What is acid reflux?
Acid reflux is a normal and common condition in the body that most people experience during their lifetime. This common condition occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. People who suffer from heartburn, mainly feel a burning sensation in the chest and below. In addition to this burning sensation, other symptoms of acid reflux include:
- Nausea
- Heartburn: A burning sensation in the chest that may worsen after eating or lying down
- Chest pain: a feeling of pressure or discomfort in the chest that may resemble a heart attack
- Indigestion
- Stomach acid reflux: sour or bitter taste in the throat due to increased stomach acid
Difficulty in swallowing, feeling of food stuck in the throat
- Bad Breath
- Chronic cough or hoarseness
What causes acid reflux?
At the end of the esophagus, there is a muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). This muscle opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach.
When you swallow, the LES relaxes, allowing food to move from your esophagus to your stomach. The LES normally stays closed when you are not eating to help keep stomach contents inside the stomach.
Sometimes, the LES relaxes when it shouldn’t, or the LES becomes weak. When this happens, food and stomach acid back up into your esophagus, causing a burning sensation.
Premature relaxation or weakness of the LES can occur for the following reasons:
- Being overweight or obese
Taking certain medications, muscle relaxants, blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants, or sedatives
- Performing previous stomach or esophagus surgeries
- Smoking or being exposed to cigarette smoke
- Eating large meals or lying down immediately after eating
- Eating spicy or fatty foods
- Pregnancy
- Hiatal hernia
Additionally, low thyroid hormone levels can also affect how your LES functions.
What is the connection between hypothyroidism and gastric reflux?
When the thyroid gland is underactive, a lack of thyroid hormone may weaken muscle contractions. As mentioned, a weak contraction causes the contents of the stomach to pass into the esophagus
In addition, the esophagus also requires muscle contractions to move food down. A lack of thyroid hormone may slow down the motility of the esophagus, meaning it takes longer for food to enter your stomach and digestive tract, which can lead to difficulty swallowing, a sign of heartburn.
Also, stomach contents may stay longer in the stomach because thyroid hormone deficiency reduces gastro-esophageal motility. The longer your stomach contents stay in your stomach, the more likely you are to experience heartburn symptoms.
Another connection that may exist between thyroid hormone deficiency and heartburn is that the use of certain medications to treat thyroid disorders can reduce this problem. Some medications, such as levothyroxine, can alter stomach acid levels and help with heartburn symptoms.
In addition, people with thyroid hormone deficiency may experience tension and anxiety, which can aggravate heartburn.
Solutions to control heartburn in people with hypothyroidism
Here are some strategies to control heartburn in people suffering from thyroid hormone deficiency:
- Management of hypothyroidism:
Make sure your hypothyroidism is well under control and take the medications prescribed by your doctor.
It is also important to perform periodic thyroid tests and frequent reviews by a doctor.
- Change in behavior and lifestyle:
– Nutrition: eating light, low-fat and easy-to-digest foods can help reduce heartburn. Avoid consuming foods containing saturated and acidic fats.
– Increasing the number of meals and snack consumption: instead of three large meals, eat small and frequent meals.
– Avoiding food before going to sleep: eating before going to sleep can aggravate heartburn.
– Reducing the consumption of alcohol and tobacco: these substances can aggravate the symptoms of heartburn.
- Medicines:
– Proton pump inhibitors: Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are a group of drugs whose main function in the body is to reduce stomach acid. They are the strongest group among similar drugs. These drugs can reduce the production of stomach acid.
– Gastric antacid drugs: such as H2 receptor antagonists
– Combined drugs: some drugs are a combination of PPIs and H2 receptor antagonists.
- Doctor’s consultation:
– Consultation with a specialist doctor is an important step. Your doctor can prescribe medications and behavioral changes based on the severity of your symptoms and condition.
Note that you should always consult your doctor and take the medicines according to the doctor’s instructions
- Quit smoking
Smoking is a known risk factor for acid reflux. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking. Some find nicotine patches, gum, or other medications helpful.
- Weight loss
One of the common symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain, and many find it difficult to lose weight even after starting thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Losing weight reduces acid reflux symptoms by reducing pressure on the LES, allowing it to open and close properly. Consider consulting a nutritionist or an exercise trainer to help you with your weight loss process.
References
https://www.palomahealth.com/learn/hypothyroidism-acid-reflux#anchor6
