Updated on April 24, 2024.
Heartburn might seem like a pretty simple condition. If you eat too much in one sitting (like an extra trip or two to the all-you-can-eat buffet), or eat the wrong things (like those spicy "inferno" chicken wings), you might feel that telltale burn in the back of the throat. So you slip an antacid and you're good to go.
But there's actually a lot more to heartburn than that. For example, did you know that a chronic cough could be heartburn-related? Or that the pain medications you take may bring on the burn? Or that there's a little-known heartburn remedy in the candy aisle?
Check out these four surprising facts about heartburn.
Triggers come in many shapes and sizes
If you are prone to heartburn, perhaps you've heard that you should avoid spicy foods, chocolate, colas, and acid-laden tomato-based dishes. But some lesser-known triggers may be hiding in your medicine cabinet. In particular, certain medications can weaken your lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and cause stomach contents to creep back up into your esophagus (the muscular tube that connects your throat to your stomach).
For example, over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin may contribute to heartburn. Another example is antihistamines (often used for allergy symptom relief), either OTC or prescription. Others medications that may contribute to heartburn include birth control pills and antispasmodics (often used to relieve the digestive distress associated with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS). Talk to your healthcare provider if you think medications may be contributing to your heartburn.
Remedies don't have to come from the medicine cabinet
Antacids and other heartburn medications are certainly one good option for soothing—or preventing—the burn. But there are a few other simple tricks you can to try to help find relief:
Chew gum for 30 minutes after a meal. Chewing gum stimulates swallowing, which reduces the acid reflux that often occurs after eating. Choose sugar-free varieties and avoid mint flavors. Mint can bring on heartburn.
Cut the salt and fat and up the fiber. Consuming less total fat and salt and more fiber may help reduce acid-reflux symptoms.
Stick with the tried and true. With all the heartburn advice out there, stick with strategies backed by the best evidence. Two proven heartburn beaters include losing weight and elevating the head of your bed for sleep. If you are overweight, dropping as little as 10 percent of your body weight can relieve heartburn symptoms.
Heartburn goes beyond the burn: cough, tickle, teeth
Frequent or severe reflux, called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), may not only irritate your esophagus. It may also contribute to sinusitis (inflammation of the sinusus, the spaces behind the nose inside your head), coughing, hoarseness, asthma, bad breath, gum inflammation, and erosion of your tooth enamel. The acidic reflux can irritate or damage just about any surface with which it comes into contact.
Your family tree may affect you
Does your father pop antacids like candy? Does your sister feel the burn after every latte? Genetics may account for up to 43 percent of your susceptibility to heartburn.
But no matter what the cause—whether it's chili fries, a pain pill, or taking after Dad—you have options for staying heartburn-free.
