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Posts Tagged ‘Acid Reflux’

Acid reflux symptoms characterize the condition called acid reflux or GERD, which occurs because of the weakening of the tube that transports the food taken in to the stomach, making it unable to handle the acid. The acid the stomach produces and stores is used to digest the food consumed. The stomach walls should have enough strength to store the acid it produces without damaging anything in the system. However, different symptoms may be experienced when the acid is pushed up the esophagus from the stomach. If you want to know more about acid reflux symptoms, read on.

Acid Refux Symptoms:

1. Heartburn - this is the main symptom of acid reflux or GERD. Heartburn is a burning sensation that runs up to the chest and the throat from the stomach. According to a certain study, almost 3 quarters of patients frequently experiencing acid reflux symptoms experience heartburn at night. This condition most likely occurs in connection with some activities such as:

· After eating a heavy meal;
· Lifting;
· Bending over;
· Lying down on the back

2. Dyspepsia – Half of those diagnosed with GERD can experience dyspepsia through the following conditions:

· Pain and discomfort particularly in the upper part of the abdomen;
· Nausea after eating;
· Feeling of fullness

However, it is important to remember that it is possible to have dyspepsia without having acid reflux.

3. Regurgitation - this is the condition when the acid backs up in the throat. In some cases, the acid regurgitates up to the mouth and comes out as a “wet burp”. In rare cases, the acid may forcefully come out as a vomit.

Less Common Acid Reflux Symptoms:

Many patients with acid reflux do not experience the main acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation. The symptoms may instead appear or experienced in other locations. Here are some of the less common acid reflux symptoms:

1. Burning Sensation or Pain in the Chest – while this condition can also be a symptom of other medical conditions such as angina and heart attack, this condition characterized by the feeling of having food behind the breastbone can also manifest when the patient has acid reflux.

2. Acid Reflux Symptoms in the Throat such as:

· Acid laryngitis - this condition is characterized by dry cough, hoarseness, feeling of lump in the throat, and the need to clear the throat repeatedly
· Dysphagia (trouble swallowing) - in some cases, acid reflux may cause the patient to choke or have difficulty in swallowing the food, thereby causing severe chest pain.
· Persistent hiccups
· Chronic sore throat

3. Respiratory Symptoms and Coughing - Wheezing and coughing may also occur. In one medical study, acid reflux alone accounted for around 40% of chronic cough cases in non-smoking patients.

4. Chronic Nausea and Throwing Up – constant occurrence of nausea that often leads to vomiting or throwing up may also be one of the acid reflux symptoms. However, this isn’t always the cause as nausea and vomiting may also signal other medical conditions like gallbladder and pancreatic disorders, ulcers, and stomach cancers. Thus, it is necessary to always consult with your doctor whenever this symptom is experienced.

This may come as a surprise for you but what if I tell you that there are some tips that exist in order to improve acid reflux symptoms. Many patients suffering from this condition have given up trying to deal with these symptoms because most of the remedies that they are trying fail to give them a proper cure. Indeed the best way to deal with acid reflux is to make some changes to your daily lifestyle. This is what I will be talking about in this article.

Firstly you should give special attention to your weight. If you are obese it is important that you take some proper measures in order to lose these extra pounds. Indeed being overweight can place some extra pressure on the stomach thus worsening the symptoms of acid reflux. If you are in this category of people it might be essential that you return to the gym as soon as you can.

Secondly you might be interested to change your eating habit. Now is the time about what you have been taught about the 3 main meals in the day. Patients that suffer from acid reflux will benefit from the fact of eating 5-6 smaller meals in a day. However you should be careful with the amount of food you eat. Eating too much food will expose you to a worsening of your condition as already explained above.

It is essential that you consider carefully what you are eating. Some foods may cause the symptoms to become worse and may cause some concerns especially if you take them for dinner. For example it is important that you reduce your consumption of spicy food. Tomatoes and related preparations should also be avoided in the case of acid reflux. These fruits contain acids and may cause some acid reflux flare-up.

It is only after following all these small tips listed above that you will see an improvement in your acid reflux symptoms. When combined with some conventional medical treatments you should clearly see some interesting results. Make sure however that you stick to your new lifestyle and stop it once the symptoms have gone.

Written by Maria Savoy for http://www.remediesforacidreflux.com/

This is only a short list of changes that you can make. Do you want to get more information on some additional changes that will help improve your acid reflux symptoms? Head to our website to find more remedies for acid reflux.

Sometimes referred to as heartburn, acid indigestion, acid reflux is the result of stomach acid finding its way into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation to the tender inner lining. It is often associated with over eating or from eating hot, spicy foods or drink and the results can be debilitating if enough acid gets pushed back upwards into the esophagus. Logically, there are many ways to prevent acid indigestion from becoming a problem, such as eating smaller portions or eating only those foods the stomach are known to tolerate.

Think of your stomach as a tube of toothpaste. If you put the lid on, but do not tighten it down and then squeeze the center of the tube, where the lid is the loosest, the toothpaste will ooze out of the top. The cause of acid indigestion can be similar if the upper hiatal muscle is weakened and the stomach is overly full. The stomach content can’t go down, so it will expel the content through the weakest point. When the content begins to push back up into the esophagus, acid indigestion is the result.

For most people an occasional attack of acid indigestion is not unusual. For others, chronic heartburn may be a sign of gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) or the beginning signs of an ulcer. Many times the pain from severe acid reflux can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack and should not be ignored.

Some Medications Can Cause Heartburn

Many prescription medications that can cause acid indigestion, if if the patient believes they are to blame, should consult with their doctor. In many cases the heartburn will diminish with time as the body becomes more accustomed to the medication. In some instances, the physician may prescribe an alternate drug that has the same benefit without with heartburn.

In some of the worst cases of acid indigestion, it can be accompanied by a bloating feeling as well as constipation and there are several over the counter medications can relieve all of the symptoms.. However, if it is a continuing problem, talking with the doctor may be able to find a solution to the problem before it occurs. Preventing acid indigestion is far less painful than dealing with it once it arrives.

Eating right and in the right portions can help prevent the onset of acid indigestion, but sometimes the food variety is too good to pass up. During those times preparing to experience acid indigestion can also help provide relief when it happens and not after hours of unneeded suffering.