Heartburn During Pregnancy
Heartburn is a type of pain or discomfort that can happen in the throat or chest. It is often described as a burning sensation. Heartburn is common during pregnancy because:
• A hormone (progesterone) released during pregnancy may relax the valve (lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) that separates the esophagus from the stomach. This allows stomach acid to move up into the esophagus, causing heartburn.
• The uterus gets larger and pushes up on the stomach, which pushes more acid into the esophagus. This is especially true in the later stages of pregnancy.
Heartburn usually goes away or gets better after giving birth.
CAUSES
Heartburn is caused by stomach acid backing up into the esophagus (reflux). Reflux
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SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of this condition include:
• Burning pain in the chest or lower throat.
• Bitter taste in the mouth.
• Coughing.
Symptoms may get worse when you lie down or bend over. They are often worse at night.
DIAGNOSIS
This condition is diagnosed based on:
• Your medical history.
• Your symptoms.
• Blood tests to check for a certain type of bacteria associated with heartburn.
• Whether taking heartburn medicine relieves your symptoms.
• Examination of the stomach and esophagus using a tube with a light and camera on the end (endoscopy).
TREATMENT
Treatment varies depending on how severe your symptoms are. Your health care provider may recommend:
• Over-the-counter medicines (antacids or acid reducers) for mild heartburn.
• Prescription medicines to decrease stomach acid or to protect your stomach lining.
• Certain changes in your diet.
• Raising the head of your bed so that it is higher than the foot of the bed. This helps prevent stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus when you are lying down.
HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Eating and drinking
• Identify foods and beverages that make your symptoms worse and avoid them. Foods and beverages that you may want to avoid
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• Chocolate and cocoa.
• Peppermint and mint flavorings.
• Garlic and onions.
• Horseradish.
• Spicy and acidic foods, including peppers, chili powder, curry powder, vinegar, hot sauces, and barbecue sauce.
• Citrus fruit juices and citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and limes.
• Tomato-based foods, such as red sauce, chili, salsa, and pizza with red sauce.
• Fried and fatty foods, such as donuts, french fries, potato chips, and high-fat dressings.
• High-fat meats, such as hot dogs and fatty cuts of red and white meats, such as rib eye steak, sausage, ham, and bacon.
• High-fat dairy items, such as whole milk, butter, and cream cheese.
• Eat small, frequent meals instead of large meals.
• Avoid drinking large amounts of liquid with your meals.
• Avoid eating meals during the 2–3 hours before bedtime.
• Avoid lying down right after you eat.
• Do not exercise right after you eat. General Instructions
• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider. Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs unless your health care provider instructs you to do
bottom edges are not tightly shut, and acid moves form the stomach up into the
In this article, you are informed about a disease that is occurring more often in our society. It is commonly referred to as “heartburn” but is more appropriately named acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Most people suffer from this disease, but think nothing of it. Perhaps they have felt it after a big meal, lying down after eating, during pregnancy, or even when bending over. Most people feel that GERD occurs after eating spicy foods, when in fact the major cause of GERD is fatty foods and the quantity of foods eaten.
Do you have health problems that prevent you from getting a full nights rest? Did you know if you just elevate your torso and head it might help you get a better nights sleep? Well what people may not know is that there is a pillow out there called a "wedge pillow" It is almost shaped like a tiny ramp pillow. It can elevate your body and prevent sleep disturbances such as snoring or GERD. it also helps with other problems such as allergies or post nasal drip. Customers that have used the pillow state they have no cramping after using the pillow.
• If antibiotics were prescribed, take them as directed. Finish them even if you start to feel better.
During pregnancy the organ systems change in efforts to make room for the growing baby and to support the both the mother and the babies life. The digestive and the urinary systems are impacted primarily due to the growth of the uterus. Because the uterus is growing it may cause heartburn, and the growing uterus puts pressure on the urinary track which may cause the mother to be, to use the bathroom more often. The circulatory system changes because the blood flow increases.
Such factors as increased consuming of alcohol, smoking, chewing tobacco and radiation treatments can increase the risks of developing peptic ulcers. Thus following diagnosis, patients are advised to cut down on smoking and drinking alcohol, and also to increase regular intakes of small meals.
You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or breastfeeding. Consultation with a medical health care practitioner is always advisable.
After reviewing and analyzing each patient scenario, the most challenging patient, is the patient Jasmine, experiencing contractions and increased heartburn in her third trimester. Consequently, requiring priority clinical attention and care.
• Rapidly increasing levels of hCG, estrogen, and other hormones during early pregnancy No one knows why they may contribute to your nausea, but the timing is right: Nausea tends to peak around the same time as your levels of these hormones do.
A scan to see how well the bile moves from your liver to your gallbladder and small intestine. This is an HIDA (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid) scan.
According to a research article by Lee and Saha (2013), 70 to 80 percent of all pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is believed to be caused by rapidly rising serum levels of the hormones human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and estrogen (Cleveland Clinic, 2012). However, when nausea and vomiting becomes severe to the point that it can cause electrolyte imbalances, weight loss, and dehydration (Cleveland Clinic, 2012), then it becomes a disorder called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (Lee & Saha, 2013). The Cleveland Clinic (2012) describes Hyperemesis Gravidarum as “an uncommon disorder in which extreme, persistent nausea and vomiting occur during pregnancy.”
These symptoms may represent a serious problem that is an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.). Do not drive yourself to the hospital.
Everyday people get ill from the food they eat. Micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses and moulds found in food can cause food poisoning, leading to unpleasant symptoms such as stomach pains, diarrhoea and vomiting. Food poisoning can sometimes lead to gastroenteritis, which is inflammation of your stomach and bowel or even more serious health problems, such as blood poisoning (septicaemia) and kidney failure. Anyone can get food poisoning but some people, including babies, children and older people, are more likely to have serious symptoms. If you’re pregnant, you need to be particularly careful not to get food poisoning.
The gastroenterology department at a hospital specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive tract and liver. The physicians in this department are Gastroenterologists, who may perform approximately 30,000 minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures. Due to the vast number of diseases that can affect all parts of the Gastrointestinal tract, including the alimentary canal and accessory organs, these specialists are extremely important and can be vital to the health of anyone. These doctors specialize in but are not limited to the mouth, stomach, colon, small and large intestine, teeth, liver, tongue, salivary glands. (Mayo Clinic, 2010).
The best sleeping/lying position is to place a pillow under the head (not the shoulders). Choose a pillow that is not too thick to avoid back strain. You can also use a pillow between the legs for support.