Most people experience heartburn at some time in their lives. Heartburn is that burning pain in your chest, often accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in your throat or mouth that typically occurs after eating. Contrary to what its name indicates, heartburn is not related to the heart, but rather occurs as a result of abnormal food digestion.
Normal Digestion
Digestion begins when you first see or smell food. The salivary glands release saliva, which contains water and enzymes. When you eat the food, the water in your saliva moistens the food, softening it, while the enzymes begin to break down the food chemically. Once the food is soft enough, you swallow the food and it travels down through your esophagus, where it reaches a band of muscles called the lower esophageal sphincter. When food reaches the lower esophageal sphincter, the band relaxes to allow the food to travel into the stomach. Immediately after the food passes into the stomach, the band of muscles contracts again to prevent the food and other stomach contents from traveling backward from the stomach and back into the esophagus.
Physiology of Heartburn
Heartburn occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter does not contract properly after letting food into the stomach. Instead of closing, the band stays open, allowing the food and acid in the stomach to travel backward into the esophagus. Because your esophagus does not have the same protective lining as the stomach, it cannot tolerate the presence of stomach acid and becomes irritated when exposed to it. This is what causes the symptoms of heartburn, also known as acid reflux.
Causes
Almost everyone experiences heartburn at one time or another. If you have occasional heartburn, it may be a result of eating too much or lying down immediately after eating. Certain foods, such as fatty foods, fried foods, spicy foods, orange juice, mint, chocolate, alcohol, ketchup and mustard, can also trigger occasional heartburn. If you experience heartburn more than twice per week, you may have a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Factors that contribute to GERD include obesity, pregnancy and smoking.
Treatment
There are several over-the-counter treatments available for heartburn. Antacids, such as Maalox and Tums, neutralize stomach acid so that it does not cause pain. H-2 receptor blockers, such as Pepcid and Zantac, work by reducing your stomach's production of acid. MayoClinic.com notes that H-2 receptor blockers take longer to work, but provide longer relief. Proton pump inhibitors, such as Prilosec, block acid production in your stomach and promote healing of the damaged tissue in your esophagus.
