Acid Reflux vs LPRD

GERD and LPRD. They sound like top-secret government programs, or maybe the names of computer programs. But they?re actually very common medical conditions, and chances are you?ve suffered one or both of them. What are they? And what?s the difference between them?

GERD stands for gastroesophogeal reflux disease, commonly known as acid reflux or just heartburn. LPRD is laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. To understand their causes and their relation to each other, let?s look at how the body is assembled.

At the back of your throat is a sphincter (or muscle) that opens when you swallow something, allowing the material into the esophagus. Then, at the bottom of the esophagus, there is another sphincter that opens into the stomach. Both of these muscles are closed most of the time, opening only when something is supposed to pass through. There is no open-door policy with the esophagus; you have to knock every time.

One of the purposes of that lower sphincter is to keep the stomach?s digestive acids from splashing up into the esophagus. The stomach is lined with material to protect it from its own acids, of course, but the esophagus has no such protection. So when something happens to compromise that sphincter, allowing acid to rise up where it doesn?t belong, you feel it. That?s heartburn, or GERD.

Now, if the acid comes up into the esophagus and then KEEPS GOING, coming all the way up past the upper sphincter and into the back of the throat, that?s LPRD. In layman?s terms, you could consider LPRD to be what happens when the acid from GERD doesn?t know when to quit bubbling up.

You?d think that you wouldn?t feel LPRD without feeling GERD first, but in fact most people who suffer from LPRD don?t notice any significant heartburn. This is because for it to be LPRD, the acid must have passed all the way through the esophagus and up into the back of the throat. Had it lingered in the esophagus, it would have done some damage and caused heartburn. But since it kept going, it basically skipped that process altogether.

The symptoms of LPRD are hoarseness, frequent throat-clearing, problems with swallowing, a bitter taste in the mouth, and a pain in the throat. It?s very much a throat-related syndrome, whereas GERD is felt more in the chest area.

However, while GERD and LPRD have different symptoms, they can be prevented exactly the same way. They are both caused by acid rising up from the stomach, so if you can stop that from happening, you?ll prevent both conditions. Avoid eating huge meals or lying down immediately after eating. Avoid fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and chocolate -- yeah, yeah, all the fun stuff, but it comes with a price. Tight clothes or belts can also cause reflux simply by physically forcing acid up from the stomach.

If you find yourself burdened with either GERD or LPRD, don?t fret. In almost all cases, both ailments are fairly easily treated. Finding the cure that works for you specifically may take some doing, but it?s a small price to pay to keep your stomach happy.

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

Is My Chest Pain Cause By Acid Reflux Heartburn Or From My Heart?

Usually, the early symptom of a heart attack is very similar to heartburn and can be mistaken as acid reflux heartburn. And this kind of mistake can be very dangerous as any delay of medical attention to a heart attack can cause serious consequences. Hence it is very important to understand whether it is heartburn acid reflux symptoms or a heart condition that is causing the chest pain. Let us find out the difference here.

The more likely symptoms that is related to acid reflux are that the pain can continue for hours, or retrosternal pain without lateral radiation. Also, pain that interrupts sleep, or that happened after meals, may be related to heartburn from acid reflux. Heartburn pain is also easily relieved with antacid agents, unlike heart disease or heart conditions.

Sometimes, one can have both acid reflux heartburn and heart disease issues both at the same time. Some people with coronary artery disease may develop chest pain from their acid reflux, which is believed that the acid in the esophagus may provoke nerves that temporarily impair blood flow to the heart, hence causing chest pain. This however, is probably not a heart attack. That is why it is important, especially for people with heart problems, to have their chest pain checked immediately by a doctor to determine the cause of the pain.

So what symptoms are immediate signs of danger? You must contact the doctor or call 911 immediately if you never had heartburn or acid reflux before, and that you are experiencing chest pain, pressure of chest and heart, and difficulty in breathing. This is confirmed sign of a heart attack! Also, if you take antacids but it does not relieve the chest pain within 10 to 15 minutes, call the doctor immediately.

In addition, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, profuse sweating, nausea, dizziness, fainting, weakness, and pain from your chest, back, jaw, arms, these are all symptoms that you are having a heart attack. So seek medical attention immediately when you experienced these symptoms.

Click for more top and latest info on heartburn acid reflux.

Christopher Wen is the webmaster for greenHealth information site where he provides articles, news, and remedies to current health issues we faced in our everyday life. Check out his blog at greenhealthinformation.com.

Acid Reflux - Causes and Emptying the Stomach

The cause of GERD or Acid Reflux disease symptoms can come from a variety of things ? emptying the stomach is one of them. Many who suffer from the heartburn symptoms only look at fatty foods or foods high in cholesterol, but the fact are many events in ones life can cause and contribute to acid reflux.

