Heartburn: causes and prevention (Molodkina O. A.)

04/20/2021 · Pro Psychosomatics · Comments: ·

Quite often clients come to us with a burning sensation in the esophagus. Sometimes it is acute and passes quickly, which is associated with the use of certain foods, but increasingly it takes on a chronic form, which is maintained against an emotional background. In this article we will share our practical experience about how the psychosomatics of heartburn and reflux manifests itself in women and how you can get rid of it.

How to understand that you have psychosomatics?

Very simple. Heartburn does not go away for a long time (more than 2 weeks) and at the same time you experience internal tension and lack of acceptance of the situation.

Almost always, with prolonged problems with the gastrointestinal tract, we observe a stress component.

How does heartburn occur?

As a rule, severe heartburn appears in a person at the moment of reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus: acidic gastric juice affects the mucous membrane of the esophagus, which leads to heartburn. In the medical community, this process is called reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus.

Treatment

To eliminate psychosomatic heartburn, a person needs to apply complex treatment. With medication you can normalize the level of acidity in the stomach, reduce a burning sensation, and relieve nervous tension. It is recommended to lead a calm lifestyle, practice yoga, meditation, listen to calm music, read books. You can engage in a hobby that distracts you from external circumstances, awakens positive emotions, and relaxes your brain activity.

Sedatives lower the threshold of the central nervous system response. Doctors can prescribe herbal medicines - Sedavit, Menovalen, Persen.

Adverse reactions from sedatives:

• Concentration decreases.
• The reaction rate slows down.
• Drowsiness appears.
• Irritability decreases.

Plus, each medication has contraindications, take into account individual intolerance to the components. Taking medications is allowed on the recommendation of a doctor.

Causes of heartburn

The cause of heartburn in this case is insufficiency of the sphincter, which is located between the esophagus and the stomach. The sphincter is a kind of flap: it closes to prevent gastric contents from entering the esophagus. If it does not close enough, then the reverse movement of food occurs and the person suffers from heartburn due to the fact that aggressive acidic gastric juice irritates the wall of the esophagus.

It often happens that the contents of the duodenum (the section of the small intestine that follows immediately after the stomach) reflux into the stomach and then into the esophagus. In this case, food that is saturated with pancreatic enzymes and bile also irritates the wall of the esophagus, which is an additional aggressive factor. Symptoms of heartburn with reflux from the duodenum may be more severe than with reflux of the contents of the stomach alone.

Constant heartburn has very specific causes. People often think: “What to drink for heartburn?”, but do not realize that the best remedy for heartburn is eliminating the main cause of its occurrence. Next, we suggest you figure out what conditions cause heartburn.

Hiatal hernia

The diaphragm is a large muscle in the human body that separates two anatomical structures: the chest and abdominal cavity. The esophagus passes through a special opening - the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm. When it expands (congenital expansion or formed during life), part of the stomach protrudes into the chest cavity, forming a hernia. With a hiatal hernia, patients complain of heartburn after eating, at night, or after physical activity.

Pathology of the stomach - chronic gastritis with increased secretory function

The human stomach normally produces hydrochloric acid - special cells of the stomach produce this compound to digest and disinfect food. However, if the activity of these cells increases, the person develops hypersecretory dysfunction. Excessive amounts of hydrochloric acid have a negative effect on the wall, damaging it. The reflux of acidic contents into the esophagus provokes severe heartburn.

Excessive release of hydrochloric acid is a consequence of active consumption of fatty and fried foods, spicy foods, and too cold dishes. Often hypersecretion occurs due to rare but large meals. In this case, a person suffers from heartburn in the upper abdomen, immediately after eating.

Peptic ulcer of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract

Often, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum cause heartburn. An ulcerative defect occurs on the mucous membrane of one of the sections of the digestive system (and sometimes both at once) - an area of ​​damage to the wall. The section of the gastrointestinal tract where the ulcer has formed cannot contract sufficiently to push food into the intestines. Therefore, either food is thrown in the opposite direction (into the esophagus), or food is retained in the affected section.

