subject: Chronic Heartburn - Causes And Treatments [print this page] Most people have experienced heartburn at one time or another and know that it normally goes after a short period of time. But if your heartburn lasts for hours and occurs more than twice a week, than it can be considered a chronic problem.
Heartburn has many names, such as pyrosis, acid reflux, and acid indigestion to name a few. It's root cause is lifestyle or diet, that relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), hindering proper closure.
The LES opens when food passes throug and is meant to close and prevent acid from moving back into the esophagus. Unfortunately, this does not always work as it should.
Conditions that cause chronic heartburn:
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD):
GERD is a disease characterized by recurrent acid reflux of gastric acids that flow backward into the esophagus. This repeated assault causes burning chest pain, which can lead to bleeding and scarring of the esophagus.
A narrowing of the food tube follows making it hard to swallow. If this condition goes undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to more serious medical problems such as stomach cancer and cancer of the esophagus.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease costs approximately 10 billion dollars per year in medical expenses, with 63% of that is directly related to the cost of medications to reduce symptoms.
The person suffering from this disease has a general lower quality of life and untold nights if disrupted sleep due to the constant burning.
Possible GERD symptoms are belching, bad breath, inflamed gums and heartburn. The problem can be treated with H2 antagonists, antacids and proton pump inhibitors.
Hiatal Hernia:
This form of hernia occurs when the stomach pushes through the hiatus, which is a part of the diaphragm. It may require surgical treatment.
The hiatus sometimes is larger than it should be, allowing for the stomach to bulge through it. This position puts pressure on the LES so that it doesn't close properly, causing acid reflux.
There are two forms of hiatus hernia:
Sliding - this is where the stomach slides up and down as you swallow and is the most common form.
Paraesophageal - this is where a piece of the stomach is located beside the esophagus and prevents food from entering the stomach. This can result in the blood supply to the stomach being restricted and surgery may be necessary.
Symptoms are the same as GERD with the associated complications, which include nausea, heartburn, and regurgitation. Treatment is virtually the same as it is for GERD as well.
Check with your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment if you are having symptoms of conditions that cause chronic heartburn.
by: Jared Wright
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