At first thought you might not suspect that your sinus issues would be linked to your acid reflux, or heartburn problems.

It may surprise you, but if you visit a sinus specialist or Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doc, you can be assured they?re going to be looking for any signs of Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or acid reflux disease.

Well what?s one got to do with the other you might ask?

For instance, one of the worst habits some people with recurring heartburn have is lying down right after they eat. This is a sure-fire way of encouraging those nasty gastric acids to leak up into your throat, mouth and even your sinuses.

It?s true, if you feel like always clearing your throat, it could only be sinus drainage, or post nasal drip from a food allergy or hay fever.

On the other hand it could very well be a reaction to common acid reflux. As you can imagine, when your stomach indigestion repeatedly kicks up gaseous plumes of acid reflux it can easily inflame your nose and sinus linings.

When all the cards are down, it?s the ninth inning, bases are loaded and the fat lady starts to sing . . . you are your own best doctor.

That?s why so many people are learning how to be their own health detectives. Seriously, these days it?s almost a lost secret, but learning to detect the ?root cause? of your sinus or acid reflux and heartburn issues is the only way to take back control of your life.

There?s hardly anything more irritating than having to wipe your nose, sniffle, snort and clear your throat constantly.

Having constant post nasal drip, irritated vocal cords and that unhealthy odor to your breath aren?t the most socially attractive qualities either.

Sinusitis, rhinitis and acid reflux have several things in common and even though you may not suffer from full-blown gastroesophageal reflux disease, your occasional acid indigestion could be the cause of your running nose, puffy eyes and sore throat . . . you just haven?t made the connection yet.

Did you know the digestive acid in your stomach is mostly hydrochloric acid which vaporizes at room temperatures?

Your gastric acid (hydrochloric acid) made up of hydrogen chloride (HCL) gas in water, which is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid.

When this noxious digestive acid transforms into gas due to your digestive imbalance, the first place it goes is up your throat into your sinus cavities.

Now remixing with moist air, the stinging gas gets trapped in the complex cavernous labyrinth inside your head. Trapped in a dark moist place it can mix back in with water, inflaming your sensitive nerve endings, triggering all the symptoms of a sinus infection.

The Antacid Deception

To further complicate things millions of people unwittingly add antacids to the mix, which, by the way were proven ineffective for acid reflux and heart burn back in 1986. In fact, antacids can cause your stomach to actually produce more acid reflux.

Antacids create another condition called ?acid rebound,? which makes your gastrointestinal problems even worse.

But wait, there?s more! Antacids are one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the American public because they also change the pH balance in your gut causing good micro-organisms (probiotics) to die, triggering the over-growth of harmful bacteria.

By now you, like me, can see there is a hidden connection between sinus problems and acid reflux, directly and indirectly.

Once the imbalance of healthy gut flora (probiotics) is overcome by the harmful bacteria and other toxic micro-organisms, you have an infection. There is evidence that antacids may be responsible for Helicobacterplyori infections, the bad bacteria that cause ulcers.

All this weakens your natural immune system function and makes the connection between acid reflux and sinus infections even more obvious.

So perhaps all those holistic doctors and naturopathic health practitioners have been right all along, everything is inter-related. Ancient healers and medicinal protocols of old all agree, you must treat the whole person and that includes even making changes in your environment as well as your diet.

So it helps to be a detective when it comes to your health, or what I affectionately refer to as a ?health ecologist.? That is, one who studies the health connections between all living things and their environments.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

Acid reflux disease can be referred to as either acid reflux, or the more severe diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, or ?GERD.? Both denote a breakdown of the esophageal sphincter’s ability to properly close, allowing acid to come up from your stomach into your esophagus, throat and mouth. This is a wholly unnatural condition, since your stomach is the only body part properly equipped to withstand this corrosive stomach acid. The breakdown of the tissues in your upper gastrointestinal tract and throat causes heartburn pain, frequent swallowing, possible regurgitation of acid, the breakdown of tooth enamel, hoarseness, bad breath, frequent burping, and stomach pain. Occasionally, even chest tightness and GERD will go hand in hand.

Several factors contribute to this chest tightening feeling. Peripheral nerves in the esophagus and surrounding tissue can be aggravated by this condition, causing a feeling of tightness. The nerves surrounding the lungs can be agitated, causing a constriction of the airway, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest cavity. While this symptom is not necessarily life-threatening, it can be alarming, and is one of many anxiety-causing symptoms of GERD and acid reflux.

When you go to a doctor to have either GERD or acid reflux diagnosed, you may be recommended a prescription medication that fits your particular symptoms, or you may request your doctor to direct a more natural approach to healing. Know that many of the popular over-the-counter remedies including Prevacid, Prilosec, and Zantac are meant to be taken only for two weeks, and then a lengthy break is recommended before starting again. You might try Rolaids or Tums, but as with other over-the-counter remedies, long-term use is ill-advised.

There are many common sense solutions that you can use on your own to combat the symptoms of chest tightness and GERD. First you must focus on treating the actual cause, which is the esophageal sphincter-failure due to too much acid in the stomach. Cutting back on the causes of excess acid is one path, including cessation of alcohol, caffeine and smoking. Also included in your ?don’t? list is salt, which has been shown to act as an acid producer. Other ways to combat the symptoms include limiting your food intake to smaller meals per sitting, since heavy meals seem to lead to increased production of stomach acid. Red apples have proven to be an effective natural remedy, along with many old fashioned ?cures? including drinking plenty of milk (which may coat your stomach for short-term relief but in the long run cause additional acid production). Instead, try plain crackers with water, or Milk of Magnesia for infrequent flare-ups.

