If you're prone to developing heartburn, cranberry juice may trigger your symptoms. While cranberry juice isn't one of the most acidic juices, the moderate acid in cranberry juice may cause heartburn. It's common for heartburn to develop on occasion, but if you develop symptoms of this condition more than twice a week you may have a more serious medical condition. Stop drinking cranberry juice if it triggers heartburn symptoms until you can be seen by your health care provider.
Heartburn
Heartburn is a common occurrence that typically develops after over-eating, eating fatty foods or foods that are acidic. Most heartburn is manageable through dietary modifications and over-the-counter medications, according to MayoClinic.com. The most common symptom of heartburn is a burning sensation in the back of your throat, upper-abdomen or right behind your breastbone. Symptoms typically get worse when you bend over or if you lie down. Reoccurring heartburn needs to be evaluated by a doctor, because minor heart attacks can mimic heart burn pain.
Cause
When you drink cranberry juice, it enters your mouth, flows through your esophagus and into your stomach. If you're prone to heartburn, the acid in the juice may cause some of the stomach acid to enter your esophagus, leading to heartburn. The burning sensation from heartburn occurs when the stomach fluid irritates the soft tissue that lines your throat. Stomach fluids enter the esophagus when the flap, called the sphincter, fails to remain closed, keeping the acid in the stomach.
Complications
If you develop heartburn symptoms more than twice a week you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, also called GERD. This cause of this condition is still unclear, but it is most likely the result of a malfunction in the sphincter muscle. Some anatomical abnormalities can also contribute to the condition, such as a hiatal hernia, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. If you don't receive treatment for GERD, your esophagus can become narrowed from scar tissue and may require surgery to prevent breathing difficulties.
Treatment
Common heartburn experienced after drinking cranberry juice is treated with over-the-counter antacids that help to neutralize the acid in the esophagus and stomach. Severe heartburn that continues or is reoccurring will require that you avoid all foods and beverages that trigger your symptoms, such as cranberry juice, orange juice, tomatoes, spicy foods and caffeine, according to FamilyDoctor.org. If you're diagnosed with GERD, you may need to take prescription drugs to prevent your symptoms.
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