Acid Reflux Disease - Bubbling Stomach Acid

Heartburn on overdrive!

Acid reflux disease is a result of stomach acid that simply doesn?t stay where it is supposed to... in the stomach. Instead of staying in the stomach the wayward gastric acid decides to back flow up the esophagus and back into the mouth.

Yuck!

Leaving a wickedly bitter taste, this stomach acid on a reverse course can actually leaves pockets of erosive destruction in its wake. Erosive esophagitis is a result of the destruction of the lining of the esophagus.

At least three months of painful, persistent and frequent heartburn, can earn you a diagnosis of acid reflux disease.

Heartburn is the quiet gentle cousin of its more aggressive and destructive family member acid reflux disease. Bubbling stomach acid regurgitates from the stomach sending the gastric juices back into the throat via the esophagus. It is the bubbling stomach acid that backs up into the esophagus that causes the characteristic burn of acid reflux disease.

The lower esophageal sphincter, LES, is the valve separating the esophagus and the stomach, is designed to be the gatekeeper of the stomach and is meant to keep the stomach acids in the stomach where they belong.

However, when the LES fails at its ever so well designed job, the stomach acids back flow.

The LES can fail through a couple of different ways, such as through relaxation of the sphincter, often associated with a hiatal hernia, and through incomplete closing of the sphincter.

The body is so perfectly designed that the LES is a working valve that opens to let food into the stomach and is meant to close to keep the acids out of the esophagus.

It just happens that when it fails, acid reflux disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD, can be the result. So basically if the LES would do its job and keep the valve open when it?s supposed to be open and closed when it?s supposed to be closed then acid reflux disease would really be a thing of the past!

The good news is that you don?t have to put up with heartburn on overdrive. There are many treatment options available for the relief of this pestering and chronic disease.

Acid reflux disease doesn?t have to control your life! Talk with your healthcare provider today and get started on the road to better health.

Show that heartburn just who?s the boss!

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

Eosinophilic Esophagitis: The Difference Between Acid Reflux and Allergic Esophagus Explained

What is eosinophilic esophagitis?

Eosinophilic esophagitis, abbreviated EE or EoE, is an inflammation of the esophagus or feeding tube characterized by the presence of a type of white blood cell called eosinophil. It is a reddish appearing cell that is typically found in tissues of the body affected by allergic reactions and some parasite infections. The cell was named by Paul Erlich in 1879 after Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn. It is also called allergic esophagitis. Eosinophils, when activated, release chemicals that can cause intense swelling, itching, and tissue damage.

What are the symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis?

The symptoms of EoE in adults is classically episodes of food sticking when swallowing that is called dysphagia in medical terms. Typically, a young man or teenage boy presents with an episode of food being lodged in the esophagus or feeding tube. Food that won?t go down and can?t be regurgitated up along with a history of difficulty swallowing foods (such as bread or dry meats like chicken and beef) is common, especially associated with a personal and/or family history of allergic conditions.

Failure of the food to go down (or up) causes a food impaction resulting in the inability to swallow even saliva, chest discomfort and usually sends the person to the emergency room. Sometimes, intravenous medication that relaxes the esophagus will allow the food to pass but usually it has to be removed by an endoscope. The classic patient has little or no heartburn though some people have moderate to severe heartburn symptoms. The tip off in this setting is that the heartburn symptoms frequently don?t improve with acid blocking medications.

Young children may present with complaints of chest pain, abdominal pain, poor appetite, regurgitation or reflux, vomiting, or failure to grow (failure to thrive). Some may have unexplained low blood counts or iron deficiency from bleeding from the esophagus. People with these types of symptoms should be evaluated for possible allergic or eosinophilic esophagitis. Treatment is usually dietary avoidance of food allergens and swallowed nasal steroids but is reviewed in more detail in a separate article.