Keep your doctor informed to changes in your diet, and let him or her know if your symptoms lessen or increase. They need to know details before recommending a different course of action, which may include either changing your medication or ceasing it altogether. Of course, your best tool against this disease and its attendant symptoms is knowledge. Learn as much as you can about what to do and what not to do for chest tightness and GERD, and diligently follow a plan to ensure relief from your suffering.

According the studies done by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, and about 15 million deal with it every day.

For all you statistic buffs out there, that breaks down to about 1 out of 18 people in the U.S. suffer from dreaded heartburn, also known as acid reflux disease.

The exact cause of acid reflux is still arguable, but most doctors will agree on one of two major causes.

1) Too much stomach acid

2) Too little stomach acid

It may surprise you but more people are suffering from a stomach acid deficiency than from an over production of stomach acid.

Regardless of the cause, acid reflux is one of the most unpleasant human sensations and taste experiences you?ll ever have.

Imagine a caustic acid so powerful it will ?etch glass,? erupting like chemical lava up into the most sensitive and delicate parts of your body . . . your throat, mouth and nose.

There?s a good reason acid reflux disease is commonly called heartburn . . . your stomach acid is a caustic acid that can seriously burn and scar you.

Your stomach has a triple layer of cells and inside the inner most layer are the ?parietal cells? which create the hydrochloric acid. This digestive acid is vital for the proper digestion of food. Your stomach acid doesn?t just dissolve your food . . . it chemically breaks it down all the way to the molecular level.

In fact one drop of your stomach acid will burn through wood.

Imagine this gastric acid being forced through your esophagus over and over again.

Industrial uses of hydrochloric acid include drain cleaners, leather processing and ?pickling? steel to remove rust.

This is why acid reflux disease and chronic heartburn can lead to worse conditions like Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and even cancer. In the case of GERD, the throat becomes so chemically eroded by gastric acid that it actually mutates into a tough lining just like the stomach lining. Ignored this type of cellular mutation can change into throat cancer.

Now in case you?re still curious, let me explain how a lack of stomach acid can trigger a gastroesophageal reflux from acid indigestion.

Your digestive acids are made from fluids in your gall bladder, pancreas and bile ducts which require minerals, nutrients and enzymes for the cells inside your upper stomach to create the final gastric acid product.

After years of eating processed foods and foods high in animal fats, these minerals, nutrients and enzymes become depleted.

Now picture all the food you eat piling up inside your gut, causing that bloating, gassy feeling from being full all the time.

You see a lack of digestive stomach acid will slow down digestion causing flatulence, nausea and a gaseous stomach. All this food creates pressure and stress forcing your body to make sporadic bursts of gastric acid . . . causing the heartburn sensation.

Keep in mind these ?parietal cells? that make this caustic digestive juice are located near the top of your stomach, which means its right next to your esophagus.

So it?s easy to imagine them a little stressed out, and even in a biological state of emergency, to the point where they briefly secrete generous amounts of gastric acid, which then just sits on top of that gigantic heap of undigested food stuff.

That?s why antacids don?t cure heartburn, they only inflame it.

Whether you make too much digestive acid or not enough the worst thing you can do is eat and then lay down. This makes it even easier for the acid to reflux up into your throat and mouth, even discoloring your teeth and most definitely ruin your once baby-sweet breath for the rest of the day.

Live well,

Todd M. Faass?

Health Ecologist

If you suffer from acid reflux or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), then you are already aware of its painful effects. Even more disruptive than pain, it can cause a variety of unwanted physical and emotional responses. If you are a sufferer, you are familiar with the burning in your chest, upset stomach, nausea, and acid in your throat. Often, taking drugs such as Nexium, Tagamet, Omeprazole, Prevacid, Prilosec and Zantac provide only temporary relief. Indeed, these drugs are only intended to be taken for two weeks at a time, with a substantial break in between. Perhaps you’ve even been that person who constantly chews Tums or Rolaids, hoping for some relief from the burning. There is a psychological component to acid reflux that has been researched and documented. Researchers have determined that acid reflux and anxiety attacks may be related, simply because of the stress and terrible feelings it can cause.

This stress manifests itself in acid reflux sufferers as anxiety, which may even cause greater agitation of the esophagus, stomach and throat. Relaxation techniques have been shown to relieve acid levels in patients, which may be of benefit to anyone who is suffering not only from the acid reflux symptoms, but additional the anxiety and in some circumstances even panic attacks. The unwanted symptoms from acid reflux and anxiety attacks can be increased through lack of sleep. Acid back-flow, which occurs in the prone position one assumes when sleeping, can lead to emotional and psychological as well.

Anxiety can be felt as anxiousness, nervousness, sweating, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, anxious thoughts or actions, inability to sleep, or the feeling that the world is about to end. When you add a physical component such as acid reflux to this mix, you can aggravate both conditions, each feeding off the other, causing heightened symptoms. It can be severe, as the insomnia is caused by the acid that is flowing up into your throat and mouth. Severe burning may occur when stomach acid hits parts of the body it was never intended to meet. Stomach acid is corrosive and causes many problems when it is introduced into the body. This vicious cycle, however, can be abated.

Patients can be taught muscle relaxation techniques to combat the anxiety that aggravates acid reflux and GERD symptoms. Such relaxation eases the anxiety to the point where acid triggers are eased, thereby offering relief from further stomach and esophagus troubles. You can learn to relax your muscles and your emotional state to achieve peace of mind. A holistic approach to acid reflux treatment is possible with simple relaxation and stretching techniques. Acid reflux and anxiety attacks do not have to go hand in hand, but when they do, know that relief is available from a natural, easy-to-access source: your own body.