Some sufferers simple produce more stomach acid above the normal range, others may experience stress at work. Whatever the cause understanding the process of how the stomach is emptied is important in handling the heartburn symptoms.

Most people experiencing acid reflux symptoms usually suffer them after eating a meal.

After eating a large meal the temporary relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter caused by the swelling in the stomach may occur. The stomach will empty over a long period of time causing greater discomfort for a longer period of time as acid reflux skyrockets. This condition found in those suffering from GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) it is not common that, only occurring in about 20% of those with the condition.

If you experience heartburn or acid reflux symptoms but you are not sure of the cause it is advised to consult with your doctor or medical professional on addressing the problem. If your reflux conditions result from a lifestyle or working conditions a change in diet may need to be reviewed or a variety of medications are on the market. You can find off the shelf medications, which may give some relief from the discomfort but before you try any remedy consult, your doctor first.

Jill Seimer reports on diet issues at RefluxLife.com and published acid reflux in infants from her experience dealing with heartburn in children.

Acid Reflux Symptoms My Stomach Is On Fire!

Burning, oh the burning in my stomach and even my throat!

Acid reflux symptoms are most often described by sufferers as burning, gnawing, painful and oh, yes, chronic?like the kind that refuses to go away, chronic?and persistent... and burning!

Painful, chronic persistent heartburn that lasts three or more months and occurs at least twice each and every week is often diagnosed as Acid Reflux Disease or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). This pesky little nuisance can cause long term damage to the esophagus if left untreated.

Erosive esophagitis, wow... that even sounds painful just reading those words..., occurs when the gastric acids bubbling backwards through the LES, the lower esophageal sphincter, and into the esophagus eventually eroding away the lining of the esophagus causing not only the erosions but often times inflammation and tissue damage as well.

This leaves the patient with a very painful esophagus which can make swallowing undesirable and quite difficult.

In the adult population, acid reflux symptoms are classically seen as heartburn, chest pain, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), pain or an uncomfortable feeling in the upper middle part of the stomach (dyspepsia) and even difficulty swallowing or the feeling of a lump in the throat.

Less common symptoms include a chronic cough, wheezing, hoarseness, a sore throat and earaches.

When trying to minimize the symptoms of GERD it is important to remember that everyone is different!

Some easy things to try include losing weight if obesity is an issue, avoiding or at least decreasing alcohol consumption, eliminating or decreasing smoking, and avoid foods which may trigger acid reflux symptoms.

Food triggers can include chocolate, caffeinated drinks, spicy foods, garlic, onions, tomato-based foods, fatty foods, fried foods, mint flavorings, citrus fruits. Bummer, sounds like that leaves out a lot of my favorite foods!!

But it is certainly worth making the lifestyle changes necessary to avoid the pain of acid reflux disease symptoms.

For more important information on stomach pain be sure to visit a-stomach-pain.com where you will find advice and tips on common stomach pain causes such as acid reflux, ulcers, and more.

 

Discover the Causes of Acid Reflux

Several different factors can lead to acid reflux. The reason that acid reflux occurs is because the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus fails to close properly. This muscle should work like a one-way valve, allowing food to enter the stomach, and stopping stomach acid from splashing back up.

Many factors can influence the way this muscle works, and cause acid reflux. In infants and babies, the muscle may not be strong enough to keep the stomach acid in the tummy. This is commonly called colic. Colic can be miserable for both the baby and the family, but it generally disappears by about six to eight months of age, as the child's muscles develop and strengthen. Another frequent reason why people suffer from acid reflux is pregnancy, or being overweight. Both of these conditions cause extra pressure to build up along the diaphragm, and push on the lower esophagus. This can weaken the muscle, and promote acid reflux.

About fifty percent of all acid reflux sufferers have stomach muscles that work very slowly, and this results in delayed emptying of the stomach. When this occurs, food remains in the stomach longer than normal, increasing the chances that the stomach acid could splash up on the sensitive tissues of the esophagus.

Hiatal hernias can also cause you to suffer the symptoms of acid reflux. The hiatus is a passageway in the diaphragm that permits food from the esophagus to pass into the stomach. A hiatal hernia is when a small part of the stomach actually protrudes up through the hole. This prevents the muscle at the bottom of the esophagus from working properly, and can lead to acid reflux.

Some medications can also cause you to suffer the effects of acid reflux. Medications that can irritate the stomach lining can aggravate the symptoms of acid reflux. The most common medications that do this are Motrin, Nuprin, and Advil. These medications are commonly used as pain relievers, and many sufferers report relief if the take these medications with food.

Different types of foods can also cause acid reflux. If you suffer from this disease, keeping a food diary can help you discover the cause and prevent future suffering.

Gerri Stone publishes information to help you find relief from acid reflux at http://www.StomachSolutions.com