Symptoms Of Acid Reflux And How To Combat Them

 

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Many people are well acquainted with the symptoms of acid reflux, and more than 60 million Americans will more than likely experience the symptoms of it at least one time in their life.

Common symptoms 

Regurgitation, dyspepsia and heartburn are three of the most prevalent symptoms of acid reflux. Heartburn is a pain or discomfort that moves up the abdomen and sometimes all the way up to the chest. Even though its name suggests it, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.

Regurgitation is simply the feeling of food that backs up into your mouth or throat. It often has a sour taste, and some people have actually vomited some of their food back up into their mouth. This is often referred to as a “wet burp.”

Dyspepsia is another symptom of acid reflux that many people experience. Dyspepsia is simply a general term for sour stomach. Many times people who have dyspepsia will have symptoms of nausea after they eat a meal or they will be bloated after a large meal.

Burping and upper abdominal pain are also two other signs of dyspepsia.

What these symptoms can mean

There are many people who have the symptoms of acid reflux that can develop other digestive issues as well. For example, many people who have been diagnosed with acid reflux may also suffer from too much acid in their stomach. This acid can cause the esophagus to become inflamed, and this can be very painful.

This stomach acid has the ability to damage the esophageal lining as well. If this happens, esophageal bleeding may occur. Even though acid reflux is found in many people, it still should be taken care of and treated with proper medications.

If you make sure to eat a good diet and stay away from highly fatty or spicy foods, you can help combat the bothersome symptoms of this condition. Acid reflux symptoms can be controlled with over the counter drugs and in some cases prescription drugs.

When does acid reflux most often occur?

• After eating
• When bending over to pick something up
• Lying flat on your back

If you have acid reflux symptoms, it is never a good idea to sleep flat on your back at night. It is also smart to put an extra pillow under your head and elevate it a bit. This can curtail the many painful signs of acid reflux.

It seems that out of the people suffering from acid reflux, many people seem to have the most attacks at night.Patients who have been experiencing acid reflux at night, also may experience symptoms of a more painful nighttime heartburn condition known as Gerd. Even though there is pain involved, the level of it isn’t necessarily indicative of the severity of your case. Everyone is an individual, and at times it may seem like the levels of pain are high, it doesn’t mean your acid reflux is any more severe than someone else’s. The amount and severity of the pain also doesn’t determine what esophageal damage is done either.

Acid reflux and pregnancy

Acid reflux symptoms can also greatly affect a pregnancy. Many pregnant women suffer from heartburn, but the good news is that it usually goes away after the pregnancy is complete.

There are some foods that increase these symptoms. Try avoiding these foods until your pregnancy is over. For example: citric juices, citrus fruit, chocolate and caffeine are all bad choices if you want your heartburn and acid reflux symptoms to subside.

Any cause to be worried?

Many people won’t ever suffer any esophageal complications from acid reflux, although in a few cases complications may cause scarring in the esophagus. That is why it is a good idea to take antacids to alleviate the acid which causes reflux.

There can be a narrowing of the esophagus from too much refluxed stomach acid as well. This narrowing can cause strictures which in turn can make it very hard to swallow. This may lead to something called dysphagia. This is simply the sensation of food being stuck in your throat. In the most extreme cases something called Barrett’s esophagus can develop. This is where tiny misshapen cells in the esophagus can become abnormal and change color. This condition has the potential to develop into cancer.

Take care of yourself

If you eat right and take antacids, you shouldn’t ever have anything too serious develop from the symptoms of acid reflux. If you do notice that your symptoms last for more than two weeks or occur more than two times a week, you should go to your physician for a more thorough exam.