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.

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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.

Heartburn, Acid Reflux and The Side Effects

There is nothing better than sharing a meal with family and friends. You eat, talk and laugh, and have a wonderful time. All the while you are thinking, when is the heartburn going to start?

Heartburn is often associated with acid reflux disease. This is a serious disease that if left untreated, can have painful consequences, some potential deadly.

For those who choose not to treat their acid reflux disease, dismissing it as mere heartburn, are leaving themselves susceptible to such diseases as Barrett?s esophagus disease.

Not only is this painful disease, but also it is know to be a precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma. Cancer.

Barrett?s Esophagus is when the lining of the esophagus is damaged so badly by acid reflux disease that it resembles the lining of the small intestines. It can only be diagnosed by a physician. It is very difficult because there are little or no symptoms associated with Barrett?s Esophagus, and only one test to diagnose it. A gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy.

This procedure is somewhat invasive. A physician inserts a lighted camera into the esophagus and it is determined if the lining looks abnormal. The physician will decide if a biopsy is necessary and take a small sample for testing.

You do not have to have acid reflux to develop Barrett?s Esophagus, but people with acid reflux are up to five times more likely to develop it than people who do not have acid reflux disease, and the chance of developing this fatal cancer increase up to one hundred and fifty percent over a person who does not have acid reflux disease.

Another problem that a person with acid reflux disease faces is called erosive esophagitis. Although this is a painful disease, it can be treated. Erosive esophagitis is when the acid from the stomach travel back up to the esophagus and causes irritation. This condition is a common for those who have acid reflux disease.

The symptoms of erosive esophagitis can range from a burning sensation to lesion. Tests for erosive esophagitis include an endoscopy or a barium swallow. This is when the person afflicted swallows a chemical dye in order for the doctor to take x-rays of the esophagus.

Erosive esophagus can cause dehydration and malnutrition because the person afflicted cannot eat or drink anything because of the pain swallowing causes. It is critical to seek medical attention immediately at the first sign of discomfort. Erosive esophagitis can be easily treated with medication that reduces the amount of acid in the stomach.

If acid reflux disease is not treated, it can cause serious complications. When you make lifestyle and dietary changes and take the medication that is prescribed, you are taking the proper steps to avoid serious complication that are associated with acid reflux disease.

Jill Seimer reports on health matters at RefluxLife.com and reported on natural healing for heartburn from her experience with alternative medicine

Acid Reflux - The Silent Killer?

You may not be familiar with the term acid reflux even though you've probably suffered from it countless times during your life. Acid reflux is also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD for short) or even more commonly it's referred to as heartburn. Why are there so many names for such a, seemingly, harmless condition? The correct clinical term for heartburn is GERD although anyone trying to explain that they have severe indigestion will find it far easier to stay they have heartburn instead of trying to blurt out gastroesophageal reflux disease. The acid reflux title is a description of what actually occurs in the stomach during heartburn so as you can see it's far more complicated than you previously thought.

So what exactly is acid reflux? GERD is when your stomach has produced too much acid in its attempt to digest food held there. This extra acid and other fluids then move back up your into your esophagus (the tube connecting your stomach and your throat)and begin to cause both pain and damage in this area. That burning sensation you feel in your chest is the direct result of very powerful stomach acid eating away at the tissue in your esophagus. If this happens every once in a while your body can cope with the damage. If, however, this is a daily occurence then the damage can become permanent and even life threating. Yes life threatening.

Most people pass heartburn off as a temporary problem that they can "cure" by taking a fistful of antacids and avoiding spicy food for 24 hours. This simply isn't so. Acid reflux/heartburn can have far more serious implications than simply being uncomfortable. In the most extreme cases acid reflux can lead to the development of a type of cancer which, if left untreated, can be fatal. That's the most surprising fact for most people - they never, ever assume that something like acid reflux might potentially kill them.

