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Chest Burning and Acid Reflux: What it Means

August 16th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Chest pains can be scary even if they are very minor pains; common sense tells us that we should not feel pain in this area. Sometimes chest burning and acid reflux go together and can be confused as related to heart disease. The first thing that separates the two is the sensation you feel. When you have chest pains related to heart disease the sensation is that of a stabbing pain. Chest burning and acid reflux mean that you will most likely feel a burning sensation that is more uncomfortable than painful.

Is it Dangerous?

Chest burning and acid reflux don’t always go together but when they do it does not mean that you have worse acid reflux than someone who does not have the same symptom. You should still have your chest pains checked out by a doctor to confirm that your chest pains are a symptom and not related to heart disease.

There are a few simple tests your doctor can perform to determine that the chest burning and acid reflux are occurring together and not related to cardiac disease. First your doctor will test the level of acid in your esophagus; if it is elevated then you are most likely suffering from acid reflux.

Another method to determine the cause of your chest pains will require you to take note of the symptoms that occur when you experience chest pains. For example did you experience a regurgitation of food, feel bile in your mouth? If you have other symptoms of acid reflux along with your chest pains then your doctor can rule out heart disease.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed with your doctor that you are indeed experiencing chest burning and acid reflux you can proceed to treat the acid reflux. Antacids are the usual route of treatment though proton pump inhibitors may also be used. There are of course other forms of treatment that require you to be proactive and change your lifestyle.

If you frequently consume alcohol then you should cut down on both the amount of alcohol you consume and the frequency of consumption. Smoking is also a trigger of acid reflux and if you have frequent attacks of acid reflux then you should cut it out.

Caffeine whether in coffee, soda, or any other form can also be a trigger. You don’t have to completely cut out these things but think about the frequency and amounts you are consuming these things, then start halving the amounts and see the difference that it makes to your health.

The Danger of an Acid Reflux Ulcer

August 10th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Acid reflux is a condition in itself, but when left untreated it can result in an acid reflux ulcer and this will be even more serious, even potentially life threatening if it causes cancer to develop. An acid reflux ulcer is a small erosion or hole in the gastrointestinal tract, and which typically cause symptoms to affect the sufferer.

This includes a burning or gnawing feeling in the stomach, which can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days, even months. There are some individuals who suffer with an acid reflux ulcer but who only experience pain after they eat.

One of the biggest problems that an acid reflux ulcer causes is an affection of the nerves surrounding it. The nerves, once they have been affected, often become agitated and can result in causing intense pain.

Treatment

Anyone with an ulcer wants desperately to find a treatment that is going to work for them and offer them relief. Self help is most important of all, and this means eating a healthy, well balanced diet, and getting plenty of exercise and water.

You should also avoid certain foods, those that are only going to aggravate your condition. Although the specific foods will vary from one person to another, spicy, fatty, greasy, sugary, and citrusy foods are all common aggravators and are best if avoided.

There are also various medicines that are available to treat an acid reflux ulcer. There are milder medicines such as antacids and H2 blockers, which are usually very effective for less serious ulcers, but there are also more powerful medicines called proton pump inhibitors which can actually completely stop acid production in the stomach.

Obviously this takes care of the acid reflux problem, but it is important that these drugs not be considered as a long term solution because acid production is an essential function of the human body.

It is important that anyone dealing with an ulcer keep in close contact with their doctor. This way the doctor can keep an eye on their condition and ensure that they are making improvement. Especially if you are put on any sort of medication, your doctor is going to need to keep a watchful eye on you and you are going to have to let them know if you ever experience any side effects as a result of the medication.

Acid reflux ulcers can be incredibly painful and it may seem as though there is nothing you can do to find relief, but there are solutions and ways to deal with your reflux.

Identifying Your Acid Reflux Triggers

August 4th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Have you ever experienced a burning sensation that runs from your stomach pit to your esophagus? Did you ever wonder how it happened and what triggered these “after –meals” sensation? This painful regurgitation is what we call Acid Reflux, or more commonly known as heartburn.

From time to time, people experience such sensation due to the acid reflux triggers. They are the ones responsible for the so-called burning sensation from the inside. The acid reflux triggers come in different forms and may be difficult to distinguish since there is no common symptom for everybody. Thus, trial and error should be done to clearly identify the indicators which generate heartburn.

Causes of Heartburn

Heartburn can be rooted to various factors. The acid reflux triggers include certain foods, body positioning, obesity, and lifestyle habits such as cigarette smoking. Again, determining which factor causes the symptoms to occur may be done by checking and eliminating which precipitates the onset of the symptoms.

