Burning For Two - Acid Reflux And Indigestion While Pregnant

If you sit and talk to any group of pregnant women anywhere in the world about the various discomforts they must endure during pregnancy they will all likely agree on one that is worst than most. What is it? Acid reflux. Many years ago there was an old wives tale that women who suffered from heartburn would give birth to a child with a full head of hair. This, of course, is purely mythical. That aside acid reflux is still a hugely annoying thing to have to endure while you are pregnant.

Reasons For Acid Reflux In Pregnant Women There are several reasons why pregnant women are more likely to experience heartburn:

1. Hormone levels in a pregnant woman are far higher than a woman who is not pregnant. This dramatic increase in hormone levels can have a huge effect on every aspect of your body and especially your digestive system. The most common effect is that the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) can loosen up a bit. This is a type of valve which typically holds the food in your stomach. If this valve is loose then acid can flow back upwards into your gullet (esophagus). You will then experience heartburn to a varying degree.

2. During pregnancy your body will change shape. This normally does not happen until later in pregnancy. When these changes do happen your stomach area will keep expanding and this expansion is what can lead to acid reflux. Your stomach enlarging in this way puts far more pressure on the esophagus which can then lead to indigestion and acid reflux in general.

Is There Anything You Can Do?

There is always something you can do to help yourself! Firstly watch what you eat. Citrus foods, mint, spicy foods, fried foods, and chocolate should all be avoided as much as possible.

Eat smaller meals too.

This will help a lot if you experience a lot of morning (and daytime, evening and nighttime) sickness too. If you eat several small meals throughout the day you are far less likely to experience heartburn. Your body will be able to process those small meals far easier than 2 or 3 large ones.

Correct Your Posture

Believe it or not practicing correct posture can help an awful lot with acid reflux. Be especially careful of how you bend. While pregnant you should always bend down at the knees - although later you will have no choice but to do so as your stomach expands. However earlier on in your pregnancy bending down at the knees will put far less pressure on your stomach and therefore your esophagus. This can and will help you with the discomforts of indigestion.

You can fight back against acid reflux during your pregnancy. You simply have to choose to. Do not suffer in silence however and do not ever be afraid to consult with your doctor for medication if the heartburn becomes too painful to bear.

Helping others drives Jill Seimer with a passion but writing on healthy living at RefluxLife.com she recently published personal experiences on Acid Reflux in Children and dealing with infant acid reflux.

Living at the Edge - Can Bulimia Cause Acid Reflux?

Bulimia (bulimia nervosa) is a psychological eating disorder whereby the subject will eat large quantities of food and then purge what they have eaten from their bodies. This desire to be rid of the food they have just eaten stems from a persons self-image of themselves being either overweight or simply not thin enough. First recognized as a serious medical condition in 1979 bulimia continues to plague many people (mostly young women) all over the world. In severe cases bulimia can prove to be fatal.

So how are bulimia and acid reflux related?

Well when a bulimic wants to purge the food from their stomach they resort to either vomiting or using powerful laxatives. The vomiting reflex is far more common as it provides them with an immediate way to get rid of the food. This then allows them to binge again shortly afterwards and then continue the purging process several times in a row.

The Potential For Damage

What most bulimics never stop to consider is the damage they are doing to their body. When a person vomits food is not the only thing forced through the esophagus - stomach acid is also present. Some bulimics can binge and purge several times per day which means that their esophagus is exposed to strong stomach acid over and over again. This continued exposure to stomach acid can leave the esophagus raw and worn down. This can then lead to one of the more serious diseases caused by acid reflux such as Barrets Esophagus.

How Bulimia Can Cause Heartburn

Another issue is that if you continually force the body to produce extra stomach acid during these binge/purge phases then this can form a "pattern" for the body. Your body can "learn" to expect certain situations to occur and if you get it into the habit then it will produce more stomach acid than it actually needs on an ongoing basis. This will then lead to acid reflux which, of course, will just make a bulimics life far worse. Vomiting will then become extremely painful.

Other Complications

Acid reflux is not the only problem that can arise from bulimia. If the body is starved of proper nutrients then organs can start to slow down and malnutrition can set in. This leads the bulimic into a further psychological downward spiral whereby the bingeing/purging process can actually increase in frequency and severity. Severe bulimia can result in death but this is often very hard to explain to anybody with an eating disorder.

Is There Hope?

Bulimia can be treated but it's a two-part process. Firstly medication will need to be prescribed to prevent vomiting and promote a healthy and constant appetite in the sufferer. Far more serious are the emotional issues that cause bulimia in the first place. Any person with an eating disorder should also receive psychological therapy as part of their healing process. Trained counsellors can get to the root of the problem if you will let them. Bulimics who do not take part in the psychological healing process often run the risk of simply getting into the same old habits all over again.

