Tag: Heartburn

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Magnifying Acid Reflux

abnormal
abnormal
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Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), the medical term for “Acid Reflux” is defined as the product of abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus thus, creating a mucosal damage, likewise known as the chronic symptom.

This disease strikes adult primarily, while infants and children can also be affected. Normally spurred by eating certain foods, if not pregnancy, or taking a sleep right after eating a heavy meal, a large number of persons suffer from acid reflux at one time or another.

Heartburn or acid indigestion is another name that refers to acid reflux. Heartburn, the major symptom of Acid Reflux in the esophagus, is described to cause a burning uneasiness at the back of the sternum.

The symptoms may come as coughing, voice transformation, hoarseness, constant ear ache, or sinusitis. The complications brought upon by acid reflux may lead to esophageal ulcers or worse this can lead to esophageal cancer.

However, constant heartburn sensations do not necessarily mean that one has captured GERD already. The risk occurs when heartburn happened more than once a week, this occasion could possibly lead in developing GERD.

The usual cause of GERD is the increase in acidity or gastric acid production in the body, obesity, pregnancy, or tight-fitting apparels, these all can add to the problem. The yeast infections are also thought to be one of the causes of GERD-like symptoms.

An added ironical cause of the GERD is the insufficient production of stomach acid in the body. The explanation says that the valve, the hollow organ with a flap that insure the one-way course of fluid through the organ, once emptied triggers acidity in the intestines. If the valve fails to open, the contents of the stomach will be blended into the esophagus, and then irritation occurs.

Meanwhile, there are already several treatments for GERD today, one of which is the balance and healthy eating habits. Now if proper diet fails to work, one can shift to medication therapy or surgery as suggested by the doctors. Below are the lists of several selections of Acid Reflux treatment:

• Proper Diet: the natural way to cure Acid Reflux is through change in their eating habits. A good number of people affected by GERD found success in following this method. Avoid the food ingredients which can intensify heart burn such as caffeine, soft drinks, and smoking. Avoid eating two hours before sleeping; likewise, avoid lying down after taking meal. These are the regular suggested change in lifestyle.

• Another easy way to treat GERD is to elevate the head of the bed. The pharmacologic therapy, the combination of prevention of food two hours before sleeping and the rise of the head of the bed, there is a great chance for a patient to gain a 95 percent relief. The rise of the head of the bed is suggested to range for only 6 to 8 inches or 20 cm. Using this method the backflow of gastric fluids will be hampered.

• Drug Treatment: Drugs reduce the secretion of the gastric acid, for instance and famotidine and omeprazole lessen the secretion of gastric acid and the Antacids counteract the acid.

• Surgical treatment: the Nissen fundoplication, the standard surgical treatment for Acid Reflux, the medication process will only cover a short period of time. The function of this is to support the sphincter, a spherical bond of muscles that opens and closes to let the food or waste to pass, as well as stop Acid Reflux, and of course restore the hiatal hernia.

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Acid Reflux in Baby: Keeping Your Baby Protected

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Acid reflux, which is also termed as gastroesophageal reflux, is one of the most frequent problems among infants. Babies with acid reflux often suffer from a range of conditions, from a mild degree to a severe one, such as recurrent spitting up, abdominal pain, and night waking.

This discussion would be more comprehensive with the understanding of the physiological or the mechanical aspect of the condition. The body has a band of muscle in a circular structure that is called the lower esophageal sphincter. This muscle detaches the esophagus from the stomach. When food comes into the stomach, it closes so as to prevent the stomach acids and contents from backing up into the esophagus or regurgitating. But in the case of some babies, the lower esophageal sphincter has grown immature. As such, the partially digested food and digestive acids are allowed to be refluxed. This condition causes irritation in the esophagus lining which results to inflammation that is also commonly called as heartburn.

Acid reflux among babies usually develops when they are between two to four weeks old. Doctors usually prescribe medicines that minimize the production of digestive acids. Within six to nine months, the acid reflux starts to naturally subside. At this time period, the babies spend most of their time in an upright position. This is to apply the law of gravity on the food taken in; that is, the food stays down more naturally and reduces possible regurgitation.

The following are helpful pointers on feeding and positioning of babies to lessen acid reflux:

Prepare smaller feedings recurrently. It makes sense to feed your baby more than usual but less than the accustomed. If lesser volume of milk goes into the stomach, the digestion will be faster and there will be fewer amounts of contents available for regurgitation.

Maintain the baby in an upright position after feeding. As discussed earlier, gravity helps to keep the digestive contents down. Position your baby seated in your lap while his head rests on your chest. Keep this position for at least half an hour after feeding.

Breastfeeding helps a lot. Breast milk is well-known to have many advantages over other commercial formula, mainly for babies with acid reflux. Breast milk can be digested faster, which of course lessens spitting up, and it has special enzymes that assists digestion. In addition to that, breast milk does not trigger allergy to babies compared to other milks available in the market. But for those who are formula-feeding, it is advisable to use milk with a hypoallergenic formula as advised by a doctor. Aside from having higher tolerance with sensitive intestines, hypoallergenic milk can also be digested faster by the stomach so as to minimize refluxes.

Set your baby in a comfortable position when asleep. Since when a baby lies flat when sleeping, gravity cannot help in keeping the food down in this set-up. As a result, a baby with acid reflux often has to endure a sore night waking. If a baby can sleep soundly, then there will be no need to call for a change in his habit. But some babies become restless, which can be noted by abdominal pain, acid breath, and wet burps. In this case, it is recommended to elevate the baby’s crib to about 30 degrees. This will be enough to reduce the regurgitation. You may also try to train him to sleep on his left side. It is in this position where the inlet of the stomach is higher than the exit. This will also help to keep the food down.

