We’re all likely to experience digestion problems at some point. But for around 40% of Americans, these issues are a monthly occurrence, meaning as a country, we spend about $2 billion a year on over-the-counter heartburn medication.
As heartburn is so common, it’s likely either you or someone you know will be affected by it. So here is what you need to know.
Heartburn symptoms
Heartburn or ‘gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) often occurs after eating and feels like a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone. It happens when stomach contents back up into your esophagus. You may also experience a sour taste and the feeling of food coming back into your mouth. Other heartburn symptoms include cough or hiccups, bad breath, a hoarse voice, bloating, and nausea.
What causes heartburn?
Different things can cause heartburn, but the most common cause is acidic food, high in fat or spicy. Common trigger foods include onions, garlic, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol.
Alongside what you eat, your medication can also bring on symptoms of heartburn:
- Ibuprofen and Aspirin can irritate the lining of the stomach.
- Anti-anxiety drugs. Diazepam (Valium) or lorazepam (Ativan) can sometimes cause nausea and heartburn.
- Some antibiotics can cause diarrhea, heartburn, and other side effects.
- Iron supplements can also cause acid reflux, upset stomach, and constipation.
- Osteoporosis medications. Bisphosphonates, such as alendronate sodium (Fosomax), ibandronate sodium (Boniva), and risedronate sodium (Actonel), can cause heartburn, nausea, and other gastrointestinal problems.
- High blood pressure medications. Calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Procardia) and beta blockers such as propranolol (Inderal) can also cause heartburn.
- Progesterone. A hormone often found in birth control can reduce the reliability of the esophageal sphincter, making you more at risk of heartburn symptoms.
- Tricyclic antidepressants. Amitriptyline (Vanatrip, Endep), imipramine (Tofranil), and nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl) can cause acid reflux.
If you are taking any of the above medications, ensure you take them as directed and try to take them with food when possible. This will help prevent the medicine from irritating your stomach lining and causing heartburn symptoms. If you are still experiencing symptoms, speak to your doctor as there may be alternative medications you could try.
What treatments are available?
Treating frequent heartburn is essential as overtime, acid reflux can cause damage to your esophagus. Many medications are available at your local pharmacy, or you can speak with your doctor to discuss prescribed treatments.
Over-the-counter heartburn treatments include:
- Antacids can help reduce the effects of stomach acid.
- vH2 blockers i.e. ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid AC), and cimetidine (Tagamet) reduce stomach acid production.
- Proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole (Prilosec, Prilosec OTC) and esomeprazole (Nexium) stop almost all acid production.
- Making lifestyle changes, including losing weight if you are overweight, avoiding late night meals, and quitting smoking may also help ease your symptoms
Make an appointment with your doctor if:
- Heartburn more than once a week
- Over-the-counter medication isn’t helping
- You frequently feel nauseous or are vomiting
- You’re having trouble swallowing
Seek immediate help if you experience severe chest pain or pressure, especially when combined with other signs and symptoms such as pain in the arm or jaw or difficulty breathing.