This type of cancer starts off as a condition known as Barrett's Esophagus (also known as intestinal metaplasia). During prolonged bouts of acid reflux (over a period of years) tissue in the esophagus gets replaced with tissues that are normally only found in the stomach and intestine. This abnormal tissue growth can then lead to a type of cancer developing which is known as esophageal adenocarcinoma. The most worrying aspect of this cancer is that normally it's not detected until the patient is in their 60's and at that stage it's normally too late to treat the cancer.

Should you rush off to your doctor to have a full medical because you get heartburn once in a while? No and the purpose of this article is not to cause a panic. If, however, you find yourself suffering from acid reflux almost every day then it is a recognized medical condition and there are prescription treatments available. Don't leave your health to chance for the sake of a quick trip to the family doctor for their advice and guidance on the matter.

This article was provided by Aaron Walker at RefluxNow.com. You can learn a lot more about acid reflux and its causes by reading the information there.

Acid Reflux And Indigestion: What Is The Difference?

Many construe the conditions of both acid reflux and indigestion to mean the same thing. In reality, there are a number of differences between the two conditions. While it is true that acid reflux symptoms are very similar to those of indigestion, they are a lot more severe and tend to persist for more than a few hours.

Acid reflux can be a serious condition if you do nothing about it. When series, acid reflux is known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). You experience pain in the oesophagus and throat as the acid from the stomach causes damage to the lining. If you do not treat your condition, the acid reflux symptoms can become unbearable as the lining of the oesophagus is slowly eroded away by the stomach acid. In the worst case scenario, you may develop oesophageal cancer or any of the other serious and potentially life-threatening throat conditions. These will be a lot harder to treat than the initial acid reflux symptoms. Hence it is important to seek early medical attention especially if your acid reflux symptoms do not go away.

Acid reflux is not curable. However, you can make changes to your diet and lifestyle for pain relief and to control your symptoms. Only if these solutions fail, should you consider consuming prescription medications.

Indigestion is often thought to be a milder version of acid reflux. But this is not really true. Only some of the symptoms are similar. For example, one of the most common symptoms of indigestion is gassy episodes and often these episodes are felt by sufferers of true acid reflux. Indigestion sufferers may also have an uncomfortable feeling around the chest and shoulder area that you are unable to relieve by burping.

Indigestion is commonly caused by over-eating or eating too quickly. Your stomach is bombarded with food and it produces acid in extreme amounts. Acid reflux however is caused when the sphincter at the top of the stomach is weakened and the stomach acid is allowed to travel up the oesophagus and then into the throat. Because of this dissimilarity, you often experience the major symptoms of the two conditions in different parts of the body; that is the chest for indigestion and the throat/oesophagus for acid reflux.

Acid reflux symptoms can be easily treated with diet and lifestyle changes. For more information and resource, please visit this site here at http://www.treat-acid-reflux.com

5 Facts To Acid Reflux Symptoms And Its Triggers

If you have acid reflux, then it is important that you understand some basic facts about this condition. It is only through understanding of acid reflux causes, symptoms and triggers can you know how best to manage the condition better. Here are top 5 facts about acid reflux symptoms and its triggers

1. Acid reflux is often referred to as heartburn. However acid reflux symptoms extends to more than just a heartburn. Increasingly, acid reflux is a very common complaint. There are now over 60million Americans or one fifth of the entire population who suffer from acid reflux on a monthly basis. Over half of these sufferers are said to experience the painful symptoms on a daily basis.

2. Acid reflux symptoms develop due to the over-production of acid in the stomach and by the inability of the sphincter at the top of the stomach to stop the acid from travelling up the oesophagus. Although this condition is not curable currently, you can easily prevent your symptoms from developing by eating a diet that is less acidic. Doctors also often prescribe medications to keep the condition under control.

3. Very often, you would experience the painful and uncomfortable acid reflux symptoms during the night hours when in a horizontal position. If you do not treat your condition, you can get sleep disorders, tiredness and even mental health problems. During the day, you also experience a sense of irritability, a lack of concentration and do not feel well.