Both situations are quite complex and the patient may even feel heartburn in the stomach, as the main symptom of ulcerative damage.

Enzyme disorders

Sometimes heartburn occurs if a person has a disruption in the synthesis of hydrochloric acid and pepsin (an enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of proteins) in the stomach. In this case, lactic and butyric acids are thrown into the esophagus. These compounds are formed in the stomach due to fermentation processes.

In the medical community, such a violation of the enzyme function of the stomach is called achylia (impaired pepsin production) and achlorhydria (pathology of hydrochloric acid production).

As a consequence of surgical interventions

Persistent heartburn may bother people who have had surgery to remove part of the stomach or small intestine - the duodenum. The reason for resection could be a tumor, extensive ulcerative damage, or damage to the gastrointestinal tract of another etiology. The cause of heartburn after surgery is digestive juice: it contains active pancreatic enzymes and bile. These components enter the esophagus, irritate its wall and cause heartburn.

Medicines and diet

Sometimes patients using aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, paracetamol) in therapy complain of heartburn. The fact is that the mechanism of action of these drugs is associated with the cyclooxygenase system, which also exists in the stomach. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase activity reduces inflammation, but also negatively affects the production of prostaglandins, which protect the gastric mucosa. Natural protection is reduced, which threatens the formation of erosions and ulcers.

Dangerous drugs in this sense include nitrates, antispasmodics, sedatives, hypnotics, and tranquilizers. Foods can also cause heartburn. Even healthy people complain of the occurrence of this symptom after a heavy lunch or outright overeating, excessive consumption of sweet foods, fatty and fried foods, and spicy foods.

Stomach pain (gastralgia) is not an independent disease, but, like other types of abdominal pain, it can have many causes and be symptoms of various diseases. Stomach pain refers to various pain sensations in the upper abdomen (usually on the left side), but the pain itself is not always localized specifically in the stomach.

Stomach pain can be:

• piercing;
• cramping;
• pulling and in themselves are not a cause for concern.

However, if stomach pain is accompanied by other symptoms and/or recurs frequently, you should consult your doctor.

Symptoms to watch out for

Stomach pain after eating

Stomach pain can occur independently, for example, with intolerance to too fatty and rich foods, and can also be a symptom of a disease. In order to establish the causes of stomach pain, it is necessary to pay attention to associated factors. Stomach pain accompanied by heartburn and belching may indicate the presence of reflux disease, in which stomach contents often move back into the esophagus.

Stomach pain after eating is usually harmless if it occurs rarely. In this case, they are usually the result of eating difficult-to-digest food and pass quickly. Because even stretching the stomach wall after a heavy meal can lead to stomach pain. Some foods cause bloating and may therefore cause stomach pain.

Avoid eating:

• milk;
• sweets;
• pork;
• onions and cabbage;
• alcoholic drinks;
• caffeine;
• stop smoking;
• food should contain a moderate amount of salt and not be too hot or cold;
• Give yourself enough time to eat, and while eating, avoid stress or distractions such as discussions, business lunches, television and radio broadcasts.

Stomach pain: symptoms indicate causes

If stomach pain is accompanied by other symptoms, it may have a more serious cause, such as:

• pain in the stomach after eating, accompanied by a feeling of heaviness and nausea, even pain in the abdomen, may indicate inflammation of the gastric mucosa ( gastritis ), a stomach or duodenal ulcer;
• In the later stages of such diseases, stomach bleeding may also occur or blood may be present in the stool . Stomach pain can also last from 20 minutes to two hours after eating, for example, when it is caused by flatulence due to the presence of irritable bowel syndrome;
• inflammation of the pancreas ( pancreatitis ), which, unlike the unpleasant but harmless irritable bowel syndrome, can be fatal (acute pancreatitis). Chronic pancreatitis, on the contrary, can lead to pancreatic cancer, which is often diagnosed at a late stage;
• Stomach cancer can also manifest as stomach pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and nausea.

Stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea

One of the most common diseases that causes stomach pain is intestinal flu, which is caused by viruses. Such viruses can enter the human body not only from another person, but also as a result of eating spoiled food.

