Can oregano help with heartburn?

Heartburn can be a very uncomfortable condition to deal with as it leaves you with burning sensation and pain in the chest. Pain that will move from the stomach and right up to the throat. A stressful feeling of acid backing up to the throat and mouth. Constantly belching, burping, and feeling as if you are dealing with dyspepsia (nauseous feeling).

Oregano oil can be a natural heartburn treatment and also for numerous gastrointestinal and stomach issues (1). Oregano has been used for thousands of years by ancient Chinese healers for indigestion and many related stomach problems which makes oregano a possible go-to natural treatment for heartburn.

In the subsequent paragraphs, we will be able to have a better understanding of heartburn, the cause, and how it can be prevented. The symptoms shall be disclosed and how heartburns can be diagnosed. Also, we will learn how oregano oil can be used to help individuals dealing with heartburn. With the above information, we can best remedy the uncomfortable experience with heartburn.

What is heartburn?

Looking at the name, many people are still convinced heartburn conditions have something to do with the heart. Even though it is called heartburn, it has nothing to do with the heart. However, some of the symptoms associated with heartburn are similar to those of heart diseases including heart attack (2).

Heartburn common health issue of which almost everyone can experience it at some point in their life (3). It is a kind of uncomfortable indigestion that can cause burning sensations around the upper abdomen rising up to the neck (4)

It is also considered as an irritation of the tube that connects the throat and the stomach known as the esophagus which is caused by stomach acid (5). The burning discomfort is always experienced around the upper belly or below the breastbone and slowly makes its way up to the neck and throat.

A common man describes it as indigestion but doctors call it gastroesophageal reflux disease, reflux, or GERD to keep it short (6). Reflux is caused due to the rising of stomach acid right up to the esophagus which is normally associated with fluids or foods taken into the mouth.

Millions of people suffer from heartburn every day and over 20% of adults in America experience painful heartburn conditions every week. Over 60 million Americans suffer heartburn every year but only a limited few are aware of the simple natural heartburn remedies that can treat the digestive problem that comes with it (7).

What causes heartburn?

Heartburn conditions can be traced right back from the muscular valve which is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which is located where the esophagus meets the stomach (8). Gravity plays a great role to keep stomach acids at their right place which is in the stomach. With everything looking good, the LES only opens to let food into the stomach or when you need to belch and closes. However, with the frequent opening of the LES, or in a case whereby it opens and fails to close properly, stomach acids seize the opportunity to make their way up to the esophagus, causing the burning sensation and eventually heartburn.

There exist two possibilities for why our LES can fail to tighten up and prevent stomach acid to escape. Either through overeating by putting too much food in the stomach or too much pressure on the stomach usually due to obesity, constipation, or pregnancy (9).

Some known triggers of heartburn may include;

• Citrus fruits (eg limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit)
• Tomatoes
• Garlic and onions
• chocolate
• coffee or caffeinated products
• Alcohol
• peppermint
• Fried foods and meals especially with low-quality refined oils.
• Processed foods with preservatives, flavors, artificial sweeteners
• Lying down immediately after eating
• Medications like aspirin or ibuprofen can trigger heartburn for some people. Other medications like sedatives and medications for high blood pressure.
• Exercising on a full stomach can also trigger heartburn.

If you are dealing with heartburn, it does not necessarily mean you have to give up on all these food but you will have to be watchful of what you eat that triggers the symptoms or any pain. The reactions of acidic food to everyone is different, which means, what can trigger heartburn for one person can be different for another person (10).

For the very first step, you will have to seriously avoid processed foods with artificial flavors, fried or sweetened like corn, cereals, potato chips, cookies, muffins, and anything with refined vegetable oils. Cut back on oils like canola, corn, soybean, and sunflower.

Signs and symptoms of heartburn.

If you are experiencing a burning sensation in your chest and just behind your breastbone usually after a meal, then you might be suffering from heartburn. The symptoms can last from a few minutes and up to several hours. Besides the burning sensation in the chest you can also experience;

• Chest pain usually after eating, lie down, or when you bend over.
• You may feel burning at the back of the throat
• You may taste some fluid at the back of the throat that tastes hot, acidic, sour, or salty. This can be through regurgitation.
• Might lead to long-term cough, sore throat or hoarseness (11)
• Burping, belching, and feeling nauseous.

Diagnosis

The description of the symptoms may be all the doctors need to tell if it is a heartburn condition or not. However, additional testing might be required to rule out all other possibilities of diagnosing the condition.

For further examination, an endoscope can be used to have a closer look at the esophagus. An endoscope is a thin, long, and flexible tube that can be inserted through the mouth.

Also, your doctor may also find it necessary to undertake a 24-hour esophageal pH probe study, in cases whereby the patient is experiencing extreme and unusual symptoms. These unusual symptoms may include, pain in the throat, chest or abdomen, coughing, or asthma-like symptoms (12).

