What you should know about heartburn
When some acid comes up into the mouth or from the stomach into the esophagus, this is known as acid reflux or heartburn. Heartburn is irritation of the esophagus caused by stomach acid and can be very unpleasant. It can cause a burning pain in the upper abdomen or just below the breastbone. Do you regularly experience this burning pain? This may indicate an underlying condition. On this page you can read more about the symptoms and causes of heartburn and what you can do to reduce irritation of the esophagus.
Tips to prevent heartburn
– Eat smaller portions
– Remove grains and nuts from your diet
– Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly
– Drink a light broth
– Be careful when using acid-suppressing medication
– Do not wear tight clothing: it can increase pressure on the stomach
– If you are overweight, try to lose weight
– Do not smoke: smoking relaxes the sphincter
– Prevent constipation; this increases pressure on the stomach
Symptoms of heartburn
There are a number of symptoms that can occur as a result of heartburn. These include:
- A sour taste in the mouth
- Bad or unpleasant breath
- A burning, raw sensation behind the breastbone
- A lump in the throat, also known as a “globus sensation”
- Irritated throat, tickly cough (the lining of the esophagus can become irritated by stomach acid
- Nausea and frequent (foul-smelling) belching
- Swollen or bloated abdomen
Testing for heartburn
For regularly recurring heartburn, stool testing through Darmklachten.nl may help. See our recommended test packages and individual modules below.
Causes of heartburn
When you experience the symptoms above, this may indicate the presence of heartburn; persistent heartburn will be treated. Causes of heartburn may include:
- Eating meals that are too large
- If the stomach does not close properly, stomach acid or food can flow back into the esophagus
- A diaphragmatic hernia, a hiatal hernia
- Bending forward
- Reflux
- Being overweight
- Acid-suppressing medication
- A lack of stomach acid, which reduces the absorption of vitamin B12
- Inflamed esophagus
- Sensitivity to gluten
- Poor digestion
More information about the tests
- Helicobacter pylori – Bacterium that causes stomach ulcers – read more…
- Transferrin – Traces of blood in the upper part of the digestive tract – read more…
- Bile acids – Digestion of fat – read more…
- Pancreatic elastase – Breakdown of fat, starch and proteins – read more…
- Antigliadin and anti-ht-Transglutaminase – Markers for gluten intolerance – read more…
- Digestive parameters pH, fat, starch, color and consistency of the stool – read more…
About darmklachten.nl
Darmklachten.nl is an initiative of MGlab&Advies, a laboratory specializing in stool testing. …read more
