Acid reflux and heartburn are very similar terms, but they don’t mean the same thing. The first is the cause, while the second is the consequence.
Gastrointestinal diseases are the order of the day, as statistics portals estimate that 22% of Americans and 21% of Europeans over the age of 18 suffer from some type of digestive disorder. Two very common terms related to this topic are gastric acid reflux and heartburn.
Although these concepts are familiar to us all, it is not so easy to answer the following questions: Are the two conditions the same? What are the differences between reflux and heartburn? Don’t worry, we answer these and other questions here.
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is a symptom, while gastroesophageal reflux can be the cause. The first correspond to a painful burning sensation in the chest or throat. Pregnancy, certain foods, certain medications or certain alcoholic beverages can be the cause.
Heartburn is a more common condition than you might think. Here are some statistics collected on this subject:
- 10% of adult humans have heartburn daily and 30% once a month.
- In the United States, the incidence—the number of new cases in the population—was 26% in 2015.
- In general, it is estimated that 20% of the population, at any given time, suffers from heartburn.
What is gastric reflux?
Gastric acid reflux is considered a clinical condition. This pathology is characterized by a regression of stomach contents in the opposite direction, i.e. towards the esophagus.
The human being has an opening between the stomach and the esophagus which acts as a door, which closes as soon as the bolus of food passes into the stomach. If it’s not working properly, food and stomach acids can back up into the esophagus, causing esophageal irritation and the heartburn described above.
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What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious case of gastric reflux, i.e. a chronic condition. A symptom of this disease is having heartburn more than twice a week.although it is possible to have GERD without signs of heartburn.
Again, the mechanism is the same as described in the previous case: the ring of muscle fibers – the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) – does not close properly, so the stomach contents can go up into the esophagus.
Symptoms include the following:
- Pain in the stomach
- Non-burning chest discomfort that can sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack
- Pain when swallowing
- Chronic pharyngitis, cough and sinusitis
- Pneumonia and feeling of suffocation on waking
In sum, heartburn is a symptom, gastric acid reflux is its possible cause, and GERD occurs when the patient suffers from heartburn episodes more than twice a week.
Over-the-counter treatments for gastric reflux
If you have heartburn more than twice a week, have trouble swallowing, have nausea and vomiting, or have lost weight because of this symptom, it’s time to get checked out. a doctor quickly.
In all other cases, reflux and heartburn can be controlled with over-the-counter medications. Among those available are the following:
- Antacids, as their name suggests, reduce the effects of acid in the stomach by neutralizing it. They cause quick short-term relief and what’s more, they come in an easy-to-consume form – capsules and pills.
- H2 blockers, such as famotidine, do not relieve symptoms as quickly, but they are more effective. These reduce the amount of acid produced in the stomach.
- Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) also reduce acid production. These are the best options to follow when H2 blockers don’t work or in people with GERD. Even so, their effect is much less immediate, since it takes a few days to start working. Omeprazole is a drug of this family.
The precautions to take
There are risk factors that promote the onset of gastric reflux and heartburn. For example, the consumption of alcohol or acidic substances such as coffee can promote the disease.
On the other hand, obesity, pregnancy and smoking are also events that promote this unpleasant reflux. Last advice, it is recommended to people who are prone to it not to lie down less than three hours following eating, as this facilitates the rise of acids in the esophagus.
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Control stomach acid reflux
As we have seen, this type of intestinal ailments is common, since up to 30% of the population suffers from heartburn at least once a month. Although it can be easy to fight heartburn at home, more severe cases require immediate medical attention.
Considering the question we asked you at the beginning, we can conclude that heartburn is a symptom of gastric reflux. If this becomes chronic, the patient may develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
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