What is acid reflux and heartburn? What can I eat if I have acid reflux and heartburn?

Many people have experienced acid reflux and heartburn. Sometimes they feel a little discomfort in the esophagus, and it takes some time to relieve it after drinking water. Especially when you eat too much, the food will be followed by acid reflux, which is actually the reflux of stomach acid, so there will be discomfort. So what is acid reflux and heartburn? Is there anything you can eat to relieve it?

What is acid reflux and heartburn?

Acid reflux is actually caused by various factors that cause gastric acid and gastric contents to reflux into the esophagus, so it can cause a burning sensation behind the sternum. This symptom is also called heartburn. In fact, this symptom is more common in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Mild reflux will cause acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Severe cases will also cause damage to the adjacent tissues of the esophagus such as the throat and airway. Most reflux esophageal diseases have congestion and edema of the esophageal mucosa, but some do not show any signs of esophagitis under endoscopic observation.

There are many factors that lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, mainly due to the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter of the human body, which leads to damage to the anti-reflux barrier. There are also various factors that lead to the decline in the esophagus's ability to clear reflux substances, etc., which cause the digestive juice and gastric contents in the stomach to reflux into the esophagus, resulting in symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, chest pain, and foreign body sensation in the throat, and reflux often occurs within 1 hour.

What can I eat for acid reflux and heartburn?

When long-term acid reflux and heartburn symptoms occur, the first thing to do is to use drugs to treat them. The main thing is to inhibit gastric acid (cimetidine, ranitidine, omeprazole), and to add some drugs that promote gastrointestinal motility (domperidone, cisapride), as well as some antacids (aluminum hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate). These drugs are helpful in effectively inhibiting gastric acid, promoting digestion and elimination, and avoiding excessive gastric acid and gastric contents from reflux. Follow the doctor's instructions for taking them.

Also, pay attention to your diet, avoid eating high-fat foods, coffee, strong tea, etc., avoid drinking and smoking, avoid long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, calcium channel blockers and other drugs, avoid eating 2 hours before bedtime, avoid falling asleep immediately after eating, and to reduce reflux, raise the head of the bed about 20 cm.

When acid reflux occurs, try to eat something to suppress it, such as peanuts, dried sweet potatoes and other slightly oily, sweet, dry foods. Especially when you are on an empty stomach, you should eat a few bites of food. Do not lie down immediately after eating a full meal. When you drink alcohol or eat spicy food, you must eat some alkaline foods such as hot porridge, rice and noodles at the same time.

Why does acid reflux occur?

Long-term intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods

Foods such as fatty meat, chocolate, honey, yogurt, vinegar, etc. can cause excessive secretion of gastric acid. When these foods are consumed for a long time, the secretion of gastric acid will increase, causing patients to experience heartburn and repeated and aggravated heartburn symptoms.

Disease causes

Diseases such as gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis, etc. can also cause heartburn symptoms. Gastroscopy should be performed to identify the disease and then carry out corresponding treatment. If it is a peptic ulcer, it should be treated with a quadruple drug: amoxicillin + clarithromycin + pectin bismuth + omeprazole. In the later stage, omeprazole or omeprazole + pectin bismuth can be taken for subsequent maintenance treatment.