Chronic heartburn and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) affects roughly 15 million Americans each year. Acid reflux can arrive like a stranger in the night. Sufferers may wake up with a sharp, burning pain in the chest that extends up the neck and into the throat. They may have coughing fits or asthma attacks resulting from the inhalation of excess acid or they may feel tired during the day, with bitter morning mouth and a sore throat that never really becomes a full-blown cold.
Some heartburn remedies simply involve a change in habits. One cause of this malady is over-eating, which makes it a big problem around holidays. "The holiday season is clearly one of the worst times of the year for patients with GERD," says William Chey, M.D., a University of Michigan gastroenterologist.
"The large amounts of food we eat during the holidays, and the types of food served during the holidays - especially fatty and caffeinated foods - can be a recipe for disaster for chronic heartburn sufferers." When we eat large amounts of food, the stomach stretches and the Lower Esophageal Sphincter naturally relaxes. Instead of three big meals or one big meal, try eating smaller meals continuously throughout the day to keep acid production normalized.
If you're a chronic sufferer, there are some basic foods you should avoid as much as possible. Fatty, greasy food can be a big problem, since the stomach needs to produce more acid to break down these substances. You know where that excess acid winds up -- coming back up the esophagus!
Less obvious culprits are caffeine in drinks, ice cream and chocolate, which may also exacerbate heartburn acid reflux. Red wine is a frequent cause of heartburn too, as are spicy foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spearmint and pepper.
The time of day and post-eating rituals have a significant impact on heartburn and acid reflux. Dr. William Chey adds, "Gravity actually serves as an important barrier for acid reflux during the day. So when you lie down at night after eating a meal, you no longer have that gravity barrier to prevent acid reflux."
It's recommended that you try to remain relatively upright for two or three hours after eating. People who try lifting and bending immediately after eating a big meal typically have trouble with too. Avoid tight clothing that may worsen symptoms. Smoking also causes the esophagus valve to relax.
Acid reflux is a sneaky disease that comes on suddenly and requires immediate relief. Keeping some over-the-counter products like Alkaseltzer, Tums, Pepcid AC or Maalox in the cabinet can usually treat the average heartburn symptoms. However, chronic sufferers should see their doctor and look into Prilosec or Nexium for stronger treatment.
There is a lot of research that can be found online at WebMD.com to help people gauge which medications are safe for them. However, often times, trial and error reveals the best treatment.
Acid reflux can be so uncomfortable that some people go to the hospital, fearing heart failure. Others believe they may have food poisoning, asthma, a sleeping disorder or they have developed lactose intolerance. Isn't it comforting to know that it may just be a little bit of heartburn that can be treated with a number of over-the-counter medications?
Educate yourself further about acid reflux from Mike Selvon articles portal at http://theheartburncure.mynicherecommends.com/. Your feedback is valued and appreciated at our acid reflux treatment blog at http://www.mynicheportal.com/health-beauty/ where a free audio gift awaits you.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Is Prescription Medication For Acid Reflux The Answer?
For many acid reflux sufferers a visit to the doctors results
in a prescription medication for acid reflux to treat the
symptoms, however little is usually offered in the way of
preventing or treating the underlying cause of why acid reflux
developed in the first place.
Acid reflux medication can be very effective in dealing with
symptoms however, it is usually only prescribed in short course
of 4 –8 weeks. Unless the cause of the acid reflux is addressed
it's likely that there will be many more trips to the doctor in
the future for a repeat prescription. Is this something you want
to have to do over and over again as you go through life?
There are many people who have an aversion to taking any type
of medication. Some won't bother with a painkiller when they
have a headache, and would rather let it go away on its own.
Others fear what medications can do to their bodies in the long
run and rarely think it is a good idea to take anything. For
others, cost is an issue – repeat prescriptions can start to get
rather costly. If the thought of being reliant on medication to
control your acid reflux concerns you then you'll have to find
an alternative way of dealing with the issue.
If you really want to avoid taking prescription medication for
acid reflux, making some simple lifestyle changes can
successfully address the underlying cause of your condition. You
may find it beneficial to take medication to get your reflux
under control initially, especially if there is damage to the
delicate esophagus lining, but implementing lifestyle changes at
the same time means that you're targeting the cause immediately.
If you are overweight, you should try to lose the excess
weight. The extra weight can weigh heavily on your stomach and
esophagus, especially when lying down. This can place excess
pressure on the muscle at the top of the stomach (lower
esophageal sphincter) that holds your stomach contents in,
leaving it weakened and unable to close properly.
Plus, if you're a smoker, you should aim to stop or at the very
least cut down significantly as smoking also acts to weaken the
lower esophageal sphincter muscle.
