March 2, 2011
Symptoms for Acid Reflux
Most people that are affected by acid reflux don’t know it at first. Acid reflux is a disease that stems from a lower esophageal sphincter that isn’t working properly. Imagine that the food you eat is swallowed, goes through your esophagus, lands in your stomach and then all of a sudden goes back into the esophagus and even your mouth. Food from your stomach is now completely infused with gastric acid, and this is what makes acid reflux uncomfortable and unhealthy. The acid from your stomach does not feel good in any other part of the body and is meant to break down food for the extraction of nutrients.
Stomach acid that is out of place causes you to feel a burning sensation, associated with heartburn or acid indigestion, a symptom for acid reflux. Heartburn affects millions of people every year. Many of these people only experience heartburn on occasion. Those who feel heartburn more than twice a week probably have acid reflux disease. You can identify if you have heartburn based on the severe irritation you may feel in your chest, stomach and throat. This irritation can cause you to feel like your insides are burning and can cause a painful feeling.
The heartburn that you feel because of acid reflux is sometimes accompanied by incessant burping and hiccups. Not only do you have the awful burning sensation in your esophagus, but you may have wet burps that expel stomach acid, bile and food particles into your mouth. Now the acid has a chance to irritate the mouth and oral cavity. A gross taste and smell is the result.
Another symptom for acid reflux is nausea. Nausea makes your stomach feel uneasy and urges you to burp and even throw up. The worst part of nausea is when you vomit up gastric acid, upsetting the throat and esophagus even further. The feeling of nausea can impede motor skills, social interaction and can increase general stress.
Regurgitating food is a symptom for acid reflux. Regurgitation happens when a substantial amount of food is refluxed from your stomach. This is usually uncomfortable and can prevent you from getting the proper nutrition and energy from the foods you eat.
Dysphagia can occur as a result of acid reflux. This may be one of the more stressful symptoms for acid reflux. Dysphagia makes you feel as though your food is stuck in your neck or throat. This increases difficulty with swallowing and can prevent you from eating an adequate serving of food every day.
Acid reflux disease is also commonly known as gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. GERD has many of the same symptoms as acid reflux and may be used interchangeably. You don’t have to worry and wonder about the symptoms of acid reflux if you know what to look out for. For more information on these and other symptoms for acid reflux, visit refluxremedy.com today. Becoming informed is the first step in managing and treating this disease.
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The Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is a muscular ring around the bottom part of the esophagus.? The function of the LES is crucial to the digestion process. As part of the job, the LES opens the door for consumed foods to access the stomach from the esophagus and effectively closes the door behind it. If the LES fails to close the door tightly or at the right time, food and acid in the stomach can gain entry into the esophagus. When the LES malfunctions, this creates several problems for your digestive system.
A lower esophageal sphincter that isn’t performing at the optimal level can lead to acid reflux disease. Acid reflux disease occurs when the acid and food reflux into the esophagus. Unfortunately, there are several symptoms of acid reflux ranging from heartburn to dysphagia. These symptoms have different effects on the body and don’t necessarily have to take place at the same time. Experiencing one or more of the following symptoms can indicate that you have reflux acid symptoms.
Heartburn: The most recognizable reflux acid symptom is heartburn. Heartburn can be identified by a burning feeling in the chest, neck and throat. The burning feeling stems from the location of acid in the esophagus that has travelled from the stomach. Heartburn usually occurs after a meal and when lying down due to the lack of gravity needed to keep the acid trapped within the stomach.
Nausea: Another reflux acid symptom is nausea. Nausea is a feeling that can be uncomfortable. Nausea has different effects on everyone but primarily causes you to feel like vomiting. People who are nauseated usually lose their appetite and can only ingest light, neutralizing foods. Feeling like you have a buildup of gas is also a sign that you are nauseated.
Burping: While burping is a normal method that the body employs to expel gas, burping can be a sign of acid reflux. Usually, the gastric acid that takes the journey up the esophagus causes you to belch. Burping forces the gastric acid out of the esophagus and into your mouth, causes burning and leaves behind an awful taste.
Chest Pain: The burning sensation prompted by heartburn normally affects the chest in addition to other chest pain. This chest pain is caused by an esophagus that has been inflamed by stomach acid that has refluxed. An inflamed esophagus radiates pain to the surrounding areas of the torso, especially the chest.
Dysphagia: If you have difficulty swallowing your food, this could be as a result of dysphagia, a reflux acid symptom. Dysphagia causes you to have an uncomfortable feeling during and after meals. People experiencing dysphagia often feel like food has lodged in their neck or throat.
Reflux acid symptoms should be taken very seriously. Determining if you suffer from acid reflux will help you to treat the disease and its symptoms. To find out more about reflux acid symptoms and what you can do about them, visit refluxremedy.com today for more information.
