How do you prevent heartburn?
A burning pain in the underside of the chest, which starts at the sternum, spreads to the throat and causes a sour or bitter taste in the throat and mouth. Heartburn is bad and something to watch out for.
Stomach acid is a corrosive liquid that digests food. The stomach is covered with a thick mucus layer and is therefore well protected. The esophagus does not have such a protective layer and is therefore vulnerable to the aggressive acid. There is therefore a transition between the esophagus and the stomach that is normally only open when there is a bite food is on its way to the stomach. Sometimes this closure goes wrong and stomach acid flows into the esophagus. This causes heartburn.
Appearance
Lifestyle and eating habits often lead to more stomach acid being produced or that the esophageal sphincter does not hold back enough acid. By changing these, you can prevent heartburn. For example, eat less quickly, fat, sharp and large amounts. Also to smoke weakens the functioning of the esophageal sphincter, making it easier for stomach acid to flow into the esophagus.
Lying down or bending down after a meal certainly does not help: when you are lying down, stomach acid flows more easily into the esophagus. Tight clothing that presses on the stomach can also cause heartburn.
Finally go overweight and the prevention of heartburn do not work together. Too much pressure on the abdomen can push the contents of the stomach up and cause stomach acid to back up into the esophagus. In addition, being overweight can lead to a tear in the diaphragm: the flat muscle plate that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. The esophagus runs through a hole in the diaphragm into the abdominal cavity. If that hole ruptures and becomes larger due to being overweight, it can reduce the functioning of the esophageal sphincter muscle.
antacids
Preventing heartburn therefore starts with adjusting lifestyle. If that doesn’t help, ask the drugstore for an antacid or go to the doctor. Heartburn can also be a side effect of certain medications, such as NSAIDs. There are medicines that reduce stomach acid in a course of 2 to 6 weeks.
Insurance changes
From 2012 antacids that you use for less than 6 months will no longer be reimbursed by the basic insurance. Not even if a doctor prescribes the capsules or tablets for heartburn. You can discuss with your doctor whether a cheaper medicine is also suitable for you.
In some situations, gastric acid inhibitors are reimbursed. If you use prescription drugs from a doctor for more than six months, you only have to pay for them the first time. After that, they will be fully reimbursed. You will also be reimbursed for gastric acid inhibitors in injection form, because they are so expensive.