One in three people with acid reflux develop esophagitis as reported by AstraZeneca, the makers of Nexium. Esophagitis, inflammation of the esophagus, illustrates one of the many effects of acid reflux, a digestive disease in which stomach acid backs into the esophagus. Also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid reflux has a haunting nature as it leaves behind a wide-range of serious medical effects that develop in the long-run. They include bronchospasm (spasm of the bronchial muscles due to acid), stricture (narrowing of the esophagus after inflammation leads to scarring), chronic cough, hoarseness, and dental damage. Two major effects of acid reflux, erosive esophagitis and esophageal cancer, are explored.

Erosive Esophagitis

Erosive esophagitis occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus causing it to swell and erode. Its symptoms include the following:

• Heartburn
• Difficult or painful swallowing
• Sore throat
• Hoarseness

Doctors detect erosive esophagitis with the following methods:

• Endoscopy: occurs when a patient swallows a thin tube that contains a camera at the end, which flows into the esophagus and the stomach.
• Upper GI Series (Barium Swallow X-Ray): occurs when a patient drinks 16-20 ounces of chalky liquid containing barium. Barium is detected by a fluoroscopy x-ray that displays the manner in which it flows through the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. This x-ray lasts between three to six hours.
• Needle Biopsy: occurs when a needle is used to remove tissue from the esophagus with the aide of a CT scan or ultrasound x-ray.

Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer occurs when a malignant tumor develops in the esophagus. It is most common in men over 50 years of age in the U.S. The two types of esophageal cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, a result of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol, and adenocinomarca, cancer of the epithelium tissues that line the glands. Adenocarcinoma is caused by a prior aftereffect of long-term acid reflux called Barrett’s esophagus: development of abnormal changes (metaplasia) in the cells of the lower esophagus that is not curable with anti-reflux surgery. Adenocarcinoma results in the following symptoms:

• Vomiting of blood (hematemesis)
• Chest pain (not caused by eating)
• Difficulty swallowing (dyphagia)
• Regurgitation

Doctors detect esophageal cancer by the following methods:

• Upper GI Series (Barium Swallow X-Ray)
• Endoscopy
• Needle Biopsy: reveals whether intestinal cells are on esophageal tissue.
• PET scan: reveals stage of cancer and whether surgery is possible.
• Chest MRI: determines stage of cancer.
• Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: occurs when a 5-20 mm flexible endoscope (small camera) is inserted into a patient’s esophagus to examine the lining. It is performed after administration of a sedating analgesic or painkiller and an anesthetic. The endoscope passes through the esophagus to the stomach and small intestine.

An important concept to take away is that the effects of acid reflux worsen when left untreated. The medication Nexium is commonly taken to treat erosive esophagitis. Another option is having Fundoplication surgery that reduces acid reflux by strengthening the lower esophageal sphincter.

For more information on the effects of acid reflux be sure to contact Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

Over 60 million Americans have symptoms of Acid Reflux at least once a month, and many have symptoms daily. These can include heartburn,regurgitation, nausea, a feeling of fullness, upper abdominal pain and discomfort, burping and even wheezing. People with asthma are very likely to have GERD, or acid reflux.

Doctors consider acid reflux to be a chronic condition. Once it develops, it usually lasts for an entire lifetime. Symptoms get better and worse, but never completely go away for long. Most symptoms, and most damage, occur during the night, when it’s time to rest and recuperate for the coming day. Episodes come and go, but they always come back.

The familiar discomfort of heartburn can develop into actual pain that is hard to distinguish from heart attack. When heart attack symptoms are confused with acid reflux, a medical emergency could develop or the patient could even die from the heart attack.

Uncontrolled acid reflux can cause more than momentary discomfort. It can scar the esophagus and cause it to narrow. This can make swallowing difficult. Some people get a sensation that food is stuck in the esophagus.

It can also cause an esophageal ulcer. Sometimes ulcers bleed, and heavy bleeding may require treatment with blood transfusions.

The throat and larynx may become inflamed with resulting hoarseness. Fluid may also enter the sinuses and middle ear, causing infection. Problems with the voice may develop because of acid reflux.