If you can categorize yourself as a bulimic then it's time to stop and take a quick review of your life. Do you really want to cause harm to your body? Why would you deliberately go about causing yourself potentially permanent pain? With the right help you can have a second chance at life and really enjoy your life too.

Jill Seimer and her passion for helping others shares healthy lifestyle tips at RefluxLife.com She recently published Natural Healing for Heartburn with her own experiences on natural cures for acid reflux.

Fighting Acid Reflux With Prilosec

Prilosec is the trademark brand name for omeprazole, an antacid drug that suppresses or decreases the amount of gastric acid secreted in the stomach. Prilosec is used for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including duodenal and gastric ulcers. By blocking an enzyme in the stomach wall that stimulates the secretion of gastric juices, Prilozec reduces the amount of such acid from being pulsed into the esophageal passage in a reflux reaction. It is generally thought that an overabundance of acid in the stomach will contribute to the acid reflux, as will obesity, pregnancy, or the wearing of tight fitting clothes. Therefore, a reduced quantity of acid sent up to the esophagus should cause less damage or irritation.

To fight acid reflux with Prilosec, look out for such symptoms as burning discomfort in the chest, difficulty in swallowing, and chronic chest pain. If you have heartburn more than once per week, you become more susceptible in contracting GERD; and so a course of treatment with Prilosec is advised. However, an occasional heartburn is not an uncommon thing and does not pose any risk of getting GERD.

Prilosec is not a prescription drug and so is readily available over the counter. Still, Prilosec is meant primarily for people who have frequent heartburns, such as getting it 2 to 3 times a week.

Do not overdose on Prilosec. While it is generally true that high acidity in the stomach can lead to acid reflux, the opposite is ironically true as well. A lack of acid in the stomach can also prevent the stomach's exit valve to the small intestine from opening up. Instead, the contents in the stomach get to roll back up to the esophagus, and what little acid present may still cause irritation. For Prilosec, one pill a day is enough to relieve heartburn for up to 24 hours, and this is part of a recommended 14-day course of therapy. This Prilosec treatment may be repeated once every 4 months if necessary, but not more than that. When undergoing a course of treatment, do not stop taking Prilosec even when you start to feel better. Your symptoms have improved and that's a good thing, but the condition still exists and so you need to carry through with the full length of treatment before this condition is considered as fully treated. If the heartburn condition does not improve or even worsen, you would need to consult with your doctor. However, this is not the only time you seek out your doctor.

As with all medicines, OTC or not, before taking Prilosec, always let your doctor know if you have any instance of painful swallowing, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting blood, and bloody or black stools. Furthermore, if you have heartburn that has lasted three months or longer, or experience heartburn combined with wheezing, arm pain, jaw pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, or sweating, make sure you let your doctor know before taking Prilosec.

Contact your physician if you experience frequent chest pains, inexplicable weight loss, vomiting, nausea, or stomach pain while taking the medication.

Disclaimer: The information above should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Prilosec.

This information concerning Prilosec sent here by Heather Colman from: prilosec-shoppe.info

Is Overeating And Acid Reflux Causing You Back Pain?

Is Overeating And Acid Reflux Causing You Back Pain?

Acid reflux and bad and aching stomach, go hand in hand within those who overeat. The food when dumped in the stomach callously becomes difficult to digest. Stomach takes more time for digestion. It is put under more strain and acid reflux is the assured suffering.

Next, this acid reflux becomes a leading cause for many types of diseases. These could include neck pain, knee problem or shoulder pain. Many times, acid reflux is the major cause of severe back pain.

Well, researchers and scientists have realized the limitations of treatment through pills and medications in such cases. That is, to get a permanent relief from any problem you need to adopt healthy lifestyle changes along with the medications. Both of these go hand in hand to treat health conditions like back pain, especially the one caused by acid reflux or any other lifestyle disturbance.

Now such situations require food management. The high fat foods offered by the fast food eateries, do not serve the cause of your health. With these foods your stomach has to work overtime, it gets more supply of acid to carryout the job of digestion.

Even at home by eating three heavy meals a day you extend a cordial invitation to acid reflux. Eat as much as you want, but slightly change the pattern. Take less quantities of food frequently. Stomach can efficiently digest small doses of food and liquids.

Let?s have a look at the symptoms that show you have acid reflux.

When you eat, you have a stabbing pain in your back. The pain will radiate all over, and at times you are unable to understand the exact location of the pain. This pain and protest from the stomach comes immediately after eating.{mospagebreak}

You feel as if a knife is passing through your stomach and back. It can be termed as the stabbing pain.

