5 Surprising Causes of Heartburn
Most people associate heartburn with spicy or greasy foods, often paired with hearty favorites like tomato sauce. Many also assume heartburn is something that only happens to those who are overweight or pregnant. And while these all certainly can be causes of heartburn, as anyone who suffers from chronic reflux or GERD can tell you, they’re far from the only ones. In fact, there are some key culprits of heartburn that might actually surprise you.
The Main Causes of Heartburn
If you are constantly afflicted with acid reflux symptoms (the most notable of which is heartburn), a weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is likely to blame. Though most people associate reflux symptoms with the kinds of the foods you eat, there are actually several factors that can contribute to a weak sphincter: temporary effects from foods like citrus or tomatoes, yes, but also hormonal changes from pregnancy, or from increased pressure on the LES (which is often caused by obesity).
What’s in your diet can help you make big changes, however. For example, some foods that cause acid reflux are often spicy or acidic in nature, or contain a lot of fat. Eliminating or dialing down on the amount you consume these foods can help you control the frequency of your acid reflux episodes.
Heartburn Causes You May Not Know About
The truth is, we all get heartburn from time to time. If you suffer from frequent reflux, however, and can’t figure out what you’re doing wrong, here’s 5 surprising causes of heartburn that might be the thing giving you grief.
Coffee
Many gripe about the caffeine addiction from your morning cup of coffee, but it also might be worsening your heartburn. How does this happen? Not only is coffee acidic, but it also contains caffeine, a molecule that has been shown to aggravate GERD symptoms. It’s thought that caffeine acts on the LES to loosen its tight closure at the top of the stomach.
Chocolate
We know, this one is a bit of a disappointment (who doesn’t love chocolate?!). The important thing is to watch how much you eat, so that you know how much you can handle. But what makes chocolate so bad? Isn’t it supposed to make you happy? That may actually be part of the problem. When you eat chocolate, the cocoa can cause a surge of serotonin. And while that may mean a delightful mood booster, it can also cause your LES to relax, thus allowing your stomach contents back up the esophagus.
Tobacco
In case you needed another reason to quit smoking, doing so could actually lessen the amount of heartburn you suffer from. Active smoking, second-hand smoke exposure, and chewing tobacco can all cause the LES to loosen, allowing stomach contents to back up into the esophagus. The chemical nicotine in tobacco products is what is responsible for this interaction, so it’s best to cut ties with all tobacco products if you are concerned about worsening GERD symptoms.
Tight Clothing
Since most GERD symptoms are caused by a loose esophageal sphincter, it makes sense that anything that causes compression on the abdomen would worsen symptoms. Additionally, gravity can cause stomach contents to leak into the esophagus when lying down. Some patients experience worsening reflux when they wear tight undergarments like bras or form-shaping clothing. When sleeping, it is best to wear loose clothing and to lay on your left side to alleviate heartburn symptoms.
Medications
Sometimes an innocent painkiller for a headache or cramps may also be the thing causing you a different kind of pain— heartburn pain. There are a number of prescription and over-the-counter medications that can worsen GERD symptoms, like NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, diclofenac, and more), antibiotics, potassium and iron supplements, narcotics, progesterone, sedatives, and some antidepressants. If you notice your heartburn often occurs after taking any of these kinds of medication, you should discuss with your primary care physician about possibly weaning off of them or switching to something different. (Never stop any prescribed medications on your own.)
Finding out what’s triggering your heartburn can be quite the challenge— especially when those causes of reflux might be coming from a place you’d least expect. Here at the Tampa Bay Reflux Center, we know how difficult it can be to struggle with acid reflux on a daily basis. Reach out to one of our gastroenterologists to talk about how to get diagnosed for GERD and how to keep your acid reflux symptoms under control.