Skip to main content

Acid Reflux

By Leland Poliks


Acid reflux is made up of chronic symptoms and / or mucosal damage that are caused by the abnormal reflux of stomach contents, namely the powerful stomach acid. When the gastric contents are expelled into the esophagus, this creates discomfort, pain and possibly lasting tissue damage.

Sometimes acid reflux is a physical problem, where the lower esophageal sphincter does not effectively contain the contents of the stomach, and some cases where a hiatal hernia is a factor.

The most common symptom and complaint of those suffering from acid reflux is heartburn, which feels like a burning, stinging or even ripping type of pain around the breastbone area. Other symptoms include difficulty swallowing and changes in mucosal linings of the throat. In extreme cases sufferers may develop esophageal ulcers or scarring.

In order to diagnose the condition, patients may be given a barium mixture to drink. This will help show the structure of the esophagus, sphincters and stomach in order to determine a good course of treatment.

Sometimes endoscopy is used to better examine the esophagus, stomach and relating portions of the body. The patient will usually be sedated in order to ease relaxation.

No matter which course of treatment you and your doctor decide to pursue, there are many types of food that tend to be more likely to trigger acid reflux symptoms. Avoiding or decreasing your intake of these foods may help to alleviate the situation.

Acidic, fatty and spicy foods tend to promote gastroesophageal reflux. Coffee, alcohol, vitamin C and calcium supplements are gastric acid stimulants. If you ingest these things, it is best to do so during the day or periods of increased activity. Just before bedtime would be the worst time.

Chocolate and peppermint, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are known acid reflux stimulants. Milk and dairy items should be avoided at bedtime.

Eating smaller meals, elevating the head of your bed and drinking more water have all been shown to have good effects for coping with and managing acid reflux and related conditions.

Though there are a number of heartburn medications on the market, I strongly advise you to find simple solutions, such as avoiding certain foods, before you start medicating the problem. When we treat the symptoms of a disease and do nothing for the underlying causes, it's only a matter of time before the condition has additional symptoms.

So let's work with our bodies and do our best to ingest foods that help us and avoid ones that exacerbate our various conditions or concern areas. Start eating a little healthier, and chances are you'll notice a difference for the better, no matter how mild or severe your version of acid reflux is.




About the Author:



Popular posts from this blog

How To Choose A Business Lawyer Covington LA

By Janet King Running a business can be very challenging and more so as regards the legal issues involved. One of the things that any business person should strive to avoid is getting in bad books with law enforcement agencies. This is best solved by hiring a well qualified attorney who is versed with the different legal issues. When choosing a business lawyer Covington LA offers many options. There are various roles of attorneys. One of the major things that they deal with is resolution of conflicts. These are usually between the employer and other parties. The lawyer is required by law to protect their client and business even when they are on the wrong. If you are not careful, there are disputes that might end up leaving the business bankrupt. Corporate lawyers ensure that businesses grow and are safe from employees. Attorneys offer legal information to businesses. This is something they do by ensuring businesses are updated as regards all the information that is required...

When Do You Need To Contact A Locksmith Gilbert AZ

By Kristen Baird When you have problems with your locks or keys, you need to contact locksmiths to help you solve the problem. A locksmith Gilbert AZ can assist you when you are stranded after a home door or car lockout. Locksmiths assist in repair of locks, rekeying, duplicating keys, and installing new locks. Upon contacting locksmiths, they respond rapidly and rush to your premises to offer their services. Today, locksmithing issues are actually an emergency. They strike when you do not expect and it can be the worst moment for you. If you have a large batch of keys, it is usually difficult to determine which keys work with which lock. You spend a lot of time trying to sort out the right key to open your doors. However, master keys can solve that problems because you can keep a few keys that open many locks. For example, you can have your main house door lock and the office door locking system opened using one key. When you move to a new area, one problem you have is ...

Selecting An Employment Lawyer Los Altos

By Janet Mitchell Employment attorneys deal with cases that involve issues of employment. They handle a number of issues and cases, including racial discrimination and sexual harassment. In addition to that, they deal with compensation for workers and any matters related to financial discrimination. They present cases on behalf of their clients in court if need be. In consideration of services of an employment lawyer Los Altos residents should choose the best attorneys. The attorneys have the duty of reminding their clients of their legal rights and thus help in restoring them. In addition, they present the cases and evidence in court as proof that there were injustices against the employee. They help in getting the required compensation. If one was to present themselves individually to the court, an employer might not give the deserved compensation. It is only trained attorneys that will know rights if employers and what they deserve. There are very important considerations...