We have all experienced it at one time or another. That burning, bloated feeling that accompanies a big meal. It is usually relieved by loosening your belt, or the top button of your pants. These symptoms are caused by indigestion. Certain foods can irritate the lining of your digestive track, and cause indigestion. It is not a frequent occurrence, and will resolve after a few hours, with no intervention.
Sometimes that burning sensation creeps up behind your breastbone, accompanied by bloating, gas, nausea and a sour taste in the back of your throat. These are all symptoms of heartburn.
Any of these symptoms of acid reflux can occur individually, or all together. It is caused by the hydrochloric acid that your stomach uses to digest your food, backs up into your esophagus. When it happens occasionally, it is called heartburn. If it turns into a frequent occurrence, it is called a symptom of acid reflux.
When you swallow, your food passes through your esophagus, into your stomach. There is a muscle at the bottom of your esophagus that lets the food pass through, and then closes to prevent anything from escaping back up. This muscle can become weak for a variety of reasons, such as pregnancy, being overweight, stress, or as a natural event of ageing.
It also frequently happens in newborns. The muscle is not strong enough to seal the stomach. It is often called colic in babies, and they frequently outgrow the problem.
One study found that 57% of acid reflux sufferers also had a hiatal hernia that allowed the stomach acid to splash back into the esophagus, causing irritation and tissue damage.
If stomach acid makes it's way back into your lungs, it will cause you to be short of breath, and to suffer from asthma like symptoms. Repeated irritation of the lining of the esophagus will cause scarring and cell changes that can lead to cancer.
If you suffer from any symptom of acid reflux, or take antacids more than three times a week, it is time to contact your health care practitioner. Several good solutions to acid reflux can provide relief and prevent complications.
Acid Reflux Hiatal Hernia
You have acid reflux and it is not fun. Trust me, I know exactly how uncomfortable acid reflux disease can be and how it can slow you down. It is much more than simple heartburn which we all experience from time to time. Acid reflux occurs when the formation of gas and acidic things in the stomach causes severe pain or a burning sensation in the stomach and chest. This is known as Acid Reflux Disease, also known as Gastroespohaheal Reflux Disease.
What happens is that you have eaten something you should not have. It does not need to be something you KNOW you should not eat, because acid reflux affects each of us differently. Unfortunately, it is only from experience that we learn what we can eat and what causes acid reflux to flare up. And things change over time, so every now and then we may want to try different things out, because we get older, our tolerances for certain foods may either increase or decrease.
From a medical standpoint, acid reflex is a physiological condition that typically occurs when there is inappropriate activity in the lower esophageal sphincter, or in other words, the muscular valve that connects the esophagus to the stomach. This activity allows the contents of the stomach to empty into, or REFLUX, into the esophagus and throat. This happens when this valve does not close properly or when this muscle relaxes, thereby allowing the contents of the stomach to back up.
But you don't care what happens physiologically. All you know is that it happens and you need to know what to do about it. If you have been diagnosed with acid reflux, you need to see your doctor on a regular basis to make sure that it is kept under control. The biggest thing you can do to avoid acid reflux is to avoid foods that are known to increase the level of stomach acid.
What if you already are having episodes of acid reflux and want to control them? You may wish to consider a natural cure. There are many natural cures and natural health remedies that are readily available on the market today that will help control the effects of acid reflux.
You need to make sure that what you are experiencing is really acid reflux and not a sign of something more serious like heart disease. But once that determination is made, one popular way to combat is to use to antacids. Depending on the severity of the affliction, this can be as simple as Rolaids or Tums, or maybe requiring a bit more strength such as Pepto-Bismol or Mylanta. You should be keeping a close eye on exactly what kinds of treatments seem to work best for you, since we are all different, and different remedies will have varying results. The remedy that works for you may not work nearly as well for the guy next door.
Do not allow acid reflux to ruin your day or your night out. You can control acid reflux by exercising a bit of good judgment. Instead of ordering your seafood blackened, order it grilled. Instead of french fries, get a baked potato instead. Your choice of foods is going to play your greatest role in avoiding more acid reflux.
Both Gerri Stone & Jon A are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gerri Stone has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acid Reflux, Online College and Asthma. Gerri Stone Find out why you have digestive problems, and how to cure them www.AcidsRefluxSolution.com. Gerri Stone's top article generates over 135000 views. Bookmark Gerri Stone to your Favourites.
Jon A has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Sports Car and Acid Reflux. Jon is a computer engineer who maintain a variety of web sites based on his knowledge and experience. For more information about Acid Reflux Disease, please visit his web site at. Jon A's top article generates over 40500 views. Bookmark Jon A to your Favourites.
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