Heartburn is a burning feeling you get in your chest and up your food-pipe (esophagus) causing a minor to a severe chest and/or throat pain. It happens when the stomach’s acid splatters back into the esophagus due to the malfunctioning of the esophageal sphincter muscle. This is known as acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The rate of heartburn is most frequent during the night rather than in the day. It has been observed that almost everyone experiences heartburn at some point in their lives. To manage and treat heartburn and associated discomfort visit the best stomach specialist in Karachi, Lahore or other main cities of Pakistan. You can locate one nearest to you using the Marham app.
Heartburn is usually linked to acidic or spicy foods. Almost 95% of the affected people associate symptoms with a particular type of food. But apart from food, there are other causes that play a major role in triggering heartburn. These include:
1. Obesity
Having extra weight increases the risk of heartburn because the excessive fat in the abdominal part of your body contains chemicals that flow through your system, possibly causing heartburn.
Overweight women are more prone to heartburn then their male counterparts.
2. Medications
Certain medicines cause heartburn as a side-effect. Prescription drugs used to treat asthma, hypertension, heart complications, arthritis or other inflammation, osteoporosis (low bone density), anxiety, insomnia, depression, pain, Parkinson’s disease, muscle spasms, or cancer act as activators of heartburn. Medications used in hormone therapy also cause heartburn. Always take medicine as prescribed. To find and consult with the best general physician in Karachi, Lahore or any other main city of Pakistan visit Marham.pk.
3. Stress:
Stressed individuals are more prone to heartburns because they are more likely to adopt unhealthy habits like over-eating and smoking. To manage stress book an online consultation with the best psychiatrist in Karachi, Lahore or any other city of Pakistan via Marham.pk.
4. Exercise:
Although exercise plays a very important role in keeping the body fit, active, and healthy, unfortunately, certain exercises are actually triggering heartburn. Exercises that exert pressure on the abdomen, like sit-ups, weight-lifting, complicated yoga positions, and strenuous cardio exertion reverse the natural flow of digestion leading to heartburn.
It is advisable to do exercise after 2 hours of your meal. Also, consider an exercise routine that is less straining and more compatible with your physique.
5. Smoking
Smoking is an overall unhealthy habit. Nicotine in the cigarette affects the esophageal sphincter muscle thus allowing the stomach’s acid to burn the esophagus. It also reduces the production of saliva which acts as an acid neutralizer.