The treatment of this type of back pain can not be a localized affair. The acid reflux back pain that you experience at the moment could be a milder version of more serious types of diseases in hiding and bidding for their time to attack you.

The best course for you under such conditions is to control the diet. With imaginative food planning, you begin to find the changes for better from day one onwards. Your stomach gets some rest from its primary job of onward transmitting the digested food, and has some times at its disposal for self-maintenance.

The parallel activity for you is to exercise regularly. Yoga postures give the required strength and support to the muscles in the stomach area, and gradually you find that you have better control over acid reflux.

http://www.backpaindetails.com/pain/ & Back Pain provides detailed information on back pain, back pain treatment, back pain cure and more.

Children And Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is a condition normally associated with adults. Sadly, many children also suffer the effects of acid reflux.

This desease, also referred to as gastro-esophageal reflux, occurs when stomach contents churn and rise up into the esophagus, the tube connecting the stomach with the mouth. A muscle between the esophagus and the stomach, known as the lower esophageal sphincter, is responsible for keeping the stomach closed off until food is swallowed. The lower esophageal sphincter then opens up and allows the food into the stomach before closing again. Although Acid reflux can begin during infancy, it can carry over into early childhood.

Though quite common in children, most people are not aware of it's occurrence. In most cases, the process of gastro-esophageal reflux occurs quickly, the acid comes up into the esophagus and then rapidly goes back down into the stomach. In this case, the esophagus suffers no damage. However, if the stomach acid stays in the esophagus, it damages the esophagus lining. In some cases, the stomach contents rise up all the way into the mouth, only to be swallowed again. This process causes a number of symptoms such as a chronic cough, or a hoarse voice. More serious symptoms can include difficulty in swallowing, wheezing, and chronic pneumonia.

Anyone who suspects that their child is afflicted with acid reflux, should have the child seen by his or her pediatrician. After examining the child and evaluating the symptoms, the doctor may run tests to diagnose whether acid reflux is present. Often, the doctor will begin treatment before testing for acid reflux.

In one of the tests, called an upper GI-series X-ray, the child's X-ray is taken after being given a glass of barium to drink. This particular test is successfully used to locate hiatal hernias, blockages, and other gastrointestinal problems.

Another test, thought to be more effective than the X-ray, is the endoscopy. Typically, the child is sedated and put to sleep during the test. An endoscope, which is a thin, flexible plastic tube with a camera attached to the end, is then placed inside the throat. With the help of endoscope, the doctor is directly able to examine the esophagus lining, stomach, and a portion of the small intestine. The endoscopy also allows the doctor to perform a biopsy rather painlessly.

Yet another test, the esophageal pH probe, may also be used. This test consists of using an extremely light, and ultra-thin wire with an acid sensor tip and inserting it through the patient's nose and into the lower esophagus. This method is used to detect and record the presense of stomach acid in the esophagus.
Hanif Khaki is the acclaimed author of numerous health related articles and the founder of the popular acid reflux site http://www.acid-reflux.expert-health.com

What Causes Acid Reflux?

Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat.

Though the root causes are often unclear, perhaps the most prevalent acid reflux cause is a poor diet. Acid reflux occurs during digestion, when the stomach churns up acid or refluxes it into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation in the chest or throat.

So if you eat too many highly acidic foods like tomato sauces and/or fatty, fried foods, the stomach has to process an overabundance of acid. Too much acid can push back through a valve between the stomach and the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Acid reflux culprits include but are not limited to tomato based sauces, fried and fatty foods, chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, peppers, and caffeinated beverages.

Along the same lines as diet, overeating also causes reflux. When you overeat, the stomach cant keep up with the demand to process all the acids. So food gets backed up, and digestive acids infiltrate the esophageal valve to cause that unpleasant burning feeling centered in the chest.

Also diet-related, another acid reflux cause is being overweight. There is a clear correlation between being overweight and a notable increase in the occurrence of acid reflux. Many believe this is because the extra weight puts more pressure on the stomach and esophagus. This pressure has been known to open the lower esophageal sphincter (esophagus valve), when the valve should be closed. This allows acid to escape into the esophagus.

Other factors that create a predisposition for acid reflux include smoking, use of alcohol, food allergies, certain medications, and lying down after meals. As you can tell, most of these factors can be overcome by practicing some behavioral modifications. In fact, in many cases of recurrent acid reflux, lifestyle changes are all that is necessary in preventing heartburn from becoming a chronic disease. Remember to consult a physician before embarking on any treatment strategy.

Acid Reflux provides comprehensive information on the cause, symptoms, treatment, and diet associated with normal and infant acid reflux. For more information go to Acid Reflux and/or visit its sister site at Pain Relief Web for related information.