Heartburn: causes and prevention (Molodkina O. A.)

Soda for heartburn is one of the common remedies that help get rid of the problem at home, but it has contraindications; in any case, it is not recommended to use it often.

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate) is a sodium salt of carbonic acid, which has the chemical formula NaHCO3. When this substance interacts with hydrochloric acid of the stomach, the latter is neutralized, which eliminates the burning sensation in the esophagus.

Soda for heartburn can be used only occasionally

Soda for heartburn: how to dilute, proportions

To achieve the effect, you can simply drink a small amount of soda with a glass of water or drink a solution of soda in water.

Step-by-step instructions for preparing an aqueous solution

1. To prepare the product, use warm (36-37 °C) boiled water.
2. Dissolve 1/2 or 1/3 teaspoon of soda in 1/2 cup of water.
3. The mixture is thoroughly stirred and drunk in small sips while warm (the liquid should not be allowed to cool, as this may reduce the effectiveness of the product).
4. After taking the soda solution, it is advisable to loosen tight clothing and accessories that may squeeze the body, and take a sitting or reclining position (but not lying down!).

The effect occurs within 5-10 minutes.

Other recipes for soda solutions

There are several prescription medications that contain sodium bicarbonate. In addition to the most popular described above, these are:

1. Soda with lemon juice . Add a little lemon juice to the soda solution (the permissible amount is 0.5 teaspoon). When bubbles appear, drink the liquid in small sips.
2. Soda with apple cider vinegar and sugar . Dissolve 1 teaspoon each of apple cider vinegar and sugar in 1 glass of water, then add 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate to the mixture. When the liquid starts to fizz, you need to drink it slowly.

Help with heartburn

If, some time after eating, the expectant mother develops a feeling of warmth or burning behind the sternum, then this means heartburn.

Not all antacids can be used during pregnancy. For example, drugs containing bismuth nitrate ( Vicalin

etc.), should not be taken by expectant mothers due to the fact that the effect of bismuth on the development of the child is unknown.

Typically, heartburn appears after the 20th week of pregnancy and torments the expectant mother until the birth of the child.

how does she look

If, some time after eating, the expectant mother develops a feeling of warmth or burning behind the sternum, then this means heartburn. And most often these unpleasant sensations occur in the evening. Typically, heartburn appears after the 20th week of pregnancy and torments the expectant mother until the birth of the child. According to popular belief, it bothers the expectant mother when the baby's hair grows. In fact, heartburn occurs due to the fact that the acidic contents of the stomach are thrown into the lower parts of the esophagus. This happens because during pregnancy, the muscular sphincter located between the esophagus and the stomach relaxes under the influence of the hormone progesterone. Another reason for heartburn is that the enlarged uterus (and it increases greatly after the 20th week) puts pressure on neighboring organs: the stomach, intestines. As a result, the volume of the stomach decreases and even the usual amount of food leads to its overflow and reflux of food back into the esophagus.

what will help

If heartburn appears infrequently and does not bother you much, then in order to reduce its symptoms, you just need to eat right and change your lifestyle. The simplest thing that helps with heartburn:

• Fractional meals: eat frequently 5-6 times a day at intervals of 1.5-2 hours and in small portions. Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly.
• Healthy food: exclude fatty and fried foods, as well as chocolate. All these products provoke additional relaxation of the esophageal sphincter.
• Heartburn usually occurs in the first two hours after eating, so do not lie down immediately after eating.
• Sleep with the head end of the bed elevated; to do this, add another pillow.

simple remedies

The simplest thing that helps with heartburn is certain foods. For example, low-fat milk relieves the burning sensation behind the breastbone; just a few sips – and the heartburn goes away or is significantly reduced. Ice cream works the same way, as do grapefruit and carrot juices. You can get rid of heartburn by eating nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds), but they rather prevent heartburn than eliminate existing ones. And for some, ordinary seeds help cope with heartburn. In general, the expectant mother can only choose the right product for herself, but here, as with food in general, one must observe moderation. You don’t need to eat a bar of ice cream or a package of seeds every day, drink glasses of juice or endlessly eat nuts. Of course, they will help, but ice cream and nuts are high in fat and calories, and juices in large quantities hit the pancreas and increase sugar levels. A small amount of one product will completely cope with an attack of heartburn.

be careful

Some medications, especially antispasmodics (drugs that relieve spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs), for example, No-shpa

,
Papaverine
, relax the esophageal sphincter and thus contribute to the occurrence of heartburn. Some herbs, such as mint, also work. Clothing that tightens under the chest (elastic bands, belts), changes in body position (bending, turning) can also cause heartburn.

