Heartburn sufferers are one in saying that it is a very discomforting experience. The burning sensation that runs up your chest can be very alarming and the pain so excruciating, that many who suffers from the condition believes they have something more serious. Heartburn can also be a symptom of another more serious malady so this can be the case in some people. But for most of them, heartburn is simply caused by a particular food they ate or by excessive alcohol intake. However, who are the people that are more at risk with having the condition?
Alcohol drinkers for one are known to be particularly susceptible to heartburn. This is due to the fact that taking alcohol promotes the production of stomach acid and increases the sensitivity of the esophagus to acids. It is also a known cause of peptic ulcer so those who drink and has frequent heartburns may already have one, as it is also a symptom of that disease. People who frequently ingest fried fatty foods are also more immune. So are those that like citrus fruits, spicy foods and other acidic foods. Those who smoke in turn increase the ability of the stomach to produce more acids and at the same time decreases salivation. The saliva is known to contain elements which helps neutralize stomach acids.
Obesity is now being looked at as a possible risk factor in heartburn. The reason for it is that excess body fats pushes on the stomach, which increases gastric pressure. This facilitates the tendency of stomach acids to rise up the esophagus and produce heartburn. Pregnancy also causes the production of excess acids due to slow digestion rate and bowel movements, causing heartburn in pregnant women.
People who have certain diseases such as peptic ulcer and gastroparesis are frequent heartburn sufferers too. Peptic ulcer causes acid reflux which gives the burning sensation and pain which an individual feels in the chest area. Gastroparesis is a condition that is known to occur in diabetics. This is brought about when stomach nerves are damaged or stops working. The stomach then works abnormally causing excess stomach acids to be produced.
