Feel More in Control - Acid Reflux Basics

Millions of people in the United States suffer from acid reflux disease.

The medical term for Acid reflux is called Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is caused when the stomach releases acid back up into the esophagus. This in turn causes the esophageal lining to be inflamed, often cause serious damage.

It is very easy to understand. In order for the stomach to digest food, it needs the acid. But there are also other compounds that assist the acid. Bile is produced in the liver and at times it can be released in the stomach by acid reflux. Pepsin is a natural enzyme in the body that actually gets the stomach moving in breaking down the proteins. Acid reflux occurs when these three compounds are combined.

Everyone suffers from acid reflux from time to time and in varying degrees. It is a normal part of live. Acid reflux disease occurs when the acid level is elevated it also stays in the esophagus for longer periods of time.

Acid reflux is a serious disease that can be treated but not cured. When a person is diagnosed, they will remain on medication for the rest of his or her life.

Serious diseases can result from acid reflux disease such as Esophagitis. When the person who suffers from acid reflux disease continues to take the prescribed medication, they greatly reduce their chances of developing these diseases.

The human body has natural defenses and through the use of saliva, which has bicarbonate in it and neutralizes the acid. Swallowing can battle the affects of acid reflux. However, this is only during the day. This is because you move around all day, whether sitting or standing, gravity keeps the acid down.

Sleeping is a whole different story. When you sleep, the body produces less saliva. And because you are lying down, your body provides a level path for the acid to travel. You are neither vertical or swallowing; therefore the acid remains in the esophagus for longer periods of time causing more damage.

Heartburn, nausea and vomiting occurring at or just after a meal are all signs of acid reflux disease. Some people experience regurgitation that leaves a horrible aftertaste.

The pain of acid reflux has been likened to Angina. A life threatening heart disorder. It is extremely crucial that you see your doctor as soon as possible to rule out any underlying problems.

Acid reflux disease is an extremely painful disease. It can strike at anytime during your life. It is important that you see your doctor at the onset of the symptoms, to avoid any long-term damage to your body.

Jill Seimer reports on healthy living at RefluxLife.com and discussed natural healing of heartburn from her experience using on natural cures for acid reflux.

A Positive Impact - Your Thinking Indigestion and Acid Reflux

Most people dismiss the power of positive thinking as something that only the most deluded people believe in. The mind is a powerful tool and has incredible control over and effect on the body. Positive thinking used in the right way and at the right time can have huge benefits for people suffering from a great many different medical conditions. Acid reflux is no different in this regard.

There are 9 individual steps in using positive thinking for yourself.

1. Clearly define a goal and purpose. In your case this will be acid reflux and the symptoms of indigestion and heartburn. Never, ever have more than one goal or purpose - it will only confuse matters for you. Choose a single goal and stick to it.

2. Take a step back from the situation you are in and tell yourself what you need to do. Using a gentle and confident tone tell yourself what you need to do to reach your goal.

3. Give yourself advice in a way that you would give advice to a friend. Reassure yourself and use common sense. Always follow your own best advice yourself.

4. Have belief in yourself and give yourself encouragement. Do not become overly enthusiastic when doing so. Remain calm and sincere when encouraging yourself.

5. Provide yourself with reasons for reaching your goals. Always keep the reasons why you need to overcome specific obstacles in the front of your mind. Remind yourself of past successes so that you know you are making progress. Remind yourself of your own strengths. Strong and positive reasons will be enough to keep you motivated and give you the strength and determination to reach the goal you have set yourself.

6. Aim for your favorite positive emotion. Be positive, cheerful and enthusiastic. Having a loving attitude is one of the best to have as it can have the most positive effect on you. Determination is another great emotion to use. This will keep you moving forward even when you find yourself struggling.

7. Practice anti-negativity each day. This simply means to do what you can to get rid of the negative, self-defeating thinking going on in your head. Attack these negative thoughts with all your strength so that you can find a neutral ground to make further progress from.

8. Keep the sentences and phrases you use short and simple. Make sure they are directed at a specific action or bearing.

9. Repeat what works. As you develop positive thinking skills you will notice that you use certain processes or activities more than others. Use them often and use them well.