Eosinophilic esophagitis and food allergies are the focus of the doctor authored articles and website of Dr. Scot Lewey, the food doc. As a food allergy specialist-the food doc is an expert in food allergies, intolerance and sensitivities. The food doc website www.thefooddoc.com will soon include online help including an online symptom assessment and info wizard tool and a premium member online diet symptom diary and virtual office. Online consultation is already available by visiting the initial start up site while the premium site is being built.

Eosinophilic esophagitis and food allergies are the focus of the doctor authored articles and website of Dr. Scot Lewey, the food doc. As a food allergy specialist-the food doc is an expert in food allergies, intolerance and sensitivities. The food doc website http://www.thefooddoc.com will soon include online help including an online symptom assessment and info wizard tool and a premium member online diet symptom diary and virtual office. Online consultation is already available by visiting the initial start up site while the premium site is being built.

Burning Up the House - 5 Foods to Avoid When Suffering with Acid Reflux

Acid Reflux is a condition of the digestive system otherwise known as heartburn. That is a given. When you look at the causes of acid reflux one of them comes to the front each and every time - diet. You are what you eat and modern man and woman lives on an entirely unhealthy diet. We eat what we can when we can and never pay attention to what we actually eat or the potential harm these foods may cause.

Fast-food Is NOT Healthy Food Most of you run around all day and only every stop to stuff some kind of snack down your throat before you rush back to work. Fast-food is not good for you. In fact it is normally incredibly bad for you. "Supersize Me" the movie proves just how unhealthy fast-food is for all human beings. If you have not seen this movie then make it a priority - it truly is eye-opening. Most fast-food can severely interfere with your digestive system and be a direct cause of acid reflux. Personally speaking I avoid fast food as much as possible because it just makes me feel lethargic and gives me wind. Sad but very true.

Foods To Avoid So what foods do you need to avoid?

There are 5 basic types of foods that you may need to reduce or remove entirely from your diet - depending on how much acid reflux they actually cause in your body. This will vary from one person to the next but you can still use this list as a basis for what is good and bad for you.

Fast Foods

As we have already discussed fast-food is not good for you. Worse still it can be a direct cause for acid reflux especially if you eat any of the following: French fries, burgers and fried chicken. If you have no choice other than to eat at a fast food joint then look for a grilled option on their menu. At least then you are not eating several grams of pure fat and won't then wind up chewing antacids for the night.

Fruits And Vegetables

The vast majority of people assume that all fruits and vegetables are good for you no matter what. While this is true for most of the general population it's not true at all for acid reflux sufferers. Both potatoes and onions have been proven to bring about an attack of heartburn. Not only those but you also need to avoid tomatoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and cranberries as they have the highest acid content of all fruits. If you have not already discussed your diet and acid reflux with your doctor then now is the time to start. You will be surprised at just how many of your current favorite foods are helping cause you pain.

Watch Your Dairy Intake

Have you ever grabbed a glass of milk for indigestion or heartburn? Of course you have and you are not alone. Drinking milk will help but it's a short term solution. Why? Because the body will simply produce more stomach acid to replace the acid that the milk has neutralized. Milk is not the only culprit however. There are plenty of other dairy products that can cause damage to your digestive system. Cottage cheese, sour cream and ice cream are dairy foods that you really need to avoid if you want to control your acid reflux.

What Not To Drink

Alcohol needs to be avoided or consumed in total moderation if you suffer from acid reflux. Liquor/spirits and wine are major hazards and can start a violent attack of heartburn. Tea and coffee are also known to trigger acid reflux in those that may suffer from it.

Yummy Desserts?

We all have a sweet tooth to a certain extent and most of us enjoy desserts. There is some bad news here however. Desserts are one of the biggest causes of acid reflux. How can something that tastes so nice cause so much pain? Anything with high chocolate or butter content needs to be avoided like the plague.

Hopefully now you have a better idea of what foods you need to avoid to prevent attacks of heartburn. No doubt you were as surprised as I was to see just how those favorite tasty foods can cause you so much grief.