Filed under Acid Reflux Remedy by admin
February 28, 2011
Gastro Reflux Disease
The muscle located between the stomach and the esophagus is called the lower esophageal sphincter. If this muscle relaxes and does not close tightly after food passes through to the stomach, this can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or gastro reflux disease. Typically, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) only permits foods and beverages to flow downward into the stomach, not the other way around. A relaxed LES that permits food and stomach acid to travel backwards and reflux into the esophagus can cause tremendous pain, discomfort and injury.
CAUSES
Certain foods can promote gastro reflux disease. Your diet is an integral part of causing or preventing GERD. Foods and drinks with a heavy amount of garlic, caffeine and onion have the ability to increase reflux frequency. Each individual has specified foods that can trigger reflux and contribute to gastro esophageal reflux disease. Eating foods right before bed or meals that are high in fat are also dietary factors that can cause GERD.
Over the counter medications can also promote GERD. These include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) used to reduce pain. Common NSAIDs are ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Vitamins and other supplements may be risky too. Consuming potassium, calcium, and iron tablets can cause GERD.
Women who are pregnant risk contracting GERD. Due to the size and placement of the fetus growing inside of them, other organs usually shift in order to accommodate the baby. Depending on how the stomach position is naturally modified, this may force stomach acid to reflux. If acid reflux becomes excessive this could lead to GERD.
Some health conditions are directly related to the occurrence of gastro reflux disease. Obesity can lead to GERD because the stomach may not be able to withstand the pressure caused by excess weight. The extra weight can strain the abdominal area, causing reflux.
Unhealthy habits affect gastro reflux disease. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption serves as triggers for the development of GERD. Lying down during and after meals can cause heartburn, a symptom of gastro reflux disease.
SYMPTOMS
Regurgitation happens when acid backs up into the throat and mouth. This may come with burping that produces a bitter taste and foul smelling breath.
Heartburn is normally felt after eating or lying down. A burning pain in the chest and throat are symptoms of heartburn.
Dysphagia is a sign of gastro reflux and is associated with having difficulty swallowing food, managing food in the mouth and controlling saliva.
MANAGEMENT
Treatment of gastro reflux disease can be done through simple changes to your lifestyle and diet. By taking note of the foods you eat when heartburn or another symptom occurs, you can determine what to eliminate from your diet. By quitting smoking, not eating before bed, and using other pain relieving medications, you can reduce your risk of gastro reflux disease.
If you want more information on gastro reflux disease, visit refluxremedy.com for the latest information on how you can treat GERD naturally.
Filed under Gastro Reflux by admin
It is unnatural for stomach contents to rise into the esophagus but unfortunately, this happens to many people. This occurrence is called acid reflux, when stomach acids are permitted to enter the esophagus and move upward. When acid reflux occurs repeatedly, this could be a sign that you have gastroesophageal reflux disorder.
Gastroesophageal reflux disorder is what develops when the lower esophageal sphincter is relaxed and does not close consistently or tightly. The LES acts as a passageway for foods that have been eaten, allowing entrance into the stomach. Although the LES musts open to allow foods to pass to the stomach, a properly functioning LES should close immediately after the food goes to the stomach, and prevent stomach acids from being displaced. Stomach acid is corrosive but is suitable for the lining walls of that organ. In order to breakdown and digest food, the gastric acid in your stomach must be highly acidic. When gastric acid moves into the esophagus it ends up corroding the esophagus, causing irritation and inflammation.
Many factors can cause you to suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disorder. If you have a haital hernia this could make you more susceptible to GERD. A hiatal hernia occurs when the top portion of the stomach and the LES muscle shift above the diaphragm, the muscle that divides the chest and stomach. The diaphragm normally aids the LES in it’s function to separate stomach acid from the esophagus. Hiatal hernias allow gastric acids to go from the stomach to the esophagus easily.
If you are pregnant this may affect your chances of having GERD. Pregnant women should be concerned about GERD because of their increased risk. As the baby develops in the womb, the body must make room. This means that vital organs begin to shift and are compressed. If the stomach shifts or compresses too much, this could force stomach acids to move past the LES and into the esophagus.
Obesity and diabetes also contribute to GERD. If you have a lot of extra weight, especially near the abdomen, this can put excessive pressure on the stomach and diaphragm. If the stomach endures pressure, this makes it easier for stomach acids to escape into the esophagus and cause damage. Diabetes affects the way that foods are digested and could encourage acid reflux. Close attention should be paid to your diet and exercise habits, as they can contribute to obesity and diabetes.
Smoking is a lifestyle contributor to GERD. Each time you smoke, the LES becomes weaker and has to work harder to remain closed. A weakened or relaxed LES will allow stomach acid to seep into the esophagus. The more you smoke, the higher your risk is of developing GERD.
Symptoms of GERD in adults include heartburn, chest pain, chronic cough, regurgitation and difficulty swallowing. Children however may not have heartburn but will likely have a persistent cough and respiratory problems. Avoiding certain foods, smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating smaller lean meals well before lying down for bed are simple ways to manage GERD.
To learn more about gastroesophageal reflux disorder, visit refluxremedy.com today.
Filed under Acid Reflux, Gastroesophageal Reflux by admin