Food poisoning is indicated by:

• severe vomiting with diarrhea;
• cramps in the stomach;
• symptoms usually appear within six hours after eating. Some degree of stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, bloating and belching may be symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or intolerance to milk sugar (lactose), fruit sugar (fructose), gluten or histamine;
• Lactose intolerance leads to fatigue, sleep disturbances, depressed mood, nervousness, poor concentration, dizziness, headaches and pain in the limbs, as well as acne.

Depending on the severity of lactose intolerance, it is recommended to limit or completely avoid the consumption of milk and dairy products. People with this intolerance usually have to radically change their diet because milk sugar, which causes stomach pain, is also found in many other processed foods and sausages.

Causes of stomach pain: disease or psychosomatics?

The cause of stomach pain is not always any organic disease; it can also be:

• stress;
• depression;
• nervousness;
• sadness;
• fears;
• Anxiety also affects our stomach.

Even if there are psychological reasons, stomach pain may be accompanied by:

• belching;
• heartburn;
• diarrhea;
• nausea and vomiting.

On the other hand, stomach pain, or more specifically, pain felt in the stomach area, may indicate an (acute) health hazard or illness that might initially be associated with other symptoms.

If the pain is localized in the area under the right costal arch, then we can talk about pain in the liver, the presence of gallstones or hepatitis. Pain on the left side spreading to the arm, accompanied by a feeling of tension in the chest and anxiety, can be caused by myocardial infarction.

Stomach pain: what are they a symptom of?

Intestinal obstruction:

• severe and sudden stomach cramps;
• vomiting feces and bile;
• constipation and bloating.

Acute peritonitis:

• the stomach is hard and tense;
• breathing is difficult;
• increased heart rate.

If you have these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Stomach pain during pregnancy

Every woman suffering from stomach pain during pregnancy should be wary. Although it is common for pregnant women to experience stomach pain in early pregnancy due to uterine contractions, fetal kicks or premature labor (these should also be taken seriously), true stomach pain is rare during pregnancy. Stomach pain may be associated with common complaints such as heartburn or digestive problems, but if you experience severe and recurring stomach pain, you should be examined by a doctor to rule out any danger to the health of the mother and baby.

Stomach pain: diagnosis

Since stomach pain can be a symptom of many diseases, the doctor will take a medical history and ask you in detail about the symptoms of the disease and related phenomena. At the same time, he will ask you:

• How often do stomach pains occur?
• when did they first arise;
• localization;
• whether the pain is associated with eating (before or after);
• Have you lost weight recently?

In addition, an analysis of your living habits will be carried out, which will allow you to find out whether the cause of stomach pain is nicotine addiction, frequent alcohol consumption, high acidity, taking medications, lack of physical activity or psychological stress.

Primary diagnostics and instrumental:

1. Physical examination: by palpation of the abdominal area, auscultation with a stethoscope.
2. Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
3. General and biochemical blood test.
4. Gastroscopy.
5. Colonoscopy.

If you have stomach pain, consult a doctor or undergo a basic comprehensive examination of the whole body Check-Up . Thanks to this program, you will be able to obtain comprehensive information about the state of your body's health, organ function and receive recommendations on nutrition, lifestyle and treatment (if necessary).

How to contact us

If you want to get a consultation with a professor and sign up for diagnostics, you can contact us, the staff of the international department for working with foreign patients: Email: [email protected] Tel.: +49 212 5476913 Viber | WhatsApp: +49 173-2034066 | +49 177-5404270 For your convenience, please save the phone number in your phone book and call or write to us for free on WhatsApp, Viber or Telegram. Applications made on weekends or holidays will be processed on the first business day.

Consequences of heartburn

Constant heartburn is a cause for alarm and immediate contact with a gastroenterologist. Often, the symptom occurs due to an established disease, the timely treatment of which will ensure the elimination of heartburn in the early stages.

The first important consequence of long-term reflux and heartburn is esophagitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus. Quite often, real ulcers can form, which pose a risk of bleeding. They are susceptible to scarring (overgrowth with connective tissue), which leads to the formation of scar narrowings (strictures) of the esophagus. The natural opening narrows and it becomes difficult for a person to eat food, because due to the narrowing it is difficult for it to pass through the esophagus.

