Heartburn not to be ignored

Web posted February 11, 1997

By Shirley McIntosh
Staff Columnist

Q:My husband has heartburn nearly every day. He chews antacid tablets by the handful and is convinced nothing serious is wrong. I think otherwise, but I can't get him to see a doctor about it. Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? - P.A., Augusta

A:Heartburn is not something to ignore. Unless someone just loves misery, there is no reason to put up with daily discomfort when help is readily available.

In your husband's case, if over-the-counter medications were really working, he wouldn't be going through a bottle of tablets a day.

Some people resist going to the doctor because they fear that something serious is wrong. They dread the prospect of surgery, for example, and so they just ignore the problem and hope it will go away.

But someone like your husband has little to fear because no more than 5 percent of heartburn patients need surgery.

About 10 percent of adults suffer from chronic heartburn. Here are some of the most common causes of the problem:

DIET: What we put into our bodies cannot help but have some effect upon us, for good or bad. In the case of heartburn, the muscle that closes off the stomach at the base of the esophagus is weakened or relaxed by consumption of fatty foods, alcohol, caffeine and chocolate. Chemicals in cigarette smoke also have a relaxing effect on this muscle, allowing powerful stomach acids to enter the esophagus. This ``acid reflux'' is what causes heartburn.

TOO MUCH FOOD: How much we put into our bodies, whether it's junk food or healthy food, can also cause heartburn. A large meal, even if it's tofu and bean sprouts, can expand the stomach and put extra pressure on the muscle that keeps stomach acid out of the esophagus.

AFTER-SUPPER HABITS: Lying down after a meal slows down the stomach's processing capacity, thereby prolonging the time that pressure is exerted on the muscle by a full meal. Those strong digestive acids that could probably destroy a steel nail in short order are also kept on the job longer. And it is easy to see that simple gravity also can exert additional pressure when you're lying down.

It isn't too hard to figure out the solutions to these problem-causers. Avoid a diet high in fat, caffeine, chocolate and alcohol. Exercise moderation in all things, including the amount of food you eat. Finally, sit up during the evening hours instead of stretching out on the couch after supper. And avoid late-night snacks.

In the realm of medical assistance, a number of potent prescription and over-the-counter drugs work to reduce acid production in the stomach. Ask your doctor what is best for you but remember that lifestyle changes will help the medicines do their job. It makes no sense to expect drugs to do all the work while you counteract their effectiveness with bad habits!

Finally, it must be remembered that chronic heartburn is nothing to ignore. It can lead to more serious problems, including an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus. The person who ignores heartburn fearing bad news will eventually get it. And the person who seeks relief will find it has been waiting all along.

If you have a question or want additional information, write to Shirley McIntosh, Resource Center on Aging, 2803 Wrightsboro Road, Suite 51, Augusta, Ga. 30909.