4. You should consider giving up habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol as they tend to worsen your acid reflux symptoms. Smoking and alcohol have been found to have a relaxing effect on the sphincter at the top of the stomach. As your sphincter is already impaired, this can cause much more severe pain than in normal people.

5. Obesity increase your risk to developing acid reflux. The fat around the waist and abdomen presses on the stomach, especially when you lie down. Your sphincter at the top of the stomach, and indeed the one at the bottom of the stomach that leads to the small intestine, become stressed and weakened. This can and often does result in stomach acid leaking in to the oesophagus and causing acid reflux symptoms. This condition also happens to pregnant ladies in their last few months of pregnancy when the weight of the baby pushes on the stomach.

If you allow acid reflux symptoms to develop without taking any treatment action, serious complications such as the damage to your oesophagus can result. In the worst case scenerio, you can also develop oesophageal cancer. Thus, you should always take early treatment action if you are unable to stop the pain with an OTC pain relief.

Acid reflux symptoms can be easily treated with proper diet and changes to a healthy lifestyle. For more information and resources, please visit this site at www.treat-acid-reflux.com

Lifestyle Changes - Help with Acid Reflux Symptoms

Heartburn is never fun, and even less so when you have frequent heartburn. If this is a condition that you suffer from, you may think that medication is the only way to stop the pain. That is sometimes not the case. There may be an underlying condition that is contributing to symptoms that a doctor can diagnose. If, however, you have a simple case of acid reflux, there are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to help keep heartburn to a minimum, or possible eliminate it all together.

Eating smaller meals more frequent meals is a good place to start. What happens is when a large meal is eaten, your stomach expands, putting pressure on the esophageal sphincter, making it hard to keep it closed. Eating smaller meals does not put that pressure on the area, which lowers the possibility of getting acid reflux.

Another option is to limit the number of foods and drinks that stimulate the amount of acid that is produced. So, try to include more foods that do not cause excess acids and steer clear of the ones that will come back to haunt you. If you are unsure which foods you can have and which ones you should not, and because everybody is different, try experimenting. Coffee, tea, other caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are among some triggers as well as spices, peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits and peppermint.

Eating later in the evening and not having snacks before bed is another idea that may help curb heartburn. Also, try to not lie down for three hours after you eat. What happens is that after you eat, your stomach produces acid to break down the food and when you lay down, the acid may creep up, causing heartburn.

Also, by elevating your body slightly while sleeping, you can relieve symptoms. To do this, you can buy a wedge pillow that will elevate your head, neck and torso. Doing this will help keep pressure off the lower esophageal sphincter. Laying flat adds pressure to this area. Also, being overweight creates pressure on the abdominal area, which pushes your dinner back into the esophagus. To help with this, losing as little as ten percent of your body weight will reduce this pressure and you will feel better.

Smoking can also increase heartburn symptoms. This is because the smoke reduces saliva production. Salvia helps to neutralize stomach acid. The longer and more often you smoke, the less saliva is produced and stomach acid is allowed to go unchecked.

Another culprit of causing heartburn is alcohol. This is not to say that you cannot enjoy an adult beverage in moderation, but it is something to be avoided if you suffer from acid reflux.

Relaxing is also something you can do to ease symptoms. Stress triggers behavior that leads to heartburn, even though stress itself is not linked directly to it. For example, the more stress you are under, the more likely you are to smoke, drink and eat foods that are not good for you and the less likely you are to exercise and eat right.

One thing you may not have thought about is your clothing. If your belt is too tight or you are otherwise constricted in the clothes you wear throughout the day, the symptoms of heartburn may increase. This is because the stomach cannot comfortably stretch around the foods you eat and the tightness forces food up, causing acids to cause heartburn.

