Article by Burt Amadio

There are many foods that cause heartburn. If you suffer from this condition, especially on a regular basis, you will need to know which foods will give you this burning feeling in your chest and throat. In this article, I will be sharing with you a list of many foods that can cause you acid reflux.

You should be aware of not only what types of foods you eat, but also when and how much of these foods you eat. The best way for you to track this, is to keep a journal or diary of everything you eat and make notes. You should also make a record of which kinds of foods caused you to experience burning pain. Know what your favorite types of foods are and what you enjoy eating the most, and track them to see if these might be the cause of your problem.

Foods that cause heartburn:

1) Chocolate. Eating chocolate will give you burning pain and discomfort. Chocolate will inhibit the ability of the lower esophageal sphincter to prevent any stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus or throat.

2) Peppermint. The oil in peppermint could cause or increase burning pain and even digestive upset. So, only use it with caution.

3) Fried and fatty foods. Eating these spicy and hot foods can cause pain, because of the acidity levels in them. So, if you enjoy eating Indian, Mexican and Italian food, you might have to deal with discomfort in your chest and esophagus.

4) Tomato products. The problem with tomato products is that they are high in acidity content. These will increase your acid levels inside your body.

5) Eating and drinking foods with caffeine or are highly carbonated can be causes for heartburn. So, drinks such as coffee, tea, pop and other similar drinks are not really good. Also, drinking alcohol is equally as bad. You might also want to be careful with drinking drinks made from citrus fruits and other high acidity juices.

6) You also want to guard against foods such as onions, garlic, mustard, vinegar, and a variety of other spices which could be hot and acidity. Eating such foods could be a cause for esophageal pain.

In this article, I shared with you a list of foods that cause heartburn. Limiting or controlling your intake of these foods will relieve you of burning pain and discomfort.

You’ve just eaten a big meal and leaned back in your favorite chair to watch your favorite TV program. As you begin to relax, your chest starts to hurt so much it feels like it’s on fire. You may be experiencing heartburn. According to studies, about 30% of adults experience occasional heartburn, while 10% experience heartburn almost every single every day. Heartburn is common, and an occasional episode is generally nothing to worry about.  However, many people have already considered heartburn as a uncomfortable condition that requires medication or medical attention.

Heartburn usually follows after a heavy meal.  To understand how this condition comes about, it is best to be aware of what exactly happens when we eat food.  The food that is swallowed travels from the mouth to the stomach through a hollow tube called the esophagus. Before food enters the stomach, it must pass through a tight muscle at the lower part of the esophagus called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES). The lower esophageal sphincter prevents food from traveling backward into the esophagus.  Once in the stomach, stomach acid slowly digests the food. This acid is very strong and can damage most parts of the body. Fortunately, the stomach is protected from its own acid by a special mucous layer. The esophagus, however, does not have any such special protection. If the lower esophageal sphincter does not close completely, the lower part of the esophagus can be damaged by stomach acid. When this happens, heartburn is experienced.

Heartburn can last for several hours and is often worse after eating, or when lying down, or when a person who just ate suddenly bends over. Heartburn is the most common symptom of reflux. Reflux occurs when acid in the stomach, which is there to help digest food, rises up into the esophagus, causing pain, irritation, and discomfort.

Some other factors that can make heartburn worse include certain foods such as fatty and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeine, onions, tomato sauce, carbonated beverages and mint. Alcohol, large meals, lying too soon after eating, cigarette smoking, sedatives, calcium channel blockers and antidepressant medications can also trigger heartburn.

Heartburn, also called acid indigestion, is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); a disease in which stomach acid or, occasionally, bile flows back (refluxes) into the esophagus. Heartburn usually feels like a burning chest pain beginning behind the breastbone and moving upward to the neck and throat. Many people say it feels like food is coming back into the mouth leaving an acid or bitter taste.

Most heartburn problems are mild, but if a person experiences frequent discomfort, there may already be some complications that need medical treatment or the use of prescription medications. If a person encounters heartburn several times a week, or if it returns soon after the effects of antacids wear off, medical attention may be necessary.   A person with heartburn should also consult a doctor if he or she often wakes up at night due to discomfort brought about by reflux. One may need further medical care, or possibly even surgery, if a person experience difficulty swallowing, regurgitates blood or black material, suddenly loses weight, or if the stool is black in color.

Most people can manage the discomfort of heartburn with lifestyle modifications and over-the-counter medications. But if heartburn is severe, these remedies may offer only temporary or partial relief. Heartburn pain can be mistaken for the pain associated with heart disease or a heart attack, but there are differences. Heartburn pain is less likely to be associated with physical activity. Exercise may aggravate pain resulting from heart disease, and rest may relieve the pain.

Heartburn or pyrosis is a painful or burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the breastbone caused by regurgitation of gastric acid. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. Heartburn is also identified as one of the causes of asthma and chronic cough.

Heartburn Diagnosis

Physicians normally diagnose gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on symptoms alone. When the clinical presentation is uncertain, other tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis or exclude other disorders. Confirmatory tests include:

Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series: A series of x-rays of the upper digestive system are taken after drinking a barium solution. These can demonstrate reflux of barium into the esophagus, which suggests the possibility of gastro esophageal reflux disease. More accurately, fluoroscopy can be used to document reflux in real-time.

Ambulatory pH Monitoring: A probe can be placed via the nose into the esophagus to record the level of acidity in the lower esophagus. Because some degree of variation in acidity is normal, and small reflux events are relatively common, such monitors must be left in place for at least a 24-hour period to confirm the diagnosis of GERD. The test is particularly useful when the patient’s symptoms can be correlated to episodes of increased esophageal acidity.

Endoscope test: The esophageal mucosa can be visualized directly by passing a thin, lighted tube with a tiny camera attached (an endoscope) through the mouth to examine the esophagus and stomach. In this way, evidence of esophageal inflammation can be detected, and biopsies taken if necessary.

Manometer test: In this test, a pressure sensor (manometer) is passed through the mouth into the esophagus and measures the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter directly.

Biopsy test: A small sample of tissue from the esophagus is removed. It is then studied to check for inflammation, cancer, or other problems.

Heartburn Treatment

Prevention: If heartburn occurs when lying down, raising the head with pillows or sitting up frequently provides relief – although care must be taken to avoid placing continuous strain on the neck. Avoidance of certain foods shortly before bedtime is frequently advised to avoid future attacks.

Medications: Antacids, H2-receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors are used – in that order – to treat heartburn.

Antacids: Daily treatment with Antacids is effective for 25-30% of people with GERD. Acid-blocking medications are the most effective for mild forms of the condition.

H2-receptor antagonists: With the advent of proton-pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists are not widely used.

Proton-pump Inhibitors: Proton pump inhibitors are a class of medications which can be effective for people who do not respond to antacid or acid blockers. Proton-pump inhibitors directly block acid production in the stomach cells and provide more effective relief than less powerful medications. In order to prevent heartburn the medication disfigures and disables the proteins (proton pumps) that control the pH of the stomach, allowing the body to digest them.

Restricting Diet: Restricting diet is very important, since 90-95% of sufferers of heartburn or esophageal disorder can link their symptoms to specific foods. Therefore, it is important that heartburn sufferers manage their diets as a way to treat their heartburn. Sufferers should choose the kinds of foods and drinks which have little risk of causing acid reflux, while some kinds of foods or drinks should be avoided as they are major heartburn triggers.

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