With the esophageal pH probe test, a long narrow flexible tube is passed through the nose and into the esophagus where a probe is kept there for 24 hours. This is done to detect acid levels and to determine the correlations to your symptoms. A more developed technique called “Bravo” can be done to measure up to 48-hour of acid activities. This can be realized using a wireless pH sensor that does not require the insertion of a tube.

Furthermore, to detect if your heart is the cause of the symptoms, an electrocardiogram (ECG) may be done to record the heart electrical activity (12a).

Why oregano can cure heartburn?

Oregano which is also known as the joy of the mountain, the miracle plant from God has never stopped to amaze us with its far-reaching health benefits. Oregano has been used for thousands of years by ancient healers to treat digestive issues, respiratory conditions, and numerous stomach issues.

Oregano oil is an essential oil extracted from the Oreganum Vulgare plant through a unique distillation process which can be used in numerous ways to fight against acid reflux. Oregano oil can be diffused, ingested, or applied as a soothing balm.

One of the outstanding characteristics of oregano essential oil is known to be its anti-inflammatory property which makes it great in relieving us from heartburn conditions. The burning sensation which is caused by the digestive fluid from the stomach can irritate the lining of the esophagus and throat. Heightened inflammation can be caused and even gets worse if the acidic fluids stay on the lining of the throat for some time (13).

Oregano is also known to help fight against digestive conditions. Oregano can be ingested to give our digestive system a boost and maintain the acidity level at a lower rate and preventing acid reflux.

How oregano oil can be used for heartburn

Before we go deep into how to use oregano oil for heartburn it is important to understand the possibilities of taking oregano and who should avoid using oregano oil.

The very first thing to do is to discuss the use of oregano oil with your doctor for more professional advice. Avoid to use oregano to fight against heartburn during pregnancy as the use of oregano is not advisable for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Also, make sure you are not allergic to oregano as people who are allergic to plants of the Lamiaceae plant family can be allergic to oregano as they all belong under the same class. These plants may include, mint, sage, basil, marjoram.

If you are diabetic, oregano is known to lower blood sugar levels and it is not advisable to take oregano with your medication. Oregano can also promote the flow of blood in the system which is a reason you have to stay away from oregano if you are on a blood-thinning treatment or taking anticoagulants.

The best ways to use oregano oil for heartburn conditions

To use oregano oil for heartburn you can safely ingest it to boost the digestive system, diffuse the oil to clear your respiratory tract and the throat, or prepare your own soothing balm and apply on the abdomen. You can apply all three for effective results.

Ingesting oregano oil for heartburn doesn’t require much of the oil. Just a single drop of oregano into a glass of water is fine. You can also add a single drop in your cup of tea or any beverage of your choice. You can also add a single drop of oregano on a tablespoon of a carrier oil of your choice and take it orally.

If you find the taste of oregano unpleasant, then you can use oregano capsules for your convenience.

To diffuse oregano oil, you can add 5-6 drops of oregano in a 500ml diffuser and place in the bedroom at least an hour before bed-time. You can as well diffuse oregano oil in your living area as you take on your daily activities.

Using oregano oil as a soothing balm can help greatly when applied to the abdomen and back when dealing with heartburn. You can add 2-3 drops of oregano with a tablespoon of a carrier oil and massage the abdomen gently.

How to prevent heartburn

• Try to eat smaller portions of food throughout the day.
• Avoid foods that can increase stomach acid like coffee, caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, fried foods, processed foods with artificial substances, tomatoes, citrus fruits, onion, garlic.
• Focus on eating more healing foods like fresh organic vegetables, healthy fats, quality animal proteins, healthy fish like tuna, sardines, salmon and wild-caught tuna, bone broth, aloe vera, raw honey, ginger, parsley to nourish the digestive tract. Probiotics like yogurts, or raw unpasteurized cheeses, fermented vegetables, apple cider vinegar, almonds
• Drink teas like ginger tea, chamomile tea, fennel tea.
• Control your stress levels.
• Avoid medications that can cause or trigger the symptoms. Talk to your doctor to consider other possible medications. Drugs taken for birth control are common examples. Also, drugs that are taken to treat high blood pressure.
• If you are a smoker, then quit smoking
• Exercise to lose weight.

EndNote

Oregano can be a great natural treatment for your heartburn but we must make sure we are using the right oil which is obtained from the wild oregano plant. It has to be 100% organic and therapeutic grade manufactured by a reputable company. Always remember to dilute oregano oil with a carrier oil and never to take the oil on an empty stomach. You can also conveniently use oregano capsules if you detest the taste of oregano oil. Share your experience with oregano so we can all learn and benefit from it. You can impact the lives of many people.