In general, every expectant mother can carefully observe herself and identify her personal cause of heartburn, then it will be much easier to deal with it.

old remedy

Baking soda is often used to relieve heartburn. It really helps relieve the unpleasant burning sensation very quickly, but at the same time it doesn’t last long. In addition, when soda interacts with gastric juice, carbon dioxide is formed, which irritates the stomach - as a result, new portions of hydrochloric acid are produced and heartburn resumes. It turns out that a teaspoon of soda in a glass of water instantly relieves heartburn, but in response to drinking soda the next time the attack of heartburn will be even stronger.

safe medicines

During pregnancy, you can use so-called antacid drugs (Maalox, Almagel, Rennie, Gaviscon)

. They contain magnesium and aluminum salts; they neutralize gastric acid, form a protective film on the wall of the stomach, and increase the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. True, sometimes some antacids cause constipation (due to calcium or aluminum salts), and magnesium, on the contrary, has a laxative effect. Therefore, you should not use these drugs for a long time. Antacids can absorb other medications, so you should wait some time between taking antacids and other medications.

Despite the fact that heartburn is quite unpleasant for the mother, it does not affect the child in any way. Start your fight against heartburn with proper nutrition, and you may not need medications.

How effective is soda against heartburn: pros and cons

Many patients suffering from heartburn are interested in whether it is possible to drink soda for heartburn, and whether its use is harmful to the body. It is permissible to take baking soda for quick relief of the condition in the absence of gentle antacids, if this symptom occurs rarely in a person. Prolonged heartburn requires close attention, as it is usually a symptom of some disease; if it occurs, it is better to visit a doctor and not self-medicate, which can do more harm than good.

The benefits of the product include:

• availability and low cost:
• fast action.

There are many more disadvantages:

1. Sodium bicarbonate can only temporarily relieve unpleasant sensations, but does not in any way affect the cause of their occurrence, i.e., does not contribute to healing.
2. When sodium bicarbonate interacts with gastric acid, carbon dioxide (CO2) is released, which irritates the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, which can provoke increased production of hydrochloric acid.
3. The effect of using a soda solution is short-lived, after which the patient’s condition may worsen.
4. An increase in the amount of sodium in the body can lead to increased blood pressure and the development of edema of the upper and lower extremities.
5. When using sodium bicarbonate, headaches, increased irritability, bloating, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea may occur.

This product should not be used if:

• a number of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• gastritis;
• peptic ulcer;
• during pregnancy and lactation (pregnant women often experience swelling, sodium can aggravate it).

In addition to a burning sensation in the esophagus, a patient with heartburn may experience belching, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, heaviness in the stomach, and flatulence. You must understand that soda will not help solve all these problems.

What medications effectively help with heartburn?

Why can't you drink soda if you have heartburn?

You've probably heard that you can get rid of heartburn at home with baking soda.
This is what our grandparents did (the case when folk remedies are more likely to cripple). From chemistry lessons we know: an acid can be neutralized with an alkali to water. But we must remember that this chemical reaction releases carbon dioxide. Once in the stomach, it provokes the production of a new portion of acid. It's like putting out a fire and adding fuel to it at the same time. There is a short-term effect, but then it gets worse.

How to choose a drug for heartburn?

To begin with, we will list the reasons that can lead to heartburn, so that you take your health seriously and, if the symptom appears frequently, consult a specialist for diagnosis.

Possible causes of heartburn:

• chronic gastritis with increased acid secretion,
• hiatal hernia,
• ulcer,
• reflux disease,
• zero acidity (achlorhydria).

Heartburn can also be caused by the effects of gastric surgery, the use of certain medications, hypersensitive esophageal syndrome, and pregnancy.