If you want to really pin point the cause of the heartburn, keep a record of it. Write down what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat for seven days. Then, if you have a bout with heartburn, write down the times and intensity of each symptom. If the pattern is not readily obvious to you, take the diary to your doctor and get their insight in to the problem. Work with your doctor to determine what changes need to be made to best suit your lifestyle.

Jill Seimer discusses healthy lifestyle at RefluxLife.com and wrote on acid reflux disorder symptoms from her experience using on natural cures for heartburn.

 

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 other articles that you can view at http://www.a-stomach-pain.com

Understanding the Worst Acid Reflux symptoms One Can Get

Acid reflux is an annoying condition as it gives one constant pain and discomfort. But it is amazing how some people can endure the pain and let the condition itself get worse, without seeking any medical attention. Here, let us look at the worst acid reflux symptom one can finally get. Well, hopefully after reading this, no one will ever neglect their health and allow their body to deteriorate till such serious stage.

If one do not go for medical attention, they would experience esophageal acid exposure. It is typically more frequent during the day than at night, and always the case after meals. So those who are working will have trouble concentrating while having constant pain during working hour. Irritation and injury of esophageal tissue can take place right after a meal as the acid is released from stomach for digestion. The stomach acid will flow upwards and splash onto the esophagus as the esophageal sphincter relax. One will definitely lose appetite as the thought of pain after a meal will cause one to lose any mood for food.

Worst still, heartburn tends to rear its ugly head at night. During bedtime as you lie down to sleep, you shift the stomach to a sideways position, opening up the esophageal sphincter and allow all the food in the stomach to flow back out. Obviously, this will cause sleeplessness and unease, causing one to lose sleep and wake up the next day with a tired spirit.

So what can you do about it? First, I would advise that if you smoke, it is time to quit smoking. Tobacco inhibits saliva, which is essential to help coat and protect the esophagus. Tobacco also stimulates stomach acid production which is definitely undesirable, and it also makes the esophageal sphincter weak, causing acid to splash up and irritate the esophagus.

Hence the key to relief of acid reflux is to suppress the stomach acid and keep it from irritating the esophageal tissue. So when you have any acid reflux symptoms, do seek medical help soonest possible. Acid reflux is usually treated with combination of diet and lifestyle changes, over the counter medications, or in more serious cases, surgery.

Acid reflux can affect our life and cause a lot of problems in health and in our daily life. So start seeking help before you get the worst acid reflux symptoms.

Click for more top and latest info on acid reflux symptoms

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 Disease-when It?s Not Just Heartburn Anymore

Acid reflux is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease and no matter what you call it, this one is a real pain!

Persistent, frequent heartburn occurring more than twice a week and often lasting two hours or more can be an early indicator of something more serious than simple heartburn. It could be acid reflux disease. Characterized by the abnormal reflux of the stomach?s gastric contents backwards into the esophagus resulting in a burning in the chest a throat. Left untreated the chronic symptoms of acid reflux disease can lead to erosion of the delicate esophageal tissues.

A temporary relaxation of or an abnormal closing of the lower esophageal sphincter, LES, allows the back flow or regurgitation of stomach acids back into the esophagus causing the characteristic heartburn associated with acid reflux disease.

A burning or general soreness in the throat, chest pain, a burning sensation in the chest, hoarseness, difficulty or painful swallowing, nausea, vomiting, pain in the ears, an acidic taste in the mouth, the sensation of fluid arising from the throat back into the mouth, bad breath and a chronic cough or tickle in the throat are all frequently reported symptoms of acid reflux disease.

It is important to remember that someone suffering with heartburn does not necessarily have acid reflux disease. Heartburn is often the result of a heavy meal or even an overly fatty or acidic meal. Heartburn occurs infrequently and may simply be just that... heartburn... and not the more serious condition of acid reflux disease. Persistent, frequent heartburn occurring more often than twice per week may be a sign that acid reflux is the culprit and not just your run-of-the-mill heartburn. Heartburn unrelieved by traditional methods and occurring more frequently than usual should be evaluated by a physician or healthcare provider for a proper assessment and diagnosis.