A serious complication of both heartburn and esophagitis is Barrett's esophagus. With this disease, a restructuring of the epithelium of the mucous membrane of the esophagus occurs, which is a precancerous condition. In the medical community, this process is called metaplasia and every effort is made to treat heartburn in order to prevent the formation of cancer. Therefore, timely treatment of heartburn in the early stages is very important: quick and correct actions by a doctor will help prevent the development of inflammation and the oncological process.

What mistakes of her own lead a woman to be offended?

1. Work hard on your partner.

This is how the Tyrant manifests itself in the Karpman triangle. He tends to be controlling.

This also includes manifestations such as comparisons (“Your husband has already bought a second apartment from Masha, and you?” and depreciation, “You don’t do anything for us”). If such behavior exists, you need to look at yourself.

2. Non-acceptance of the partner.

Not accepting your partner is not accepting yourself.

This often happens to clients because they feel like they are losing out to other women in society. Happiness is replaced by an eternal race for material resources in order “not to lose.”

That is why the spiritual path and even the psychological path is the path to happiness, and careerism for the sake of results is constant competition and dissatisfaction.

When you accept yourself, your position, when you stop caring about what car your friend bought, you accept your partner.

3. Merger.

Sometimes the psyche invents interesting mechanisms. Someone enters into a merger with the other half, uniting with him into a single whole, then looks, and the man does not earn his expectations, and begins to hate him as part of himself, but the merging is to blame.

That is why competent and high-quality work can and should be done with an experienced psychologist. Mergers, separations, who should work, in what cases, in which resentment is constructive - a psychologist will help to discern all this.

Over time, the psychosomatics of heartburn and reflux in women begins to recede.

Heartburn during pregnancy

Often, expectant mothers complain of heartburn during pregnancy. Several mechanisms are involved in this process:

• Enlarged uterus. From the first month of pregnancy until the last week, a woman's uterus grows. It puts pressure on the stomach and can push it upward. The stomach finds itself in an unnatural position - this leads to the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus.
• Hormonal influence. During pregnancy, a woman actively secretes progesterone, which has a relaxing effect on many smooth muscles. The sphincter, located between the esophagus and the stomach, is also a smooth muscle fiber. The synthesis of progesterone leads to incomplete closure of the sphincter, and food from the stomach enters the esophagus, damaging its wall.

Heartburn during pregnancy is a condition that a pregnant woman should definitely discuss with her doctor. The doctor will prescribe the necessary medications and help correct heartburn.

Heartburn medications

Gastroenterologists for heartburn prescribe the following groups of medications:

• Antacid drugs. They contain magnesium, calcium, and aluminum salts, which neutralize hydrochloric acid. Now the contents of the stomach, entering the esophagus, do not irritate its mucous membrane.
• Alginates. In the acidic environment of the stomach, alginates form a gel barrier, which reduces the amount of gastric contents reflux into the esophagus.
• Antisecretory drugs. They suppress the formation of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and the contents thrown into the esophagus are no longer so aggressive.
• Prokinetics. These drugs cause the esophagus to contract more actively, increase the tone of the sphincter (it now well closes the opening between the esophagus and the stomach), and also accelerate the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines.

Folk remedies for heartburn

You can resort to folk remedies only if there are no medicines at hand.

There are many recipes for heartburn, but not all of them are effective. Most often used:

• Milk. It neutralizes hydrochloric acid only for a while, envelops the stomach and creates the impression that everything is fine. But after a lull, milk stimulates the formation of gastric juice, and it only gets worse.
• Soda solution.
  Many people immediately drink soda when they have heartburn. Of course there will be an effect, but it will be very short-lived. When soda enters the stomach, a lot of carbon dioxide is formed, which stretches the organ and sharply increases the pressure in it. All this provokes repeated heartburn. Important! You should not regularly take soda if you have heartburn, as this disrupts the ratio of salts and water in the body (the so-called water-salt balance).
• Potato. This vegetable is good for heartburn. You can chew raw potato pieces or drink freshly squeezed juice.
• Mint decoction. Mint will not help with heartburn, but will only harm. After all, it relaxes the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach, and hydrochloric acid rushes into the esophagus even more actively.

