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What Could Cause Bad Heartburn?

Bad heartburn can make you hesitant about what you eat, even causing you to abandon some of your favorite foods. However, if you can identify some of the causes of heartburn, you may be able to eliminate your symptoms. Don't let bad heartburn take over your life.

  1. What Is Heartburn?

    • When you swallow, the food is supposed to follow a certain path, down your esophagus and into your stomach. A valve opens to allow the food to pass into your stomach. This valve should close once the food has passed. If this valve does not work properly, it may allow some stomach acid to enter your esophagus. This is called acid reflux, which can be painful. Acid reflux is often synonymous with heartburn.

    Indications

    • Heartburn comes from any number of sources. You may be experiencing heartburn if you feel burning in your chest. This pain, which usually follows meals, can go on for hours. You may have fluid in your throat that has an acid taste. This taste may be worse when you lie down. You may even experience the sensation that food is caught in your chest or throat. Heartburn is not a danger to your health, but complications can occur related to its severity and frequency.

    Food & Beverages

    • Some foods can cause heartburn. If you are prone to heartburn, stay away from fatty foods, garlic, tomatoes, mint and chocolate, which can all be triggers for heartburn. If you experience heartburn from spicy foods, eat the milder versions of the food you love.

      Beverages can cause heartburn. Stay away from drinks with high acidity, such as orange juice. Sodas, alcohol and coffee may cause heartburn. Drinking water decreases your symptoms of heartburn by diluting your stomach acid.

    Other Factors

    • Your exercise routine can cause bad heartburn, because some exercises reverse the flow of digestion, forcing stomach acid back into the esophagus. Examples are gymnastics moves, such as somersaults and forward rolls, which cause you to be upside down. Certain yoga moves, such as a downward dog, may reverse the natural flow of your digestion, as do stomach exercises such as crunches, which can tighten stomach muscles.

      If your heartburn seems worse at night, it may be your bed. You may need to elevate the head of your bed or elevate your body with pillows while sleeping. This will encourage gravity to keep stomach acids out of your esophagus.

      Your choice of clothing may aggravate your digestion. Clothing that's too tight puts unnecessary pressure on your stomach, forcing acid into your esophagus. Looser clothing is unlikely to cause this problem. Losing weight to improve the fit of your clothing can help.

    Pregnancy & Heartburn

    • During pregnancy your changing hormones and increasing stomach pressure caused by the growing baby often lead to bad heartburn. Your body may have problems digesting 3 large meals, so you may want to eat 5 to 6 smaller meals. Although you may be tired, do not lie down after meals, because this may cause indigestion leading to heartburn. Your diet choices during pregnancy can cause heartburn. More than 50 percent of pregnant women experience pregnancy-related heartburn, but they benefited from avoiding spicy foods during their pregnancies.

      Bad heartburn can be uncomfortable and even painful, but simple lifestyle changes can help your symptoms go away. If you find that lifestyle changes are ineffective, see a doctor, because you may have a more serious condition.

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