While many people only associate the occurrence of heartburn with eating certain foods or sleeping in the wrong position at night, there are other triggers for heartburn. One of these is smoking.
You may think that smoking only affects your lungs, so how could it possibly trigger heartburn. It has been found, however, that smoking can trigger heartburn in ways you may not realize.
One reason smoking is a bad idea is because smoking can weaken and relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is a valve at the junction between esophagus and stomach. If the LES isn't working properly or relaxes inappropriately, stomach contents can reflux back up into the esophagus.
Another reason smoking is a bad idea for heartburn sufferers is because smoking stimulates the production of stomach acid.
Read more reasons why smoking and heartburn don't go together.
