Acid Reflux Links With IBS

Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is an unpleasant condition in and of itself, as you know. Now imagine being afflicted with that AND irritable bowel syndrome -- being sick at both ends, as it were.

It seems too cruel even for a capricious being like Mother Nature, but it?s true. Many people find themselves suffering from both conditions at once, and there may be a link between them.

One theory is that when things are off-kilter in the stomach -- too much acid, for example -- the body tries to get rid of whatever?s in the stomach as fast as possible. This means sending half-digested food down south, and extra acid up north. Presto: IBS and acid reflux, all at once.

Another reason for the dual diagnosis could be obesity, at least indirectly. Obesity can cause acid reflux because the bloated stomach and gut area stretches the muscle that separates the stomach from the esophagus, thus allowing acid to bubble up. Furthermore, many obese people have a diet that puts them at risk of IBS through the nature of the foods they eat.

One theory holds that sometimes IBS manifests itself in a dilation of the transverse colon. The colon being stretched in this way could cause it to press against your stomach when it?s full of food, which could push acid up the other way.

A slightly weaker connection: Some researchers believe IBS can be brought on by stress, and while stress alone won?t cause GERD, it can cause people to drink, smoke and eat improperly, all of which can cause acid reflux.

However, some doctors believe that though some people do suffer from both IBS and GERT, the two are not necessarily linked. Someone may have hemorrhoids and tonsillitis, too, but that doesn?t mean they have the same cause.

Doctors point out that GERD?s cause is known -- a change in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach, causing stomach acid to bubble up -- while the cause of IBS is a mystery. In fact, IBS may be caused by a variety of things, and effective treatment can differ from one patient to the next. Acid reflux, on the other hand, has fairly uniform treatments that work for most people.

The kicker is that some people?s methods of treating one make the other worse. For example, some people fear fiber-rich foods will exacerbate the acid reflux (which is true in some cases). But fiber will usually HELP with irritable bowel syndrome. For those unlucky patients, it may be a matter of choosing which disease is more tolerable and treating the other one.

Fortunately, this lesser-of-two-evils treatment isn?t usually necessary. In most cases, IBS and GERT can be treated without interfering with one another. And in some lucky instances, the same treatment will cure them both. For instance, many patients have reported that losing weight alleviated both conditions. Others have reported that an allergy to gluten turned out to be the reason for IBS and acid reflux, and eliminating it from the diet cleared everything up. If you find yourself with both ailments at once, trying an elimination diet may be the way forward.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Acid Reflux. For further information on Acid Reflux please visit Acid Reflux or Acid Reflux Symptoms

Acid Reflux: Will Lifestyle Change Make A Difference?

With major improvement in the understanding, diagnosis and management of acid reflux, family doctors and gastro-enterologists have a greater variety of options for treatment of acid reflux.

The acid suppressant drugs available today are extremely effective. Drugs such as omeprazole and other proton pump inhibitor have become the mainstay of treatment. These drugs are now available over the counter and easy for patients to obtain. It is therefore so easy for practitioners and patients to ignore the simple basic ways to control acid reflux disease.

A simple and effective part of treatment is lifestyle modification and reassurance. This includes changing the types of food consumed, avoiding certain medication, stopping smoking, losing weight, elevating the head of the bed and sensible use of antacids and alginates . The most important foods to avoid are fatty foods. In this group are whole milk, butter, chocolate and some fast foods. In time a patient will know what foods to consume and what to avoid. Peppermint oil relaxes the lower oesophageal sphincter and can cause reflux. If it is used for IBS, be aware of this important side effect. If in doubt consult your GP or stop if you develop reflux symptoms. Smoking has a similar effect on the lower oesophageal sphincter. Give up smoking if you have acid reflux. It is making it worse.

Certain foods should be taken in moderation. Decide for yourself if citric foods, spicy foods or caffeine containing foods are problematic. Avoid these foods if they aggravate acid reflux . Obesity causes increased abdominal pressure and as a result produces increased pressure on the lower oesophageal sphincter. This pressure can result in acid reflux. Losing weight will reduce this pressure. It is very surprising how losing a small amount of weight can make a significant difference.

In nocturnal acid reflux, lying down at night causes refluxate to track up the oesophagus. Raising the head of the bed will help reduce this. In addition it reduces sensitisation overnight which leads to problems during the day. Evidence shows that extra pillows make no difference. Wearing tight clothes will increase intra abdominal pressure and stimulate reflux. Wearing loose clothes will avoid this.

Eating small regular meals is better than having a few big meals. Large volume of food will distend the stomach and affect the efficiency of the sphincter. Similarly do not lie down soon after a meal. Make sure your last meal before retiring is at least three hours earlier.

A review of the medical literature and the few placebo controlled trials suggests that most patients with gastro-oesophageal disease (GERD) can be reasonably controlled by reassurance and lifestyle modification.

Chronic and relapsing acid reflux, however, will need more than lifestyle changes and reassurance. Management should incorporate the use of effective dosage of acid suppressant drugs to gain satisfactory control of acid reflux symptoms.

If your symptoms are persistent in spite of the changes you make, see you family doctor. The thought of having an endoscopy may be daunting but persistent acid reflux can cause long term problems. Acid in the lower oesophagus can cause inflammation leading to oesophagitis. Recurrent oesophagitis can cause bleeding, strictures and Barrett's oesophagus. 3 to 5 % of Barrett's Oesophagus develops adenocarcinoma. This condition is diagnosed by biopsy at endoscopy. Bear these facts in mind if your symptoms persist.

Dr. Phil Hariram has spent 27 years in General Practice. He has seen the significant changes that has transformed Acid Reflux treatment. His blog http://www.acidrefluxguru.com provides up to date information on all aspects of Acid Reflux. http://www.acidrefluxguru.com