Causes of heartburn and its treatment

What is GERD? Some or the other times, you may have suffered from this disease. Perhaps, you may have never considered it to be a disease. And, if it occurs once or twice in a month, it is certainly not a problem. However, if it occurs repeatedly, you are suffering from a disease named GERD. Many people, though suffer from it, are not really familiar with GERD. It is, in fact, the acronym of the Gastro -esophageal Reflux Disease. It is also known as Acid Reflux. Some also refer to it as heartburn as it causes burning pain in the middle of the chest. This occurs when the stomach acid goes up to the throat or even up to the back of the mouth through esophagus. It is caused by various factors. And, if you are really familiar with the causes of heartburn, you can keep this disease at bay by maintaining a safe distance from those causes.

Common factors triggering heartburn

There are several factors that contribute towards triggering heartburn. Here are some most common causes of heartburn:

• Hiatus hernia: The faulty lower esophageal sphincter or the hiatus hernia is one of the prominent causes of heartburn. The faulty valve fails to prevent the stomach acid from splashing upward. The acid then reaches to the throat or even to the back of the mouth where the back of your tongue feels some sort of bitter or our taste.
• Pregnancy: It is also one of the common causes. However, it the heartburn may go away once the pregnancy period is over.
• Overeating: Eating large meals and especially before going to bed causes acid reflux.
• Alcoholic beverages and smoking also cause acid reflux.
• There are also certain food items like citrus fruits, fatty & spicy food items, carbonated and caffeinated food products.