Does the power of positive thinking actually work? Some say it has no power at all but how can you know without trying? Use the power of your mind to try and overcome acid reflux and indigestion - what have you got to lose?

Passionate about helping others Jill Seimer reports on healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com Recently publishing Acid Reflux in Children she shares her views on dealing with infant acid reflux.

Herbal Home Remedies for Heartburn and Acid Reflux

When you are suffering from heartburn, the main thing that you want to do is to stop the pain. Today's medical knowledge of heartburn has led to the development to various drugs that have the ability to stop or ease heartburn. However if you want to try alternative forms of medication, then what are the remedies that you have available to you?

There are some Herbal heartburn remedies that have been known and used for quite some time now. The three most commonly used herbal remedies are chamomile, which is botanically known as Matricaria Recutita. Peppermint which is also botanically known as Mentha Piperita and Ginger that is botanically known as Zingiber Officinale.

These three herbal heartburn remedies fall into a group of herbs that are described by the General Nutrition Center as "carminative". They all have the ability to relieve indigestion and ease irritation that occurs in the intestines. The herb chamomile is traditionally recognized for its calming properties. As chamomile has a high calcium content it has the ability to decrease stomach acid. Therefore chamomile is thought to help ease esophageal irritation and help with proper digestion.

Ginger has been used traditionally for dealing with many different gastrointestinal (stomach) problems. Ginger also has some anti-inflammatory as well as anti-nausea properties. Both these actions of ginger give relief to heartburn sufferers. There is one other action that ginger is widely known for. Ginger is a very good herbal heartburn remedy as it aids in the proper digestion process by promoting spontaneous intestinal movement.

Peppermint is also thought to have healing properties against indigestion. Peppermint also has the additional property of calming the stomach. A study that was done of peppermint in combination with the caraway fruit found that they have the same ease of relieving the symptoms of heartburn as Chamomile and Ginger do.

The General Nutrition Center has suggested that herbs that have a "bitter digestive stimulant" property might be used as well. They believe that theses herbs may produce natural digestive enzymes. Herbs like blessed thistle are advocated in the hopes that they will alleviate heartburn. As there is no clear way of knowing their effects, blessed thistle and other such herbs are not as universally recommended.

Whereas chamomile, ginger and peppermint are known and recognized for their potential as a herbal heartburn remedy. As with all medications, you should consult a doctor before you begin using any sort of herbal remedy. This way you can take care that the herbal heartburn remedy will not conflict with your other ongoing medicational treatments.

So, if you want to go 'chemical free' in your quest to find your heartburn cure, then I suggest you go about finding your own herbal heartburn remedy now. After all there's time like the present!

Get Rid of your Heartburn Naturally Visit Here http://www.home-remedies-for-heartburn.com

Acid Reflux Part 3 - Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR)

While Laryngopharyngeal Reflux (LPR) is cited in some journals as a part of GERD, it presents its own set of symptoms and potential health problems. LPR affects the larynx, pharynx, bronchi, trachea, and possibly even one's lungs.

LPR occurs when the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opens and allows reflux to enter the throat. Since the components of the affected area (see the list above) are constructed of softer tissue that the esophagus, the potential for damage is greater from stomach acid and digestive enzymes. And if the reflux is "aspirated," or breathed into the lungs, the risk is increased for one to develop aspiration pneumonia. Other pulmonary problems whish may manifest are coughing, wheezing, asthma (especially adult onset), and interstitial fibrosis (the tissue in the lungs becomes inflamed and/or scarred). Excess acid reaching one's mouth can also lead to the decay of the tooth enamel, gingivitis, halitosis, and waterbrash.

Further complications can include odynophagia and dysphagia. And pharynx symptoms can include laryngitis, hoarseness, soreness, the sensation of a lump in one's throat (globus), and earache due to fluids entering one's Eustachian tubes between the throat and the ear.

Overall symptoms may include the above plus:

- Dysphonia
- Frequent throat clearing
- Post nasal drip
- Spasm of the larynx
- Blockage of the breathing passage
- Swallowed food coming back up
- Difficulty singing, especially the loss of vocal range.