In more severe cases, cells in the lining of the esophagus can become misshapen and abnormal in color. This is called Barrett’s esophagus. This condition could even develop into cancer. Esophageal cancer is extremely serious, with a survival rate of only 15%.

Worrisome symptoms of advanced acid reflux include weight loss, black or tarry stools, vomiting of blood, and pain or trouble in swallow. Wheezing or a dry cough could develop. Morning hoarseness or persistent sore throat, hiccups that seem to last forever, and nausea that lingers for weeks are other alarm bells that the condition is out of control.

Unfortunately, sometimes serious complications can develop without warning signs. A person could develop cancer without even being aware of the condition before it is too late.

Asthma sufferers with acid reflux often experience increased symptoms, especially at night. These can include wheezing, dry cough, or even a full-blown asthma attack.

Another risk is aspiration pneumonia or other severe conditions caused when stomach contents back up into the lungs. They may include pus in the lungs, swelling and inflammation, or pneumonia. Symptoms of these conditions may include chest pain and cough with bad smelling phlegm, greenish phlegm, and bluish color of the skin. Fatigue, fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, excessive sweating, and difficulty swallowing are other symptoms.

People with acid reflux have been known to try many different remedies to get relief. They may sleep with the head elevated, sometimes even resorting to sleeping in an easy chair. Usually, acid reflux is a minor problem. It can get out of hand and even become life threatening. Don’t risk serious complications. Get it under control today. For more information on the acid reflux condition and potential cures be sure to visit Reflux Remedy at refluxremedy.com today!

12,000 Americans die each year from esophageal cancer, and its primary warning symptom is acid reflux. Acid reflux is a ?warning symptoms? of possible Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).

Keep in mind that acid reflux is a symptom and not a disease. Unfortunately because most people put of treating the root cause properly it winds up doing harm to the esophagus.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) happens when the esophagus gets irritated and inflamed from acid reflux splashing up from the stomach.

The stomach produces hydrochloric acid after a meal to aid in the digestion of food. The stomach is naturally protected from this caustic digestive acid. The outer lining of cells in your stomach creates massive amounts of mucus.

However the cells lining the esophagus (throat) do not make this protective mucus coating, leaving it vulnerable to up surges of acid rebound.

Acid reflux, or rebound, is more commonly referred to as heartburn simply because the base of your esophagus is located behind your heart.

If you?ve ever experienced a bad case of acid indigestion, you?ve felt this burning sensation behind your heart at the bottom of your esophagus.

When the ?warning symptoms? are ignored, the stomach acid rebounds higher and higher up the esophagus chemically scalding the delicate cells along your throat, inside your mouth and even up into your sinus tissues.

You may wonder how it can surge up the esophagus and the truth is it shouldn?t ever do that because there is a ?safety valve that?s supposed to prevent acid reflux from erupting all the up the throat.

This seal or safety valve in the base of your esophagus is called the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES). It?s designed to open when you swallow food or drink, allowing food stuff to enter your gut. After the food leaves the esophagus it?s supposed to close, sealing off and guarding your throat, mouth and sinus tissue, as well as keeping your food down where it belongs.

The problem is after proper treatment of your acid reflux is delayed for a long time, the corrosive stomach acid that has been pushed up against it and eventually weakens the muscle response of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES).

Once the acid has had an opportunity to weaken the esophagus?s safety valve (LES), digestive juices and acids then begin leaking into the vulnerable esophageal tube area.

Eventually this develops into Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), which erodes and mutates the cells of your throat often leading to throat cancer and sometimes death.

Approximately 30% of adults in the US experience this Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) on a monthly basis and about 10% of adults in the US go through this weekly. Shockingly, these days even children and infants develop Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), thanks to lack of common sense when it comes to dietary habits in America.

Fatty fried foods, alcohol, cigarettes, certain pharmaceuticals, lack of exercise and poor posture even play a role.

I found plenty of natural alternatives millions of people are discovering that help reverse Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), simply because acid reflux is primarily a nutritional deficiency, not a drug shortage.

OTC drugs have been found to actually make acid reflux worse, so my advice is if something you took didn?t work, keep trying new things, like eating an apple for instance, that works well for millions of people-in-the-know.

You were born to heal,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist