Heartburn: These home remedies can help

Heartburn – many Germans suffer from this widespread disease. Stomach acid rising up the esophagus causes burning pain behind the breastbone and acid regurgitation. We provide information about the causes and reveal home remedies that you can use to alleviate the symptoms.

Heartburn: what is it?

Strictly speaking, heartburn is not a disease, but a symptom. It is one of the most common health complaints. Heartburn occurs when the stomach acid formed in the parietal cells of the stomach lining rises back up through the stomach (cardia) into the esophagus. This backflow, also called reflux, attacks the sensitive mucous membrane there and causes pain. In most cases, the symptoms can be relieved with simple home remedies, such as a cup of tea.

Symptoms: How do you recognize heartburn?

acid regurgitation
burning pains behind the breastbone
Upper middle abdominal pain after eating
discomfort after eating
Complaints after drinking alcohol
Symptoms worsen with bending over and lying down
Pain and burning when swallowing
lump in the throat
hoarseness and cough
nausea and vomiting
bloating

Treatment: What to do for heartburn?

The treatment of heartburn depends on the cause, the frequency and the extent of the symptoms. For those affected who occasionally have problems, it is often sufficient if they take home remedies or acid-binding medication. People who often suffer from reflux should see a doctor after four weeks at the latest. If necessary, the esophagus, stomach and duodenum are examined. As soon as it is clear where the reflux is coming from, it is treated accordingly:

Nutrition: If the diet is to blame, the patient must change it. Anyone who observes exactly when heartburn occurs can identify and avoid the trigger. Affected people often need a little patience to find the right diet. Observe when symptoms appear. Keeping a food journal can help identify your personal heartburn trigger.

Medication: In addition to acid binders, which are suitable for milder cases, proton pump inhibitors in particular are used for chronic heartburn. These are drugs that block acid production in the stomach by inhibiting the responsible proton pumps in the parietal cells. Although the drugs are considered to be well tolerated, they are not free of side effects. Among other things, gastrointestinal problems can occur. Therefore, long-term therapy with drugs must be carried out under medical supervision.

Diseases: If the heartburn is caused by a disease, such as an irritable stomach or an inflammation of the esophagus, this must be treated.

Operation: In the case of anatomically caused reflux, surgical reconstruction of the cardia is sometimes an option. This operation improves the closing function of the cardia so that no stomach contents can rise up into the esophagus.

Home remedies: What tips and home remedies relieve heartburn?

Chewing gum: Intensive chewing of chewing gum stimulates the formation of saliva and thus frees the esophagus from aggressive acid. The type of chewing gum doesn’t matter. However, this home remedy is not for everyone as some people with heartburn are sensitive to peppermint and menthol.

Drinking: A glass of lukewarm non-carbonated water or herbal tea (fennel, caraway or chamomile tea) after eating washes down the stomach acid. In addition, the gastric juice is diluted. Peppermint tea is not recommended: Mint contains essential oils that can also irritate the stomach in the case of heartburn. Carbonated drinks also make the symptoms worse.
Potatoes and potato juice: In acute cases, a piece of boiled potato or pressed potato juice helps. The juice binds excess stomach acid and relieves heartburn. To do this, press several raw potatoes in the juicer or buy the juice ready-made in the pharmacy. It is advisable to drink about 100 milliliters of the tuber juice in small sips before meals.

Rollkuren: The aim of a rollkuren is to wet as much of the gastric mucosa as possible with healing liquid. Chamomile tea or potato juice is suitable for this. Drink a few sips on an empty stomach and lie on your back. After five minutes, drink again and roll onto your right side. After another five minutes, switch to the prone position and then to the left side. Repeat this daily for at least a week.

Sauerkraut: A few forks of raw sauerkraut are also a proven home remedy for painful burning. But beware: eating raw sauerkraut can cause flatulence.

Oatmeal: A few tablespoons of the grain absorbs the excess acid.

Banana: Bananas are rich in mucilage and can form a delicate protective layer against the acid. If necessary, eat a banana in small bites and chew well.

Other foods: Nuts (almonds, cashews, hazelnuts), seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds), peeled cucumber, rusks, dry bread, rice or rice cakes can also relieve heartburn. Here you should try for yourself whether these home remedies will also help you.

Healing earth: This is a powder containing minerals that also binds excess stomach acid. Simply stir one to two teaspoons of Healing Earth into a glass of still water and drink. You can get healing earth in the pharmacy or drugstore.

Baking powder: Baking powder or baking soda has a similar effect to healing earth. Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes gastric juice. Simply dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of still water and drink in small sips. However, this home remedy should not be used too often. If baking soda dissolves in water, carbon dioxide forms, i.e. carbonic acid, which can even increase reflux and also lead to unpleasant flatulence.

Does milk help heartburn?

For a long time, milk was the number one home remedy for heartburn. Its purpose is to dilute and neutralize gastric juice. However, the effect is controversial. In a study with 400 patients, Korean researchers were able to show that milk is not the best choice for heartburn.

Because milk and dairy products have a slightly acidic pH, they can actually make heartburn worse in sensitive people. Especially cow’s milk with a high fat content increases the acid value in the stomach. This is also because the digestion of fats takes longer and therefore leads to increased production of stomach acid.

Yoghurt, which is said to have a similar effect on the stomach to that of citrus fruits, seems to be particularly bad for heartburn. Low-fat milk and soy milk performed slightly better. A study by the medical faculty of the University of Texas with almost 400 subjects had already produced similar results to those in Korea in the 1990s.

People who suffer from lactose intolerance should avoid milk as a home remedy for heartburn anyway. Lactose-free milk can also promote heartburn, since the cause of the increased gastric acid production lies in the milk fat and not in the lactose. Conclusion: A glass of water is the better way to dilute the gastric juice.

Foods to avoid Cheap foods
Raw cooked vegetables
White flour products Whole grain products
Coffee and energy drinks Oat or almond milk
Tomato Oatmeal
fatty meat or sausage lean meat
Carbonated beverages still water
Peppermint tea, black and green tea Herbal teas (chamomile, caraway, fennel)
Spicy, salty or hot foods Nuts and seeds
Fruit juices and lemonades Rice and rice cakes
sour fruit (citrus fruits) potatoes

heartburn in children

Obesity and an unhealthy diet can also lead to heartburn in children and adolescents. About two to ten percent of children in Germany are regularly affected by heartburn. If your child frequently complains of pain behind the breastbone, hoarseness and possibly difficulty swallowing, you should definitely consult a pediatrician. “In addition to chest pain, a bitter taste in the mouth, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing or the feeling that food is getting stuck in the throat, or a dry cough can be signs of this,” explains Ulrich Fegeler from the professional association of paediatricians in Cologne.

“As a rule, a change in diet and lifestyle is enough,” says Fegeler. For the time being, fatty and fried foods should no longer be on the children’s menu, nor should citrus fruits and beverages, tomatoes, chili peppers and black pepper. Because they irritate the sensitive esophagus unnecessarily. It also helps if you make sure that the children eat slowly and chew well. Chewing gum after eating stimulates the production of saliva, which neutralizes the acid more quickly. A glass of lukewarm water or herbal tea after a meal has a similar effect. If none of these measures help, medication may be necessary.