Diagnosis of LPR can be more difficult, due in part to the fact that less than 15% of those affected have the "heartburn" associated with typical GERD symptoms. Your physician or health care provider may do a laryngoscopy to diagnose and evaluate the condition. Please consult him/her as quickly as possible if you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms.

Other testing may include:

- pH testing - two sensors are placed (one on each end of the esophagus) to determine if the reflux is reaching one's upper esophagus and to assess the pH content of the reflux.

- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, if one complains of dysphagia or odynophagia

Lifestyle changes:

These are the same as those mentioned in Part 2 of this three-part series.

Medical treatments:

- Antacids - Prescription medications to reduce acid production in the stomach
- the Nissen Fundoplication mentioned in Part 2.

As with treatment of GERD one's physician may recommend one, or a combination, of the treatments cited, depending on the severity of your case. And it is recommended that one seek medical care as quickly as possible, should one experience any of the symptoms described in these articles.

Please remember that Acid Reflux can lead to very serious health issues, including some forms of cancer, if left untreated. So see your physician as often as needed to alleviate this potentially devastating disease.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux

Acid reflux chokes me awake at night

by Drew Harris http://www.acid-refluxsite.com

Acid reflux has forced me to suddenly wake up countless times, in a state of panic, choking on my own acid and gasping for breath.

Nothing can really describe the burning bile feeling, or the taste it leaves in your mouth as you try not to gag and throw-up. I have had to stick a pinch of toothpaste into my mouth and leave it there to try and cut the bile taste.

I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia as a teenager, which may contribute to acid reflux. The burning acid had left me alone for most of my 20's. However, a high stress job and a subsequent gain in weight and lack of exercise brought the acid reflux back on with a vengeance in my 30's.

When I started having almost constant waves of heartburn and acid indigestion, sitting upright at my desk, I knew it was time to see the doctor.

At that time, I had never heard of acid reflux.

He told me that more than 60 million people suffer from frequent heartburn, acid indigestion or GERD (Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease).

Acid reflux describes the regurgitation of acid back up the throat. It can also lead to more serious medical conditions that may require hospitalization.

My doctor explained this happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly and stomach contents leak back, or reflux, into the esophagus. The LES is a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that acts like a valve between the esophagus and stomach. The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

When refluxed stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus, it causes a burning sensation in the chest or throat called heartburn. The fluid may even be tasted in the back of the mouth, which is called acid indigestion. Heartburn that occurs more than twice a week may be considered GERD, and it can eventually lead to more serious health problems.

When I finally went and saw my doctor, I was having almost constant heartburn and acid indigestion.

He further explained that symptoms are usually worse at night when the person is lying flat and acid flows easily from the stomach back up the esophagus.

Anyone, including infants, children, and pregnant women, can have GERD.

I was told to make some lifestyle and dietary changes. They included:

1. Using a wedge pillow to elevate my body at bedtime 2. Eating plenty of fiber and drinking lots of fluids. 3. Eating small meals and eating slowly. 4. Not lying down for at least 1-2 hours after eating. 5. Losing extra pounds. Added weight causes extra pressure on your stomach and can irritate symptoms. 6. Wearing loose clothing. Tightly fitting clothes put extra pressure on your stomach. 7. Not exercising for at least one hour after eating. 8. Avoiding the following: alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, chocolate, carbonated beverages, spices, fried and fatty foods, tomato products, citrus, and peppermint.

I am a non smoker and I don't drink that much. I do drink a fair bit of coffee however. The real culprit for me though has been drinking fruit juice of any kind before bed. When I have, my acid reflux has been significantly worse.

As I have made many of these changes to my lifestyle, I have seen some relief.

The elevated pillow works wonderfully. I have also started taking proton pump inhibitor medication, which reduces acid production in my stomach. I have been told surgery may be an option down the road.

Drew Harris owns and operates Acid-refluxsite.com, a one-stop-shop directory for those looking for information on acid reflux and its related issues. Multiple pages of resources, referrals and expert articles. http://acid-refluxsite.com