{"id":19228,"date":"2021-04-21T14:11:36","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T13:11:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=19228"},"modified":"2021-04-21T14:11:36","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T13:11:36","slug":"heartburn-hiccups-why-these-symptoms-could-be-something-more-serious-than-a-casual-annoyance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2021\/04\/heartburn-hiccups-why-these-symptoms-could-be-something-more-serious-than-a-casual-annoyance\/","title":{"rendered":"Heartburn & Hiccups: Why These Symptoms Could Be Something More Serious Than A Casual Annoyance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In recent years the incidence of diseases like oesophageal or gastric cancer are on the increase. Thanks to the stresses and strains of modern life \u2013 in some cases unhealthy diets, an overabundance of processed foods and excessive levels of alcohol can contribute to the development of cancer, however, in many cases no obvious causes are ever determined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with most cancers, if they\u2019re diagnosed at an early stage, they\u2019re more likely to be treatable and \u2013 in many cases \u2013 curable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is, however, that these two types of cancer tend to be more gradual than others since their symptoms often resemble those of less serious and often simply annoying medical conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing and even plain hiccupping. For some people symptoms don\u2019t begin to appear until the cancer is more advanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heartburn\/indigestion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re all familiar with the Gaviscon adverts, aren\u2019t we? The firemen putting out the fire with their hoses and everything returning to normal? Anyone watching those adverts thinks, \u2018Yes, I get heartburn. That will do nicely thanks\u2026.\u2019 A couple of spoons of an anti-heartburn medication and you\u2019re good to go\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think that way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think again\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certainly heartburn and indigestion are now common occurrences \u2013 and increasingly so – thanks to acidic foods, fatty meals, fizzy drinks and excess alcohol, but, unfortunately, heartburn and other \u2018annoying\u2019 medical issues can be a sign that there\u2019s much more wrong than first meets the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, let\u2019s look at the science\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it\u2019s called \u2018heartburn\u2019, heartburn doesn\u2019t actually have anything to do with the heart. In fact, it\u2019s not even located over the heart, but behind the breastbone. In most cases it\u2019s caused by acid reflux, which involves the acid in the stomach travelling back up the oesophagus (your gullet), causing a burning sensation in the oesophagus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put simply, at the point where your oesophagus meets your stomach, there is a muscle valve called the oesophageal sphincter, which ensures that your food passes in one direction from your gullet to your stomach. As soon as you eat something, this sphincter opens up to let food pass into your stomach. For the rest of the time, however, it should remain closed so that the contents of your stomach don\u2019t come back up again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this sphincter \u2013 or valve if you like \u2013 isn\u2019t working properly, then the contents of your stomach are regurgitated or brought back up into your oesophagus, causing acid reflux and heartburn. Over a period of time the acid can cause inflammation in your gullet, leading to pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this pain can range from the benign to the much more serious. When heartburn becomes almost permanent and is accompanied by other related symptoms, it is then referred to as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage it may also be accompanied by symptoms such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n