 

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Heartburn-the principal sign of acid reflux disease, causes and cares

Diagram depicting the major determinants of ga...

Diagram depicting the major determinants of gastric acid secretion, with inclusion of drug targets for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Acid reflux disease is a product of the failure of the esophageal sphincter to function properly. Because of abnormal acid production, digestive processes are affected and causes burning sensations in the stomach, chest and even up to the esophagus. Too low acid production causes the valve in the stomach not to open. So the tendency of the stomach acids is to rise up and inflame the esophagus. On the other hand, too much acid production follows the same case.

There are many factors that can be deemed responsible for acid reflux disease. One of which is the use of too much salt. Aside from alcohol, caffeine and smoking which all add to the risk of acid reflux, salt is unexpectedly concluded to cause and aggravate the disease. This finding is in accordance to the studies of researchers from Sweden. They found out from the lifestyle of their samplings that extra table salt increases the risk of having acid reflux disease up to 70%. This is alarming because it is implied that extra table salt can harm more that alcohol and caffeine. A related study conducted by Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa of New York University Medical Center attested the same results on the risks of too much table salt.

Countless individuals who suffer from acid reflux disease also suffer the discomfort and pains of its symptoms. The principal sign of acid reflux disease is persistent heartburn. Seldom heartburn experienced by most people may not lead to an acid reflux problem but a regular occurrence of up to thrice a week calls for proper attention already. In some cases, there are individuals who do not suffer from heartburn although they have acid reflux disease.

Heartburn is usually experienced after eating a heavy meal or when bending or lying down. The symptom is characterized by the burning sensation that originates from the upper abdomen and to the back of the breastbone. Then a burning sensation is felt in the chest. As time passes by, the pain travels up to the throat until you experience a sour taste in your mouth. The pain radiates all throughout the back that you become uneasy and unable to do things.

Some of the other signs of acid reflux disease are regular hoarseness especially in the morning, finding a hard time swallowing, choking sensation where the food seems to be stuck in the throat, constant dry cough with unknown cause and bad breath. These are just some of the symptoms that the person inflicted by acid reflux disease can notice on himself.

These symptoms, nevertheless, can be treated depending upon the frequency and the level of pain. Particularly, heartburn may need greater attention because it could be more than the pains it caused you. Further tests should be undergone to point out the real root and the length of damages that the heartburn had gone. Only the doctor can prescribe you the medications that will reduce an acute heartburn.

Healthy habits such as proper diet and exercise should also be developed in your everyday system so as to avoid the symptoms and totally cure the acid reflux disease. And bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol and caffeine beverages should also be avoided or minimized. This is the natural way of treating any disease.

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Heal Your Heartburn Through Acid Reflux Diet

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Food (Photo credits: www.campgroundsigns.com)

Acid Reflux, another term for heartburn, is a disease which is created by a simple imbalance of chemical make-up in the body–the attack of acid reflux in the esophagus when it is supposed to be in the stomach only.

The fact that Acid Reflux, the acid indigestion, affects not just adults but also infants and children, make it essential for everyone to be aware of its symptoms and how it can be prevented.

Since the Acid Reflux is triggered by various foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, spicy foods, including fried and fatty foods. Together with the time of day the foods are eaten and over eating which causes excessive weight. Therefore, the key to avoid the heartburning uneasiness brought by the Acid reflux also lies on the foods—a manage diet.

Truth in studies show that a specific food can head out acid reflux, so it is vital that everyone must take a careful observation of their eating habits.

Nevertheless, any person who is suffering from Acid Reflux needs a diet that would suit to treat the illness, the foods that should be taken and those which should not be.

Now, you might be wondering what could be the best diet to observe to avoid acid reflux, the heartburn-free recipes that are fitted to an Acid Reflux diet.

It was distinguished that drinking milk can be a speedy cure to alleviate acid reflux trouble. Although, milk produces an action and encourages discharge of more stomach acid, causing then acid reflux.

So, people affected by heartburn should follow a diet wherein they eat a small meal during dinner and follow it up with a small snack before they go to sleep, crackers for instance.

Likewise, they should make sure that they their meal are rich in complex carbohydrates. This includes breads, rice and pasta; this fixes the excessive acid in the stomach, hence, giving it an easy feeling.

Chew your foods well, do not rush on eating, 20 minutes for each meal will do. Extract all the nourishment that you can get in your food.

Along with the diet, it is also advisable to keep yourself in a straight position during and after eating, for least 45 minutes.

Remove from your diet high-fat foods, this will tend to stay in the stomach longer, with this, the stomach will be forced to produce more acids for digestion.

In addition, avoid eating large meals; this will also stimulate the stomach to produce more acids to digest them.

One the medical specialists’ recommendations is to add more plant protein in your diet, like beans and lentils, in this process the animal protein that you have taken will be replaced.

Also, try to observe in your diet the time you spend for eating, the amount of your meal, your relaxation when you eat, and how thorough you chew your food. It is advisable that you take several small meals in a day, than you take large meals regularly, for instance six small meals a day will do than having three large ones. The procedure is simply breaking up the meal.

If you want additional information regarding proper diet to battle Acid Reflux, you can visit a nutrition-oriented health care practitioner like a dietician, naturopathic physician, or nutritionist. They can give you accurate dietary schemes that will fit your private health needs and objectives.

A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in ...

A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in products such as soy milk and low-fat yogurt, has been shown to reduce breast cancer incidence in rats. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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