Remedies for heartburn at home

Heartburn is a common symptom for many people. And although it brings great discomfort, disrupts the quality of life and can cause complications, many people do not consider it a dangerous condition. In fact, heartburn often indicates serious illness and requires serious treatment.

What is heartburn and why does it occur?

Burning pain in the chest, worse after eating and sometimes accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth, is called heartburn. There are many reasons for its occurrence, but only one mechanism. Such sensations arise as a result of the reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus. The stomach contains a large amount of hydrochloric acid, which irritates the sensitive mucous membrane of the esophagus. This causes discomfort in the chest. If the contents of the stomach enter the oral cavity, a sour taste is felt in the mouth.

Normally, such backflows (refluxes) can occur periodically, which is not a pathology. If the complaints are repeated, cause great discomfort to the patient, and changes are found on the mucous membrane of the esophagus during examination, then it should be said that a disease called gastroesophageal is developing. The development of this disease more often occurs in people in stressful professions, in pregnant women, in people who work in a position with their torso bent forward, in obese people.

What is the risk of heartburn if it is not treated?

  1. Bleeding. Hydrochloric acid is very aggressive for the mucous membrane of the esophagus, so long-term exposure can lead to the destruction of its walls, damage to blood vessels and bleeding. This manifests itself as bloody vomiting or black stool.
  2. Narrowing of the esophagus. As a result of the reflux of acidic contents from the stomach into the esophagus, a reflex contraction of the latter occurs.
  3. Ulcerative lesion of the mucous membrane of the esophagus. Hydrochloric acid is very aggressive to cells. Constantly in contact with the mucous membrane, it causes an ulcerative process.
  4. Esophageal carcinoma. Any ulcerative process can turn into a tumor process.


A few rules will help you get rid of heartburn:

  1. You should eat small portions every 2 to 3 hours. Food should not be hot or cold. It should not contain herbs and spices.
  2. You need to drink liquid an hour before or after meals. Excess fluid increases the volume in the stomach, which leads to increased release of hydrochloric acid.
  3. Fruits should be consumed strictly before meals, and not after. The juice effect of fruits provokes excessive release of hydrochloric acid and increases heartburn.
  4. It is ideal if the patient refuses tea and coffee. If this is not possible (due to strong habits), then coffee should be diluted with milk, which will reduce its aggressive effect on the stomach.
  5. Food must be fresh and of high quality.
  6. Do not use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a therapeutic agent. These are Aspirin, Nimesulide (Nimesil, Nimid), Diclofenac sodium. These drugs are often used for pain, inflammation or fever and are very aggressive on the stomach lining. If it is necessary to use the medicine, then it is better to do it after meals and strictly as prescribed by the doctor.

Diet for heartburn

Treatment of heartburn at home, first of all, begins with establishing a diet. There is a list of foods and drinks that relax the esophagogastric sphincter muscles. When this muscle contracts, the entry of gastric contents into the esophagus is prevented; when it relaxes, nothing prevents the entry of hydrochloric acid into the esophagus. Foods that relax the esophageal sphincter include:

  • chocolate;
  • citrus;
  • fried foods;
  • tomato juice;
  • hot pepper;
  • alcohol;
  • coffee.
  • fried potatoes, french fries;
  • fried meat, cutlets, smoked meat;
  • ice cream, fatty types of cheese and cottage cheese, sour cream;
  • meat and mushroom broths, fried borscht;
  • cakes, cream;
  • chips and carbonated drinks;
  • seeds, nuts.

Products allowed for heartburn:

  • fruits and vegetables (bananas, apples, boiled potatoes, carrots, broccoli);
  • lean meats (beef, chicken breast, rabbit);
  • low-fat fish (perch, crucian carp) baked or boiled;
  • low-fat dairy products (cheese, low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese);
  • jelly, marmalade.

It must be remembered that it is very difficult to remove heartburn at the time of exacerbation. It is much easier to prevent the occurrence of discomfort in the chest with the help of diet and recommended rules in the diet.

Is it possible to fight heartburn at home?

  1. If heartburn occurs after eating certain foods, doctors recommend making a food diary. Each meal should be timed. The moments when heartburn appears should also be noted. By tracking the relationship of foods with the occurrence of heartburn, you can adjust your diet.
  2. The occurrence of heartburn is associated with high acidity of gastric contents. Taking this into account, it is possible to prevent a burning sensation behind the sternum by drinking alkaline liquids. 30 - 40 minutes after eating, you can drink a glass of milk or alkaline water without carbon. This will slightly reduce the acidity in the stomach, which helps with heartburn.
  3. Alkaline water can be consumed throughout the day, excluding the time before bed. Be sure to let the gas out of it. Regular consumption of this water helps cure heartburn.
  4. An effective remedy for heartburn is crushed eggshells. Egg shell powder can be used as a first aid during an attack of heartburn.
  5. You can always keep fruit-flavored chewing gum on hand. It will increase salivation, which indirectly reduces the acidity of gastric juice. Menthol chewing gum is not recommended. Mint relaxes the esophagogastric sphincter.
  6. An always available home remedy for heartburn is raw potato juice. To improve the taste, it can be mixed with other sweet juice. Quickly eliminates burning sensation and has a healing effect on the gastric mucosa.
  7. You can also relieve heartburn at home with buckwheat powder. The cereal is crushed, sifted and taken on the tip of a knife 3 - 4 times a day.
  8. During a heartburn attack, you can take a baking soda solution. Dissolve a pinch in a glass of warm water and drink. But it should be remembered that regular consumption of soda persistently reduces the acidity of gastric juice, which can lead to gastritis.

How to treat heartburn with medications?

If a person wants to get rid of an unbearable burning sensation in the esophagus forever, then it is necessary to consult a specialist. The doctor will prescribe treatment, and available home remedies will only help. Drug therapy is aimed at reducing episodes of heartburn, protecting the esophageal mucosa from hydrochloric acid and reducing the damaging properties of gastric contents.

Antacids help relieve heartburn quickly and effectively. These are drugs that envelop the surface of the stomach and esophagus, protecting it from the aggressive effects of hydrochloric acid. These include Maalox, Phosphalugel, Almagel. Drugs from the group of proton pump inhibitors (Omeprazole or Omez, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole) are also widely used. Gastroenterologists prescribe prokinetics in combination with previous medications. These are drugs that improve gastric motility. These include Motilium and Espumisan.

How can you prevent heartburn? Prevention

  • food should enter the stomach thoroughly crushed and chewed;
  • follow the recommended diet;
  • after eating, do not take a horizontal position;
  • after eating, take a walk in the fresh air;
  • you need to sleep with the head end raised by 450;
  • do not tighten the belt, do not wear a belt;
  • monitor your weight (obesity increases the incidence of heartburn);
  • The last time to eat is three hours before bedtime;
  • do not drink drinks immediately after eating;
  • give up bad habits (alcohol, smoking);
  • Do not engage in physical exercises or gymnastics immediately after eating.
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