Heartburn

The real reason why acidic foods may be a problem

Pour lemon juice on your hand. It feels wet but doesn’t hurt.

Stomach acid is as strong as battery acid. Pour that on your hand and it will cause major damage.

Now pour Lemon juice on the scarring and it will hurt - but the lemon juice didn't cause the damage.

Oesophagitis (inflammation and scarring of the oesophagus) is caused by stomach acid having damaged the delicate lining of the oesophagus. Now any acid passing over it, be it from more reflux or food or drink passing over it, may cause the heartburn pain. But it’s not the food or drink that caused the damage.

If the oesophagitis is permitted to heal (by taking acid suppressants for a few weeks), acidic foods should no longer cause a problem.

Page updated 23 March 2023