Diet also plays an important role when controlling acid reflux
symptoms naturally. There are a number of common trigger foods
that can bring on symptoms in most acid reflux sufferers
including:
Alcohol
Chocolate
Fatty or fried foods
Spicy or rich foods
Fatty red meats
Tomatoes and tomato based sauces
Onion and garlic
When and how much you eat can also have an impact on your acid
reflux symptoms and can be just as important as what you eat.
Rather than having 3 large meals a day aim for 5 – 6 smaller
meals and don't rush your food. By eating smaller meals more
frequently and chewing food thoroughly, you reduce the risk of
developing acid reflux symptoms.
Eating your evening meal earlier can also help you avoid acid
reflux or heartburn symptoms when you get into bed at night. Try
to eat at least 3 hours before you go to bed to allow your food
time to digest and leave your stomach.
Sleeping with the upper part of your torso elevated allows
gravity to do its job and keep acid in your stomach where it
belongs. Try this by either propping up your bed head with some
bricks (making sure it's sturdy) or through pillows – either
purpose bought acid reflux pillows or by stacking ordinary
pillows. Sleeping on your left-hand side can also help to reduce
the risk of nighttime acid reflux.
These simple lifestyle steps can help you keep acid reflux at
bay, however it's important never to stop taking prescription
medication for acid reflux without first consulting your
physician.
About The Author: Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's
brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter here
http://www.naturally-stop-acid-reflux.com/?source=is which is
overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you combat
Acid Reflux and GERD.
in a prescription medication for acid reflux to treat the
symptoms, however little is usually offered in the way of
preventing or treating the underlying cause of why acid reflux
developed in the first place.
Acid reflux medication can be very effective in dealing with
symptoms however, it is usually only prescribed in short course
of 4 –8 weeks. Unless the cause of the acid reflux is addressed
it's likely that there will be many more trips to the doctor in
the future for a repeat prescription. Is this something you want
to have to do over and over again as you go through life?
There are many people who have an aversion to taking any type
of medication. Some won't bother with a painkiller when they
have a headache, and would rather let it go away on its own.
Others fear what medications can do to their bodies in the long
run and rarely think it is a good idea to take anything. For
others, cost is an issue – repeat prescriptions can start to get
rather costly. If the thought of being reliant on medication to
control your acid reflux concerns you then you'll have to find
an alternative way of dealing with the issue.
If you really want to avoid taking prescription medication for
acid reflux, making some simple lifestyle changes can
successfully address the underlying cause of your condition. You
may find it beneficial to take medication to get your reflux
under control initially, especially if there is damage to the
delicate esophagus lining, but implementing lifestyle changes at
the same time means that you're targeting the cause immediately.
If you are overweight, you should try to lose the excess
weight. The extra weight can weigh heavily on your stomach and
esophagus, especially when lying down. This can place excess
pressure on the muscle at the top of the stomach (lower
esophageal sphincter) that holds your stomach contents in,
leaving it weakened and unable to close properly.
Plus, if you're a smoker, you should aim to stop or at the very
least cut down significantly as smoking also acts to weaken the
lower esophageal sphincter muscle.
Diet also plays an important role when controlling acid reflux
symptoms naturally. There are a number of common trigger foods
that can bring on symptoms in most acid reflux sufferers
including:
Alcohol
Chocolate
Fatty or fried foods
Spicy or rich foods
Fatty red meats
Tomatoes and tomato based sauces
Onion and garlic
When and how much you eat can also have an impact on your acid
reflux symptoms and can be just as important as what you eat.
Rather than having 3 large meals a day aim for 5 – 6 smaller
meals and don't rush your food. By eating smaller meals more
frequently and chewing food thoroughly, you reduce the risk of
developing acid reflux symptoms.
Eating your evening meal earlier can also help you avoid acid
reflux or heartburn symptoms when you get into bed at night. Try
to eat at least 3 hours before you go to bed to allow your food
time to digest and leave your stomach.
Sleeping with the upper part of your torso elevated allows
gravity to do its job and keep acid in your stomach where it
belongs. Try this by either propping up your bed head with some
bricks (making sure it's sturdy) or through pillows – either
purpose bought acid reflux pillows or by stacking ordinary
pillows. Sleeping on your left-hand side can also help to reduce
the risk of nighttime acid reflux.
These simple lifestyle steps can help you keep acid reflux at
bay, however it's important never to stop taking prescription
medication for acid reflux without first consulting your
physician.
About The Author: Grab your free copy of Kathryn Whittaker's
brand new Acid Reflux & GERD Newsletter here
http://www.naturall
overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you combat
Acid Reflux and GERD.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An acid reflux look-alike?
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An acid reflux look-alike?
Eosinophilic Esophagitis (or EE) was a hot topic at a gastroenterology conference I attended recently. EE is a chronic condition causing inflammation of the esophagus and appears to be on...
Eosinophilic Esophagitis (or EE) was a hot topic at a gastroenterology conference I attended recently. EE is a chronic condition causing inflammation of the esophagus and appears to be on...
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