Gastric Acid Reflux And Heartburn: Are They The Same?
Gastrointestinal diseases are the order of the day, as statistical portals estimate that 22% of Americans and 21% of Europeans over 18 years of age have 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 all of us, it is not so easy to answer the following questions: are both conditions the same? What are the differences between reflux and heartburn? Do not worry, because here we solve these doubts and many more.
What is heartburn?
First it is necessary that we limit that heartburn is a symptom, while gastroesophageal reflux can be the cause of it. Thus, heartburn is defined as a painful burning sensation in the chest or throat. According to the US National Library of Medicine, pregnancy, some foods, drugs, or alcoholic beverages can cause it.
Heartburn is a more common annoyance than many people might believe. Here are some statistics collected from various sites:
- 10% of adult humans have heartburn daily and 30% once a month.
- In the United States, the incidence – number of new cases in the population – was 26% in 2015.
- In general, it is estimated that 20% of the population in any given place and time suffers from heartburn.
What is gastric acid reflux?
On the other hand, gastric acid reflux is considered a clinical condition. According to pediatric portals, this pathology is characterized by a retreat of the stomach contents in the opposite direction, that is, towards the esophagus.
Humans have an opening between the stomach and the esophagus that acts as a door , which closes as soon as the bolus passes into the stomach. If it doesn’t work properly, food and stomach acids can back up into the esophagus, causing irritation and the heartburn described above.
What is GERD?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a more serious case of gastric acid reflux, that is, a chronic disease. One 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 that described in the previous case: the ring of muscle fibers – lower esophageal sphincter (LES) – does not close well, so the contents of the stomach can return to the esophagus.
According to the Spanish Federation of the Digestive System (FEAD), some of the symptoms are 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 waking up with a choking sensation.
Thus, we can conclude that 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 acid reflux
In the first place, health institutions such as the Mayo Clinic advise us of the following: if you have heartburn more than twice a week, if you have trouble swallowing, if you have nausea and vomiting or if you have lost weight due to this symptom, it is time to go quickly to the doctor.
In all other cases, reflux and heartburn can be controlled with over-the-counter medications. Some of the available ones are the following:
- Antacids, as their name suggests, reduce the effects of acid in the stomach, neutralizing it. They provide quick, short-term relief, plus they come in an easy-to-take 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. They are the best options to follow when H2 blockers don’t work or in people with GERD. Even so, its effect is much less immediate, since it takes a few days to start working. Omeprazole is a drug in this family.
Precautions to consider
There are risk factors that favor the appearance of gastric acid reflux and heartburn. For example, the consumption of alcohol or acidic substances like coffee can promote the condition.
On the other hand, obesity, pregnancy and smoking are also events that lead to this unpleasant reflux. As a last piece of advice, people prone to it are recommended not to go to bed less than three hours after eating, as this facilitates the rise of acids to the esophagus.
Control gastric acid reflux
As we have seen, this type of intestinal affections are common, since up to 30% of the population has heartburn at least once a month. Although it can be easy to fight heartburn from home, the most serious cases require immediate medical attention.
Given the question that we asked you at the beginning, we can conclude that heartburn is a symptom of gastric acid reflux. If this becomes chronic, the patient may develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