With a fervor for helping people Jill Seimer shares healthy lifestyle tips at RefluxLife.com She recently published Natural healing of Heartburn with her views on natural cures for acid reflux.

Prevent acid reflux with the acid reflux diet

Acid reflux occurs when the acids that can be found in the stomach get into the esophagus because the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach cannot close properly. These acids are very strong, and they can severely damage the esophagus' walls. They do not damage the stomach's walls because it is protected by a special membrane.

Acid reflux is pretty serious, it can cause pain in the chest area, and if it is left untreated the esophagus will become very erroded and gastric acid will also reach the lungs, where is can cause coughing and asthma, and the mouth, where it corrodes the teeth.

Diet has an important role in both treating and preventing acid reflux, and an acid reflux diet is not expensive or hard to follow. The idea is to reduce the acids inside the stomach and to keep it from filling, which can cause the food and acid inside it to reach the esophagus.

Here is what you can eat and what you should avoid:

You can eat all the cereals and vegetables you want. They contain a lot of vitamins and nutrients that help the body fight not only acid reflux, but other illnesses too.

You should definitely stop smoking, because tobacco smoke damages the esophagus' walls and weakens it. You should also avoid chewing gum, because when you chew the stomach starts to produce acids that it won't use and that can get into the esophagus.

If you are overweight you should try to loose some of your weight, and avoid fatty food, because at overweight people the levels of gastric acid are higher.

The foods that are know to help acid reflux advance by stimulating the acid production are: chocolate, milk, chewing gum, fatty foods, spicy foods, alcohol and garlic. Coffee can irritate the esophagus so try not to drink any.

Also try to avoid wearing tight clothing that can press the stomach, because this way the acid inside it is almost forced to leave the stomach. Furthermore, if you lie down right after you eat you help the content of your stomach came back, so try sitting on a chair for a few minutes, depending on how damaged the valve that separates the stomach from the esophagus is.

If you follow the advises mentioned above you can prevent acid reflux, and your treatment will be more effective, but also consult your doctor and take the medication that he prescribes you if you want to be fully cured.

For more resources about many acid reflux subjects like acid reflux symptoms, acid reflux treatment or many more please visit us at http://www.acid-reflux-info-guide.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

What is Acid Reflux Disease?

Acid reflux disease, also known as Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common ailment, affecting between 5%-7% of the population. In order to understand what GERD is it is important to be familiar with how the esophagus works. A long muscular tube, the esophagus carries food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach. The average adult esophagus is around ten to thirteen inches long and approximately an half an inch in diameter. GERD is caused by the backflow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus, usually because the lower esophageal sphincter does not close properly. When this happens over a long period of time, the lining of this tract becomes eroded, causing discomfort and pain.

Symptoms of the disease are fairly straightforward and are very similar to the symptoms of heartburn. GERD often include a frequent burning sensation, right behind the breastbone, which sometimes worsens when lying down for extended periods of time. While most cases of heartburn turn out to be non-life threatening, it is important that you visit your doctor at the onset of symptoms. Unfortunately, the symptoms of both indigestion and GERD can also imitate those of heart disease, so it is very important that you seek medical attention to make sure that you get the correct diagnosis.

There are a number of medical tests which your doctor can perform which will confirm the diagnosis of GERD. After your doctor or healthcare professional has taken your medical history, he or she will most likely conduct an test using an Endoscope, a long flexible imaging instrument. This will allow the doctor to visibly exam your esophagus.
If you are diagnosed with Acid Reflux disease, there are a number of treatment options available to you, such as making changes to your diet, reducing stress, and taking over the counter antacids. Serious cases of GERD may require a prescription drug to reduce the acid being produced by your stomach, but lifestyle changes are often enough to control symptoms successfully.
Jeff Lakie is the owner of Occasional Heartburn
a website dedicated to matching consumers with acid reflux help.