Features of treatment

How to get rid of heartburn? The first step is a consultation with a gastroenterologist. The doctor will conduct a diagnosis and determine the cause of heartburn. If a person is healthy and heartburn bothers him only in rare moments of overeating, then the doctor will recommend changing his diet and giving up heavy foods.

But what to do about heartburn if this symptom occurs too often? It is most likely that the person has a gastrointestinal disease that is causing the symptom. The doctor will make a diagnosis and begin treatment of the underlying pathology, which means the heartburn will go away. As a rule, the doctor prescribes medications for heartburn in accordance with the diagnosis that was made to the patient.

What causes women's grievances?

From the expectation that your partner “should” have the same goals in life as you.

In reality, it turns out that a woman wants one thing, and a man another. Next, one begins to persuade the other to his point of view. These days, women are increasingly doing this. They want development, new experiences, new apartments. My husband is happy with everything anyway. This is perhaps the most common reason in our practice.

Often no one attacks the girl, and she gets hurt by her own expectations. We see this all the time.

A woman by nature very often seeks not a partner, but a rescuer, immediately entering into a codependent relationship according to the Karpman triangle model (Tyrant-Victim-Rescuer).

So, having failed to convince the man of her goals, the wife decides to punish him with insult, and ends up punished herself. With your resentment (and the set of substances that the body releases during this emotion).

In fact, resentment is a manipulation so that the partner “makes amends” for his guilt. But in most situations we simply do not detect this very guilt. Therefore, in 90% of cases we are faced with the fact that this emotion is not constructive.

Many have been taught this behavior since childhood (when, by pouting their lips, they got what they need), some use tears, do anything to get what they need. But there is usually no talk of constructive dialogue and resolution.

It seems to them that they “should” decide everything for them and make their wildest dreams come true. In this case we are talking about egocentrism, the formula of which is “For oneself at the expense of another.”

How to deal with heartburn with medication

An effective remedy for heartburn are certain groups of drugs that are prescribed exclusively by the attending physician when determining the patient’s treatment regimen.

As a rule, the patient takes pills for heartburn. Doctors claim that only complex therapy helps with heartburn - this means that a person must take all the medications prescribed to him. Complex therapy includes the following groups of drugs:

• Antacids . Medicines neutralize hydrochloric acid, which can be thrown into the esophagus. Antacids are the drugs of choice for diseases that are associated with intense pain (for example, gastroesophageal reflux disease, chronic gastritis). Doctors often choose to prescribe aluminum or magnesium preparations. Antacids have a quick but unstable effect. As a rule, they are prescribed not to treat the underlying disease, but to eliminate symptoms.
• Alginates . This group of drugs is capable of forming a special film with neutral acidity on the surface of the stomach. It turns out that even if gastric contents end up in the esophagus, they do not damage its wall due to neutral acidity.
• Gastroprotectors . The essence of the action of gastroprotectors is to protect the gastric mucosa by forming a special film. The drug covers damaged areas of the stomach, creating a special “coating” for them.
• Antisecretory agents . The mechanism of action of these drugs is to reduce the activity of hydrochloric acid synthesis in the stomach. H2 blockers of histamine receptors inhibit the production of pepsin, promote the formation of mucus and activate protective factors of the gastric mucosa, which resist aggression factors. Doctors often prescribe Ranitidine and Famotidine. The second group of antisecretory drugs is proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). They actively suppress the synthesis of hydrochloric acid, and the main representative of PPIs is Omeprazole.
• Prokinetics have a pronounced effect on the motor (motor) function of the gastrointestinal tract, which is actively used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.

The prescription of any medications for heartburn is carried out exclusively by the attending physician. Remember that getting rid of heartburn at home can often be dangerous to your health.

