You experience a fire in your throat and a bad taste in your mouth when you awaken in the middle of the night. Your stomach produces a disgusting goo that you have to spit out.
Your throat feels sore and your voice sounds hoarse after you get rid of it. You may occasionally start coughing or hear wheezing in your chest.
You have been experiencing heartburn, which is unrelated to your heart.
It occurs when the digestive juices from your stomach flow back into your oesophagus (the long tube between your mouth and your stomach). These acids sting and burn.
Why Does Heartburn Occur?
Your pharynx (at the back of your throat) and oesophagus connect to your stomach. A ring of muscle called the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) controls the junction between the oesophagus and the stomach. The LES acts like a valve, opening and closing the entry to the stomach.
When you swallow the LES opens to allow the food or drink coming down the oesophagus to enter the stomach. The LES then closes to prevent the food and your digestive juices flowing back up the oesophagus. The LES relaxes each time you swallow, allowing food to enter your stomach.
Statistics About Acid Reflux
Chronic heartburn is now exceedingly common in both Europe and America, impacting around one-third of the populations on both continents.
Chronic heartburn and being overweight are strongly correlated. According to research, individuals who are overweight have a 50% higher risk of developing GORD than those who are at a healthy weight. Obese people are 200 percent more likely to develop the condition. GORD is more likely to affect diabetics. According to a 2008 research in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, nearly 40% of diabetics experience chronic heartburn.
Additionally, the researchers discovered that it was more frequent in diabetics who also had neuropathy or nerve damage from their condition.
Ways To Prevent Heartburn
Here are some easy steps to take in order to prevent heartburn:
- Consume smaller meals to facilitate digestion and lessen the pressure that leads to reflux.
- Eat slowly because digestion begins in the mouth and proper chewing lowers the risk of reflux.
- Avoid wearing tight clothing since it can put pressure on your stomach and cause food to reflux up into your oesophagus.
- Avoid smoking since it affects the oesophageal and throat mucous membranes. Additionally, nicotine inhibits the oesophageal valve, which makes it possible for stomach acid to enter the throat.
- Avoid foods such as chocolate, tomatoes, fried or fatty foods, fatty meats (choose lean cuts), artificial dressings (use olive oil), spicy sauces (select mild or avoid), alcohol, cola and other beverages, as well as caffeine.
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