Medicines used for heartburn:

• Antacids
  . Contains magnesium, calcium or alginic acid salts that neutralize hydrochloric acid. These are natural substances for our body, so they do not irritate the mucous membranes. There are analogues containing aluminum salts, but they can lead to digestive disorders.
• Preparations that form a gel barrier
  , preventing acid reflux.
• Drugs that suppress acid secretion
  . Drugs of this type should be prescribed by a doctor; for some diagnoses their use is not recommended.
• Prokinetics
  . Increase muscle tone, accelerate the transit of food from the stomach to the intestines. Specialist consultation is required.

Antacid complexes are the most gentle way to get rid of unpleasant symptoms.

CONSUMED offers five antacid complexes for heartburn, which differ in release form (tablets, suspension, gel suspension), as well as auxiliary components.

Additional recommendations:

• For 1.5–2 hours after eating, do not bend over or take a horizontal position.
• Avoid tight clothing, belts and corsets that compress the gastrointestinal tract.
• Avoid heavy lifting.
• Stop smoking.
• Eat small portions, do not overeat.
• Avoid irritating foods: too hot, cold, spicy, sour, fatty.
• Reduce your consumption of coffee, strong tea, chocolate and alcohol.

Dietary supplement IT IS NOT A MEDICINE. BEFORE USE, IT IS RECOMMENDED TO CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST.

Other folk remedies

The table presents some folk remedies that can be used at home for burning in the esophagus (after consultation with your doctor).

In addition, during a severe attack of heartburn, you can chew almonds or oatmeal.

Alkaline mineral water has the same effect on heartburn as soda

Heartburn Treatment Approach

For persistent heartburn, the patient, after examination, is prescribed drug therapy. Lifestyle changes are indicated (including eating right and giving up bad habits). Some patients require surgery.

In addition to following a diet, how much food a person takes is also important. So, to eliminate this symptom, it is recommended to consume no more than 200 ml of food at a time. Food should be eaten warm, avoiding too hot or cold foods. The last meal should be at least 3 hours before bedtime. It is also not recommended to lie down for at least 1 hour after eating; physical activity is allowed no earlier than 2 hours later.

Why might there be a burning sensation in the esophagus?

According to statistics, in developed countries heartburn develops in 20-50% of the population. In the absence of disease, an unpleasant symptom can be observed when overeating, consuming low-quality products, or breaking the diet.

They can help:

• alcohol abuse;
• smoking;
• frequent stressful situations;
• use of a number of medications;
• overweight:
• excessive consumption of strong tea and coffee, chocolate, salty, spicy, sour foods, canned food, fried and fatty foods, carbonated drinks;
• horizontal position, playing sports or other physical activity immediately after eating;
• food for the night.

This condition often occurs in women during pregnancy.

Persistent heartburn is usually a sign of the following diseases:

1. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (reflux esophagitis) - when a weakening of the esophageal sphincter causes stomach contents to be thrown into it, which has an irritating effect on the mucous membrane.
2. Gastritis with high acidity.
3. Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
4. Liver diseases.

Sometimes a burning sensation behind the sternum is mistaken for heartburn, but in fact serves as a manifestation of pathologies of the cardiovascular system (for example, an attack of angina).

If gastric contents enter the esophagus for a long time, complications may occur - scars, ulcerations (and bleeding), tumors. Therefore, if you have persistent heartburn, you should not treat it with soda or other improvised means, but you must seek medical help and, if necessary, begin treatment.

How does heartburn occur?

Most often, heartburn occurs when acidic gastric juice affects the esophageal mucosa. This happens when the contents of the stomach reflux (in scientific terms, reflux) into the esophagus. The reason for such an unnatural process is incomplete closure of the sphincter (the valve that normally separates the esophagus and stomach). Aggressive gastric juice irritates the wall of the esophagus, which is manifested by a burning sensation.

Important! Heartburn can also be caused by the reflux of duodenal contents into the esophagus, which are mixed with bile and pancreatic enzymes. These are no less strong irritants for the delicate mucous membrane of the esophagus than gastric juice.