine, it's simply a weakening in that muscle," adding that the condition is more prevalent in persons of advanced age and is often related to obesity.

Slow Digestion

Dr. DeVault explains that some of the patients who suffer from persistent heartburn may have a condition known as delayed gastric emptying. In this condition, "the stomach just doesn't empty in the appropriate way," "Reflux happens when, rather of traveling in the right direction forward, it moves in the incorrect direction."

He goes on to say that even though it is a rare cause of heartburn, it seems more frequent in persons with diabetes. The nerves that assist in the movement of food through the digestive system might get damaged when diabetes causes blood sugar levels to remain abnormally high for an extended period of time.

Obesity

Dr. DeVault says, "studies suggest that eating too much, eating too quickly, and eating the wrong items—high-fat meals, carbonated beverages—are the things that likely to increase reflux." Eating too much, too quickly, or the wrong foods may all contribute to acid reflux.

When you overfill your stomach with a large meal, you put more pressure on your abdomen, similar to the pregnancy's impact on a woman's body. This may increase your risk of experiencing heartburn. It's possible that obesity, in general, does the same thing; however, losing weight may frequently help.

How Frequent Is The Condition Of Heartburn?

The occasional occurrence of heartburn is rather typical. On the other hand, GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, might be a sign of persistent acid reflux if you have both frequent and severe heartburn. If you get heartburn on a regular basis, you should discuss the matter with your primary care physician.