What is the meaning of Heartburn? Concept and Definition of Heartburn

Definition, concept, meaning, what is heartburn

1. Concept of heartburn

Acidity (popularly acidity or heartburn) it is called a sensation of pain or burning in the esophagus, just below the breastbone, which is caused by regurgitation of acid gastrico.1 pain originates in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. Heartburn has been identified as one of the causes of chronic cough, and may even be confused with asthma.

Pathophysiology

The burning sensation is caused by exposure of the esophagus lower acids from the stomach contained. Normally, the lower esophageal sphincter that separates the esophagus from the stomach be undertaken to avoid this situation. If the sphincter relaxes for any reason (as usually happens when swallowing), the contents of the stomach, mixed with gastric acid, can return to the esophagus. This return is also known as reflux and it can become disease gastroesophageal reflux disease if it occurs frequently. Peristalsis, waves of rhythmic contraction muscle in the esophagus, normally carries food down and across time; Is in charge of cleaning the reflux of gastric contents. In addition, gastric acid can be neutralized with chemicals in the saliva swabs.
It is very common in the case of hiatal hernia.

Diagnosis

Can be easily diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux only based on their symptoms. When clinical status is not clear, other tests can be done to confirm the diagnosis or to exclude other diseases. Some confirmatory tests include:

Ambulatory pH monitoring

a tube can be placed through the nose into the esophagus to record the level of acidity in the lower esophagus. A slight variation in acidity is normal reflux events and small are common this type of monitoring must run at least 24 hours to confirm the diagnosis. This test is especially useful when the patient's symptoms could be related to episodes of increased esophageal acidity.

Upper gastrointestinal series

take a series of x-rays of the upper digestive system after drinking a barium solution. This may cause reflux of barium into the esophagus, which suggests the possibility of the disease of. For greater accuracy, fluoroscopy, can be used to detect the reflux in real-time.

Manometry

This test uses a pressure sensor (manometer) which is passed through the mouth into the esophagus and measures the pressure of the esophageal sphincter directly.

Endoscopy

the esophageal mucosa can be visualized directly to insert a thin tube with an integrated camera (endoscope) through the mouth to examine the esophagus and stomach. Signs of inflammation of the esophagus may be detected in this way, and if you need to take a biopsy of. From the endoscopy allows the physician visually inspect the upper digestive tract, this procedure can help you identify additional damage that would have not detected if not.

Biopsy

a small sample of tissue from the esophagus is taken to study and review any inflammation or presence of cancer or other problems.

2. Definition of heartburn

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is a symptom common digestive system consists of the burning or burning sensation, usually located in the area of the upper abdomen or in the chest behind the breastbone. Heartburn comes up from the stomach and can reach the base of the neck and throat.
This symptom is commonly described by the patient with the following terms: heartburn, ardentia, burning or heartburn.
Heartburn usually appear immediately after eating and can trigger after heavy meals. Lying down after meals also can aggravate heartburn.
The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease and heartburn
Heartburn occurs as a result of the contact of acid from the stomach, with the wall of the esophagus. The wall of the esophagus is not protected as to resist the action of the acid from the stomach. When the acid of the stomach moves upward, becomes the esophagus where it can irritate the wall and cause stimulation of nerve endings that transmit sensitivity painful in the form of burning or burning.
The esophagus is a muscular tube about 25 cm in length that extends from the pharynx to the stomach. On his tour, follows the curvature of the spine and the neck and chest to the abdomen.
The passage of the contents of the stomach, the esophagus is called reflux gastro-oesophageal. Heartburn is the symptom that is most frequently associated with gastroesophageal reflux.
Acid, there are other substances from the stomach such as pepsin and digestive lower sections as the bile, which are also irritating to the esophagus. These substances can reach esophageal reflux and also produce a sensation of burning or heartburn.
There is a normal or physiological, reflux that can occur with some frequency during and after eating. This type of reflux occurs rarely during the night and its duration is less than 5 minutes. Can be associated or not with symptoms such as heartburn and not pathological. On the contrary, pathological reflux occurs in some people and is characterized by frequent, repeated and prolonged. In addition, during episodes of this pathological reflux esophageal pH drops significantly, indicating the existence of the acidity in the esophagus.
Pathologic gastroesophageal reflux occurs in the disease gastroesophageal reflux.

What is gastroesophageal reflux?

Acid reflux can be accompanied by little or no heartburn in some people or otherwise, can cause symptoms important and frequent in others or injury to the esophagus causing what are called disease gastroesophageal reflux. This disease is defined as a set of symptoms or resulting from inflammatory alterations in the esophagus of reflux episodes.
Many people have any heartburn episode throughout his life without any importance or associated disease. Others, however, develop disease gastroesophageal reflux.
Would what factors favour the emergence of reflux and heartburn?
Union of the esophagus and the stomach acts as a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter (Los). Swallowing food passes through the esophagus down and relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the passage of food in the stomach. The lower esophageal sphincter normally only allow the passage of food down, but sometimes the sphincter is weak and allows the passage of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus.
Weakness and incompetence of the era may be caused by certain factors which include the following:
• Alterations anatomical as those that occur in the hiatal hernia, or after certain surgical procedures in the area.
• Some diseases that affect the muscles.
• Pregnancy.
• Certain drugs.
• Tobacco.
The hearty meals and certain foods can promote heartburn, varying from one patient to another (meals on fats, spicy or fried, chocolate, coffee, tea, alcohol and soft drinks, mainly).
Obesity, lack of exercise in general, and lying down after meals can also contribute to its appearance.

3. Meaning of heartburn

Heartburn is a notion of which is linked to the burning Greek. The concept is used to name a malaise that feels to warn an ardor that occur between the throat and the stomach.
The feeling of excessive heat may appear next to the secretion of saliva and a buildup of gases. Also known as heartburn, heartburn occurs when the person stomach acid regurgitates.
Normally, stomach acid does not enter into contact with the esophagus. However, when the esophageal sphincter relaxation occurs when swallowing, it is likely that what had happened in the stomach into the esophagus, now mixed with acid. This action is called reflux.
In a body that works in a way healthy, peristalsis is responsible for controlling reflux while saliva helps to neutralize the acid. However, a hiatal hernia or other disorders, heartburn can make their appearance.
There are many ways to combat the acidity. Drugs that can be prescribed by a doctor, are called inhibitors of pump of protons, certain antihistamines and, of course, antacids of.
Control of the diet is also important, since some foods have higher incidence in the emergence of reflux and heartburn. Drink a lot of water can be useful, since it helps to dilute the acids in the stomach.
Is likely that, before heartburn, the doctor suggests several studies that ruled out the presence of other evils. Endoscopy (with a biopsy of tissue from the esophagus), manometry and x-ray of the upper digestive tract are some of the possibilities of.