Left untreated acid reflux disease can lead to esophagitis, an erosion of the lining of the esophagus, or tooth decay from the constant exposure of the teeth to gastric acid. There are many treatment options available for acid reflux disease... you don?t have to live with the pain anymore!

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

What The Hell Is Going On Inside My Body With Acid Reflux?

You know, about 10 percent of American have some degree of acid reflux disease. And around the World, about 7 percent of the population is affected by acid reflux. My goodness, that is so scary right? Oh by the way, if you have not heard of what acid reflux is, let me explain to you in simple, layman terms about what acid reflux is.

Acid reflux is something that happens in your stomach. When you have acid reflux, acid from the stomach flows backward up the esophagus. By the way, esophagus is the tube from your mouth to your stomach and is to allow food to flow down to your stomach. And what is in your stomach? Well your stomach contains mainly acid that is use to break down food you eat in order for the body to absorb easily into the blood stream. Hence acid reflux would literally means the backward flow of the stomach acid up the esophagus.

However, that is not something you want to happen in your body! Stomach is highly acidic. In fact, it is so strong it can even erode metal. So the backward flow of the stomach acid can injure the lining of your esophagus and create further health problems for you. This can cause sleeplessness, discomfort after meals, and lots of pain and unease in your body. Acid reflux problem can even develop further into serious complications.

Under normal circumstances, stomach acid should never reach the esophagus as there is a muscular valve known as lower esophageal sphincter that is between the esophagus and stomach. Due to acid reflux disease, the muscular valve becomes weak and allow stomach acid to flow up the esophagus.

Acid reflex is unfortunately a chronic disease and hence require long term medical care. There is no immediate cure but a good thing to know is that medical therapy, such as surgery and medications, and lifestyle changes is effective to control acid reflux condition.

So if you start to have acid reflux problems take action right away and keep it under control. The sooner you take action, the higher chances of recovery. All the best to your health!

Click for more top and latest info on 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 - Managing the Symptoms

Acid reflux affects millions of people every year. There are many different causes of acid reflux, but through diet, lifestyle changes and sometimes medication the symptoms may be managed. Acid reflux can be potentially dangerous if left untreated. Not only is it painful, it can be hazardous if the stomach contents are aspirated into the lungs. Acid reflux can also be harmful to the esophageal lining, causing irritation, pain and damage.

Chronic acid reflux sufferers may have several different things that produce acid reflux and heartburn. The objects that contribute the most to acid reflux are: tea, coffee, other drinks containing caffeine, chocolate, tomatoes, fried and fatty foods, alcohol, tobacco, large meals, eating before bedtime or late night eating, citrus fruits and juices and wearing tight clothes.

Foods that should be eaten rarely to avoid acid reflux are fruit juices, berries, garlic, onions, leeks, sauerkraut, scallions, ground beef, chicken salad, eggs, hot dogs, ham, milk, cheese, granola, alcohol, cola and fattening or fried foods.

Alcohol has adverse effects on acid reflux sufferers. Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid and relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach contents to reflux into the esophagus. Alcohol can also lead to stomach ulcers, which hinder healing of the esophagus or stomach.

Avoid alcohol as much as possible, but it can be consumed in moderation once in a while. To lessen alcohol's effect on the stomach and esophagus, you should dilute any beverages with club soda or water, have only 1-2 drinks and drink white wine instead of red.

Stress may also cause acid reflux. Everyone has stress in their lives, but it must be managed in order to lead a healthy life without acid reflux. Stress isn't a direct cause of heartburn, but can lead to behaviors that cause acid reflux.

Regular exercise not only helps to relieve everyday stress, it also helps acid reflux symptoms. Exercise releases endorphins, which make the acid reflux sufferer feel better and also aid with digestion. Heartburn may be a problem during exercise. If so, you should discuss this with your doctor. Avoid jarring type exercises and do less jarring exercises like bike riding, swimming or walking. An antacid may also be taken before exercise to bring relief.

