If you notice that spicy food makes your chest hurt or you experience a burning sensation in your throat and chest after you’ve eaten and then laid down, chances are that you’re dealing with heartburn. Heartburn affects most people at least once in their life, but it’s important that you speak with your gastroenterologist if it’s something you experience twice a week or more. Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim, your gastroenterologists at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD, can explain what could be causing your heartburn and how you can avoid it.

What Causes Heartburn?

As food travels down the esophagus and into the stomach, the lower end of the esophagus is supposed to close to help prevent food from coming back up. However, if this area is weak, it may not close and then your food and stomach acid will travel back up and cause heartburn.

There are issues that can cause you to be at a higher risk for heartburn and it’s important to discuss these with your gastroenterologists in Greenbelt, MD. Some common risk factors include drinking alcohol or coffee, eating spicy, greasy, or processed food, being overweight, and laying down after eating a large meal.

Luckily, there are ways to prevent heartburn with medications and lifestyle changes. You may need to take different medications to treat symptoms and avoid alcohol, improve your diet, and losing weight if necessary. In severe cases, when medications and lifestyle changes aren’t helping, surgery might be necessary to tighten the sphincter in your esophagus and reduce your heartburn symptoms.

Contact Your Gastroenterologist Today

Make the changes necessary so that you can avoid the pain of heartburn. Contact Dr. Sushil Rattan and Dr. Radman Mostaghim, your gastroenterologists at GI Med Health in Greenbelt, MD, to learn about the causes of heartburn and how it’s treated. Call for more information today and to schedule an appointment at (301) 982-7900.