Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

Acid Reflux – Are You Suffering Heartburn When You Don’t Have To?

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The health problem known as acid reflux, or more scientifically as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is caused by stomach acid coming up into the esophagus. This causes heartburn which can range from unpleasant to unbearable. It can also be chronic or infrequent. The worst of it comes when you suffer frequently.

Symptoms of heartburn include a painful burning sensation behind the sternum. You may also experience coughing, a sore and swollen throat, trouble swallowing, hoarseness of the voice. Sometimes even pains in the sinuses and ears are reported.

In severe cases of GERD a sour or bitter taste may be experienced in the mouth, bad breath, increased saliva production and a need to clear the throat often.

Sometimes found in children, causing coughing, vomiting, incessant burping and spitting up, generally this problem has vanished by the first birthday. In adults acid reflux is commonly attributed to lifestyle causes and frequently sufferers are advised to live less ‘high on the hog’

Whether or not this is cause by diet, bad habits, lack of sleep or too much nicotine and alcohol, the effects are still extremely unpleasant and worth trying to fix.

Also known as acid indigestion, this issue if untreated can lead to ulcers and has been linked to cancer.

Roughly 5% of people in the Western world are sufferers, with countries containing the most excessive eating habits having the highest numbers. Although let it be said that the chances of developing GERD increases with age so longer lived countries may see high incidences of acid reflux.

If you live in a country that fits this description, have a poor diet, don’t sleep well and smoke a lot, don’t think that you have acid reflux just because you get heartburn once in a blue moon. It’s when this occurs a couple of times a week that you have to start thinking about a treatment.

Treatments range from:

A change of diet. Reducing fatty foods, caffeine, fizzy drinks. Refraining from food within a couple of hours of bedtime. Elevating the head whilst sleeping. An adjustable mattress, raising the head of the bed by 6 or more inches may prevent the flow of gastric acid. Drugs which hamper the secretion of gastric acid. Surgery, which may restore the body’s ability to block the passage of the acid naturally. Nissen fundoplication which has a high success rate.

If you have acid reflux then I have genuine sympathy for you. I suffered for years, and wasn’t really willing to give up the food I liked as I thought I was healthy all round. In fact I was, and am, very healthy, but it’s just one of those things that some of us have acid reflux.
While there are still certain things I can’t eat, I cured mine, and would hate to see a return.

The thing is that the cures for this problem aren’t that difficult or extreme. Why I think people don’t follow through with ridding themselves of it is that the cures are mainly lifestyle based. And nobody wants to give up their lifestyle.

Heartburn is no laughing matter and people have tried many things to cure it, ranging from a special acid reflux diet, to using natural remedies for acid reflux. Visit my website to find out some awesome steps towards relief.

STOP Acid Reflux, Heartburn, Gerd, IBS, Gas, Bloating!