When the esophagus becomes inflamed and irritated due to contact with gastric acids, this is called reflux disorder. You may be wondering how gastric acids from the stomach end up in your esophagus. The esophagus spans from your throat to your abdomen. This is the method by which food travels from your mouth and into your stomach. When food makes it to the bottom of the esophagus it must pass through the lower esophageal sphincter, a ring-like muscle that acts as a gatekeeper for solid and liquid foods. Once food is in the stomach, acids are produced in order for digestion to continue. If you have a lower esophageal sphincter that keeps the gate open or leaves a crack in the gate, this can allow corrosive stomach acids to reflux to the esophagus. Reflux disorder is harmful to the body and disrupts the digestion process.

Causes

There are several contributing factors for reflux disorder.

• Routine has a lot to do with the onset of reflux disorder. Alcohol use, cigarette addiction, and eating habits play a major role. Eating foods then lying down or having extra large portions can aggravate stomach acid and cause reflux.
• Diet affects all mechanisms of the body. Foods that are laden with fat and fried in oil are not recommended as they may cause reflux disorder. Foods with caffeine, chocolate, garlic and onions can trigger acid reflux.
• Medications used to relieve pain and other problems can contribute to reflux disorder. Pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that adversely affect you by irritating the gastrointestinal tract.
• Medical conditions like pregnancy, obesity, diabetes and hiatal hernia commonly cause reflux disorder.

Symptoms

Symptoms of reflux disorder are different for adults and children.

• Heartburn is the most widespread and universal symptom of reflux disorder. When gastric acid reaches the esophagus, there is a burning sensation at the chest. Since the heart rests above the esophagus, it is referred to as heartburn. Heartburn sometimes travels from the stomach to the throat.
• Regurgitating stomach acid into the mouth is the second most common symptom of reflux disorder.
• Other symptoms of reflux disorder include a chronic cough, sour or bitter taste in the mouth, sore throat, hoarseness, nausea and difficulty swallowing.

Treatment

Treatment for reflux disorder varies based on frequency and intensity. Some people may be able to modify their lifestyle and diet, while others may require more drastic methods. Trying to treat reflux disorder using natural remedies is highly recommended. To relieve symptoms of reflux disorder try the following:

• Elevate your head while sleeping. This helps gravity to keep stomach acid down.
• Eat small meals, reducing the quantity of acid produced for digestion.
• Eat lean meals, less caffeine, alcohol and garlic.
• Quit smoking to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter.
• Eat a balanced meal to regulate weight and prevent obesity and diabetes.

Pick up a copy of The Reflux Remedy Report to find out more about reflux disorder and how you can treat it.

If you experience pain in your stomach after eating, you may have an ulcer. If your pain is intense, or has been going on for quite some time, you should seek the advice of a physician.

Generally, stomach ulcers are caused by bacteria called H. Pylori, not by stress or spicy foods as was once thought. H. Pylori is a corkscrew shaped bacteria that is fairly common among all people, regardless of age, sex or health condition. What causes it to run rampant in some people and not others is still a mystery, but if your ulcer is blamed on H. Pylori, you’ll likely be prescribed a series of medications and tests to make sure the bacteria is eradicated.

Regardless of the cause of your stomach pain after you eat, there are a number of things you can do to help prevent or relieve it.

• First, modify how much food you take in at once. By limiting your intake, but increasing the number of times you eat during the day, you can help your stomach to better deal with the digestion process, and reduce stress on your body.
• Second, make sure you’re not eating foods that will aggravate a stomach ulcer or other digestive disorder. Things like fatty foods, dairy products, garlic, acidic fruits like citrus, caffeine and onions should be avoided. Breads and products that contain whole grains, fish and lean meats and fruit containing antioxidants (like the ‘superfruit’ blueberries) should be targeted if you suspect an ulcer.
• Third, although you may be trying to target certain foods and avoid others, a balanced diet is crucial to maintaining a healthy body. Everything in moderation is vital. Make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs to heal by providing it with essential vitamins found in all types of food.
• Fourth, exercise regularly to keep oxygen rich blood flowing throughout your body. This will help your body heal, and prevent future injuries and traumas like ulcers.
• Fifth, don’t take pain killers if you’re experiencing pain in your stomach after you eat. Although pain killers may be your first instinct when you’re having pain, just don’t do it. Pain killers can often exacerbate an ulcer and take your situation from bad to worse. Even over the counter pain medications have been shown to cause ulcers, so if you already have one, don’t aggravate it by taking additional pain medications.
• Sixth, if you’re a smoker, quit. Smoking has been scientifically shown to cause a host of health problems, including death, so quitting will help your case. It actually increases acid production in your stomach, which can irritate an existing ulcer. So just quit it.
• Lastly, make sure you’re keeping your stress levels down to a healthy amount. Too much stress causes the body to create excess stomach acid, which irritates the esophagus and stomach lining, making it difficult for an ulcer to heal. So, meditate, take deep breaths, listen to music, take up a hobby, or anything else that helps you stay calm in a stressful situation.

Pain in the stomach after eating can be a debilitating symptom of a potentially serious problem. For more information on this disorder and how you can help your body heal from it, visit refluxremedy.com today.