I've been having acid reflux and heartburn recently. Do you know what this is about?

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the upper abdomen or lower chest, accompanied by symptoms of gastric acid reflux. Heartburn is one of the most common symptoms of digestive system. For most people, the most common reason is eating too fast or too much. However, even if some people pay great attention to their diet, they often get heartburn. Some people get heartburn after eating certain foods, such as wine and pepper. These foods can relax your lower esophageal sphincter or increase gastric acid secretion, which can lead to heartburn.

For most people, especially young people, the symptoms of heartburn may be very serious, but they are often short-lived and rarely recur. For many elderly people, because of the decline of digestive system function, even if they are very careful, the symptoms of heartburn will often accompany them. Cold weather, slightly cold food and indigestible food can all cause symptoms of heartburn.

Heartburn is not as life-threatening as heart disease, but when you want to lean back on the sofa and watch your favorite TV programs after dinner, the burning sensation in your upper abdomen and the surging acid water make you have to sit up straight, even if the interesting programs are believed to be boring.

If you want to avoid heartburn, you should first pay attention to your daily diet, avoid eating too fast, and at the same time try to eat less or not to eat certain foods, such as tea, coffee, fried food, candy, peppers and spirits. But even if the food that can cause heartburn is not in the above range, avoid eating this kind of food.

Secondly, don't lie in bed or bend over immediately after a meal, and don't start strenuous exercise immediately. A wise choice is to take a relaxing walk 30 minutes after meals, which can help digestion and relieve heartburn symptoms.

If the above methods still fail, you can also choose some antacid drugs such as calcium carbonate tablets and aluminum hydroxide gel, which can neutralize stomach acid and quickly eliminate heartburn symptoms, but if you take these drugs for a long time, it will cause constipation or diarrhea;

If you often have severe heartburn, or if the symptoms are severe and persistent, don't just think that you are old or have an improper diet. It is your wisest choice to have a doctor's examination.