HEART BURNS
If someone should tell you he or she has been diagnosed of liver failure, you would know or at least guess that he or she has a problem with his or her liver. The same with a common disease like appendicitis -an inflammation of the appendix. On the contrary, if you should apply the same rule here you would be wrong. Heartburns is an exception to this rule, it has nothing to do with the heart. Absolutely nothing! Instead, it is a digestive problem.
The oesophaegeal sphincter (a muscle in the throat that opens to allow food to enter the stomach and closes right after food has entered) may sometimes relax to allow stomach contents to escape into the oesophagus. The stomach content is acidic because it has been mixed with hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Due to its acidic nature, it burns the lining(mucosa) of the oesophagus. When this happens a heart burn is said to have occurred.
The name heart burns is derived because, both the heart and the oesophagus are found in the mediastinum (a body cavity that contains the heart, oesphagus, remains of the thymus and other structures). Thus, when the regurgitation of gastric contents occurs you would feel it around your sternum and you might think the burning sensations are coming from your heart but actually they are as a result of the irritation of the oesophagus with gastric acid.
Now the question is, if the stomach produces the acid then why doesn't it burn the stomach as well. After all, the acid is being produced there? God in his own wisdom, made the stomach in such way that it can withstand the corrosive nature of gastric acid. The mucosa (lining) of the stomach has mucus secreting cells that produce a thick layer of mucus. This mucus protects the stomach walls from the corrosive nature of the hydrochloric acid.
However, the oesophageal mucosa was not really made to withstand acid in the sense that even though it produces mucus it is not as thick as that of the stomach so when the reflux occurs it burns the oesophageal lining. Heart burns usually occur in pregnant women this is because in pregnant women, progesterone (a hormone produced by the ovaries) causes the lower oesophageal sphincter to relax making the woman more prone to heart burns.
Occasional heart burns are common and normal but persistent ones may be a symptom of any underling disease such as Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease(GORD).Persistent heartburns can result in inflammation of the oesophagus-Oesophagitis. These conditions demand serious medical attention. Heart burns are usually experienced at night after the evening meal. You can use these simple and natural means to provide some relief if you do get a heart burn.
· Prop yourself up with extra pillows at night instead of lying down flat on the bed.
· Take sips of warm water and milk.
Some medical means include
· Take some over-the-counter drugs like magnesium trisilicate, milk of magnesia.
These are antacids that neutralize the gastric acid so that it can no longer irritate the lining if the reflux should occur.
You can also avoid a heart burn if you do the following:
· Eat small quantities of food at frequent intervals instead of consuming much at once. It can trigger a reflux.
· Limit intake of acidic or spicy foods
· Avoid taking in greasy or fatty foods
· Avoid carbonated or fizzy drinks like coca-cola.
· Avoid bending over immediately after meals
· Sit up for some minutes after meals.
· Eat at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.
· Avoid the intake of alcohol. It can also trigger a reflux.
References
· Davidson's Principles & Practice Of Medicine, 20th Edition, Church Hill Livingstone. Elsivier.
· Ojo O.A & Enang B.B(2006) A Textbook For Midwives I n The Tropics,2nd Edition, Jaypee Publications. New Delhi.
· Hutchison's Clinical Methods, 22nd Edition, Saunders, Elsivier.
· www.stopheartburntoday.com. Retrieved on 22nd March, 2012
· www.heartburnrelieftips.org. Retrieved on 22nd March, 2012
BY: LOIS APPIAH
Good piece of information on heart burns. Useful advice.
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