Physiological processes under stress

A person is influenced by external factors. People tend to experience many emotions; with the normal functioning of the central nervous system, each emotion contributes to the production and release of hormones into the blood. With stress and fear, adrenaline is released. When you feel happy, the hormone oxytocin and endorphin are released.

Psychosomatics is a branch of medicine that studies the psychological influence on the manifestation of bodily diseases. Translated, the term means soul and body. Louise Hay, the author of best-selling books on popular psychology, compiled a table of the influence of emotions on well-being and the occurrence of illness. According to Louise Hay, you can practice affirmations (positive attitudes for the brain).

The human brain lets you know about emerging health problems. For example, when struck, we feel localized pain at the site of the injury. When poisoned, a person begins to experience nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. If you put your hand on a hot object, the pain will force you to pull it away. The body protects itself, the self-preservation function is activated.

A burning sensation in the chest area against a background of negative emotions is an internal way to inform a person about mental health problems. In stressful situations, the following symptoms may occur:

• Redness of the skin.
• Increased sweating.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.
• Increased production of gastric juice, heartburn.
• Stool disorder.

It is important to avoid negative emotions and contact with people who make you feel negative.

Preventing heartburn

Reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus is an unpleasant sensation for the patient, which can be accompanied by intense pain. To prevent heartburn in the throat or stomach from bothering you, you should follow several recommendations from doctors.

The first step is to follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle. You will have to give up smoking, drinking alcohol, and also choose the right diet. You need to eat 4-5 times a day, in small portions; after eating, you should not take a horizontal position. The last meal should be 3 hours before bedtime.

The diet should not contain fatty, fried and spicy foods, or carbonated drinks. It is advisable to eat more cereals, vegetables and boiled meat.

Do not think that heartburn is a harmless condition that does not require treatment! If an alarming symptom occurs, you should consult a gastroenterologist. And to prevent heartburn, you should follow the recommendations of doctors.

How is the psychosomatics of heartburn and reflux treated in women?

There are medicinal ways to eliminate heartburn (these are various drugs that reduce acidity), and there are diets. All this really gives results, but only at the time of treatment.

These methods did not fully help any of our clients. When emotional stress occurs, all manifestations become aggravated.

Symptoms go away only when working with psychosomatics. And they don’t return if the reasons have been worked out.

It is important first of all to understand whether your offense is constructive or not.

Constructive - this is when there is some kind of attack. For example, you are constantly scolded and compared. But if this is not the case, and you want life to be like on Instagram, the emotion is not constructive.

Resentment is:

• placing responsibility on another (and this is always the Karpman triangle, where first we are a Victim looking for a Rescuer, and then we turn into a Persecutor, blaming the other half for “not saving”),
• this is irresponsibility (namely, responsibility is a central concept in psychology),
• immaturity,
• lack of separation.

Therefore, we work with several tasks:

• separation from parents (so as not to transfer the functions of a parent to the partner), become a partner yourself, and not a child,
• responsibility and maturity (the ability to be responsible for oneself and realize one’s desires on one’s own) is something that is very difficult for women to do, and many scandals arise from this,
• self-acceptance.

Let's talk in more detail about the last point. We often get offended by our partner because we don’t accept ourselves. We looked at Instagram and want the same life, but we don’t have it. Who is guilty? Partner! And the resentment and sawing begin.

What helps here is working with self-worth, with the awareness that everything is good in life, even if you don’t have these achievements, yachts and planes, or a slim body.

Why did we say at the beginning of the article that the root of heartburn is a whole tangle? Because hidden envy is layered on top of the resentment (I want it to be like others, but I don’t want to do it myself; it’s my husband’s fault, who “must” do it for me, otherwise I’ll be capricious).

In fact, the ego structure of such clients is dominated by two parts - the inner capricious child and the critical parent. It would be nice to strengthen the inner adult. Who is not offended, but solves his problems himself.

And although many popular authors and bloggers say that a woman does not need to be strong, they only encourage irresponsibility and infantile behavior.

Psychotherapy, on the contrary, considers any person as a self-sufficient and independent person. And it is after two personalities come together that a healthy union is possible. Otherwise, marriage turns into child-parent scenarios.