Seven to eight hours of sleep a night is a must to keep stress levels down. Various studies have shown that sleep-deprived people have higher levels of stress.

Another stress-reliever is to take a quick mental rest. Visualize a relaxing place in your mind. A favorite vacation spot or somewhere you would like to go to one day; anywhere that relaxes you to think about it. Imagine seeing the place, smelling scents and hearing sounds. This visualization technique will help you to relax.

Balanced, low-fat meals also help with acid reflux. Avoid foods that cause acid reflux, but eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and fish. Drink plenty of water also, as it rids the body of toxins.

Smoking is another factor that worsens acid reflux symptoms. Smoke reduces the production of saliva. Saliva helps to defend damage to the esophagus by acid reflux. Smoking also stimulates the production of stomach acid, which could worsen the effects of acid reflux and weaken the lower esophageal sphincter. The LES is the valve at the junction between the stomach and esophagus. Smoking causes decreased gastric motility while smoking, which can cause less efficient digestion because the stomach takes longer to empty.

There are many factors to acid reflux, but with some of the previous suggestions, it can be managed. Always consult your doctor first; medication may be needed in addition to diet and exercise.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Acid Reflux

Ask Your Doctor - Acid Reflux Disease Symptoms

Acid reflux often occurs during or shortly after eating a meal or a snack. It affects thirty six percent of all people throughout the United States.

Acid reflux mimics symptoms of many different diseases, some as serious as a heart attack. Many people who suffer from acid reflux state that they have difficult time breathing and their chest, back, and neck tightens with pressure, and sometimes it goes into their arm. Because these are symptoms of a potentially life threatening illness, it is advised that you seek medical attention immediately.

These symptoms occur because of excessive gas from the stomach gets trapped in the esophagus and can do nothing else by expand. Once you have burped, you will feel relief.

Each part of the body has a different function. When one part is not functioning properly, it will affect the rest of the function for that region.

The Lower Esophageal Sphincter is in the upper part of the stomach. It is supposed to be the valve that keeps acids and food in the stomach. Acid reflux occurs when the Esophageal Sphincter does not close properly allowing the food and acids to travel back into the esophagus. This causes a burning painful irritation to the esophagus.

The function of the human body is fascinating. The body has its own defenses that do battle. The body can actually heal itself by simply swallowing, the body pushes the food and acids back into the stomach where the LES closes and traps it. Doctors believe that approximately ninety percent of the food and acids are pushed back into the stomach. The ten percent that is left is neutralized by saliva. This is because saliva contains a natural bicarbonate.

The majority of people who suffer from acid reflux can be treated with over the counter medication and are listed in the category of GERD. This is a general category that doctors group acid reflux patients into.

What this means is that any symptoms that are associated with GERD can be listed and often are diagnosed as GERD.

There are many causes for acid reflux. Diet is one of the biggest offenders. If your diet contains a lot of fatty foods, you are more likely to suffer from acid reflux. Consuming a lot of caffeinated beverages such as soda and coffee can also trigger an attack. Pregnant women also suffer from acid reflux because of the changes their bodies go through during pregnancy; it usually disappears after childbirth.

There are precautions you can take to limit the attacks of acid reflux.

After eating a meal or snack, do not lie down right away. Give your food time to digest. Remain vertical either sitting or standing immediately after a meal, and avoid wearing tight clothing especially around the waist. Tight clothing can squeeze the food and acids out of the stomach triggering an attack of acid reflux.

Jill Seimer discusses healthy living at RefluxLife.com and reported on acid reflux disorder symptoms from her experience using on natural cures for acid reflux.

Acid Reflux Symptoms and Treatment

 Acid reflux (also known as GERD or heartburn) is a common condition -- Over 60 million Americans experience it at least once a month.

For some, acid reflux is a temporary phenomenon experienced only when eating too much, or eating particular types of food e.g. spicy foods. But for many others, acid reflux can be a painful and persistent condition.

What Is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux occurs when the lower oesophageal sphincter (that normally closes after swallowing to prevent stomach contents from escaping) malfunctions and allows stomach acid to travel up the oesophagus. When this occurs, a painful sensation is felt.

What are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux?

The symptoms of acid reflux are a painful burning sensation in the upper chest and/or regurgitation of acid into the mouth. Some patients will even develop nausea although this is less common. Although often called heartburn, the pain should not be mistaken for that associated with a true heart attack or cardiac arrest which would be accompanied by tightness of and pounding in the chest, weakness and feeling faint.

What are the Treatments for Acid Reflux?

Fortunately there are many treatments available for acid reflux.

Antacids are usually the first port of call for many acid reflux sufferers. For short term and infrequent attacks of acid reflux, these provide much needed temporary relief. However, as a long term solution they are not suitable and alternatives should be sought.

Any sufferer of regular acid reflux should keep a diary of everything they eat and drink. Over time, patterns can be established and many people report elimination or reduction of acid reflux symptoms after changing their diet accordingly to eliminate problematic food or drink.

If dietary changes have little or no effect, there are various families of drugs that are available over the counter and on prescription.

PPIs, or proton pump inhibitors, are often prescribed and successful drugs. These work by inhibiting production of the stomach acid that causes acid reflux. They have relatively limited side effects. H2 blockers are a different family of drugs that have the same effect but work in a different way. For the vast majority of long term acid reflux sufferers, PPIs and H2 blockers are a successful drug therapy. Some people, however, fail to respond to treatment with PPIs and H2 blockers and their only option are more radical drugs known as promotility agents. Unfortunately, these can have very severe side effects and are therefore rarely prescribed.

Lastly, for those who fail to respond to drug treatment, or simply want an alternative to the daily inconvenience of taking drugs, surgery is an option. New techniques are constantly being developed, some of which include procedures such as Enteryx Procedure, Stretta Procedure, Nissen Fundoplication and Endocinch. Your doctor will be able to give you more advice on these surgery options.

For more information and in-depth analysis of the treatment of acid reflux, visit Acid Reflux Treatment.


acid reflux diseaseandy casasantaWhat is acid reflux disease?

Acid reflux disease can and often is mistaken for heartburn. But the heartburn symptoms of acid reflux disease usually occur 2 or more days a week for at least 3 months and can damage your esophagus. At the top of your stomach is a muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which normally opens and closes allowing food to enter. It also prevents the acid in your stomach from backing up into your esophagus. The trouble begins when the LES opens at inappropriate times, allowing acid from the stomach to get into the esophagus, where it doesn't belong. Acid reflux disease can also lead to more serious medical conditions that may require hospitalization. Acid reflux in the throat can cause sore throat. If acid reaches the mouth, it can dissolve the enamel of the teeth. Millions of people have the disease and suffer from its most common symptom - frequent and persistent heartburn. Acid reflux disease can be treated and controlled.


How do you get Acid Reflux?

Factors contributing to acid reflux include fatty foods, cigarettes, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, obesity, pregnancy and delayed stomach emptying. Obesity and pregnancy increase pressures within the abdomen (body trunk), pushing the stomach contents back into the esophagus. Some patients have stomachs that empty their contents into the intestines very slowly.

How serious is Acid Reflux?
The lining of the esophagus may become ulcerated and can result in narrowing, making swallowing of food and, sometimes, liquids, painful and difficult. In people with esophagitis, there may also be an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus.

How long does Acid Reflux last?
Acid reflux can last several months or longer if not treated.

How is Acid Reflux treated?
Antacids are medicines that are commonly used to treat acid-related symptoms, like heartburn or indigestion, and work by neutralizing acid in the stomach. However, they are not usually recommended to treat the frequent heartburn suffered by people with GERD.

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