Pinpointing the Acid Reflux Triggers

Since there are varying causes of heartburn, it would be helpful to have a checklist of the ingested foods of the day. If the food taken can be associated with the reflux events, then most probably this is what triggers your heartburn. Carefully and noticeably, you try ingesting one kind of food per meal and see if it causes the warning signs to reappear. Also, if you are a smoker experiencing heartburn, it would be favorable to discontinue smoking and see if the accompanying indicators of heartburn stop. Upright positioning for two to three hours after meals may also be helpful in preventing the reflux of food from the stomach. Thus, a way to identifying your acid reflux triggers may mean keeping a daily journal of what you eat and do and how you feel afterwards.

Avoiding Acid Reflux Triggers

The avoiding part comes last and the hardest of all. Most of the foods causing heartburn are the ones that pleases our mouth; thus, making it hard for people to avoid. However, we must remember the good that it brings if we can have full control over ourselves.

Most fast foods should be avoided since they contain a high amount of fat and oil, making them a very good candidate for an acid reflux trigger. Caffeinated beverages, citrus fruits and juices should also be removed from the diet since they are potential acid builders in the stomach. Spicy foods are also stomach irritants and should be undoubtedly exterminated from the diet.

Clearly, a number of ways can help solve the acid reflux problem. Determination, control over oneself and the will to stay healthy are needed to keep you focused on your goal. Believing that health is wealth can also be an unrelenting motivational factor to guide you in achieving wellness.

Finding Proper Acid Reflux Treatment

July 29th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Acid reflux is a very common and serious condition. It occurs when the lining of the esophagus is exposed to the backward flow of stomach acid. More specifically what happens is gastric juices containing acid travel, making their way back from the stomach and up into the esophagus.

Acid reflux can be a very serious problem and can end up affecting many aspects of a person’s life including causing sleepless nights and making them having to avoid daily activities that they once found normal.

Acid Reflux Treatment

Of course one of the most important issues to anyone dealing with an acid reflux condition is acid reflux treatment. There are basically three options that you have when it comes to acid reflux treatment: medications and surgery.

There are a number of different medications that can be used to treat acid reflux, and this includes everything from over the counter antacids to prescription drugs. Antacids work by neutralizing the stomach acid in the body, thereby lessening the chance of any of it being able to make its way up into the esophagus.

There are also H2 blockers which are commonly used to treat acid reflux, and which work by reducing the overall amount of acid that the stomach products. They offer longer lasting relief than antacids and are suitable for more serious and persistent acid reflux conditions.

Another effective acid reflux treatment is the PPI drugs that are often used, which are not a long term solution and should be used no longer than eight weeks. The PPI drugs that are used in this acid reflux treatment work by actually shutting down the pumps that produce the stomach acid, and because this is an essential function of the body you cannot stay on the drugs for an extended period of time.

It is important that you speak to your doctor about your condition as they will be able to make a proper assessment and decide which particular treatment is going to be most suitable for you. Even if you use natural or alternative methods of treatment these are still a form of medicine and so you will need to make sure that you use common sense.

Overdoing any type of treatment is not a good idea and may even result in making your condition worse. Also remember that by living as generally healthy a lifestyle as possible you will be doing yourself a great benefit and achieve relief from the pain caused by your acid reflux.

Is Acid Reflux Surgery Right For You?

July 23rd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Are you considering surgery for your acid reflux symptoms? Acid reflux surgery is a last resort that should be contemplated only after you have tried other, more conservative treatment options for your acid reflux condition.

Conservative treatment that you should consider before having acid reflux surgery includes diet changes, behavior changes, and over-the-counter medicines.

Change Your Diet

You may be able to avoid acid reflux surgery entirely by changing some of the food you eat and the time when you eat them.

Food items and beverages that contain caffeine have been found to trigger acid reflux symptoms, causing the esophageal sphincter muscle to relax and allowing acid to escape from the stomach to the base of the esophagus, where it can do permanent damage to soft, delicate internal tissues.

Before you schedule acid reflux surgery, eliminate coffee, tea, and caffeinated colas. Chocolate, onions, garlic, and spicy food can also exacerbate an acid reflux condition.

Try Medication

Some patients feel as if choosing between taking medication all their life for acid reflux or having surgery for the condition is no choice at all. However, when you compare the potential side effects of taking medication with the potential side effects of having acid reflux surgery, taking medication is a clear winner.

The most commonly reported side effects reported by individuals taking acid reflux medication, like Prevacid, Prilosec, or Nexium, are nausea, diarrhea, headache, and abdominal pain. These side effects occur only in a small percentage of individuals who take these prescription medications. If these side effects occur, patients should discuss them with their doctors.

The potential side effects from any surgical procedure include infection, complications due to anesthesia (including death), and post-operative gas bloating and trouble swallowing.

The Surgery

The most common acid reflux surgery is fundoplication, which increases pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter, enabling the sphincter to remain closed and form an effective seal between the stomach, with its fiery acid, and the esophagus, with its tender, sensitive lining.

While the surgery usually clears up the symptoms of acid reflux disease, approximately 18% of patients who have had acid reflux surgery require some form of acid reflux medication even after the surgery is complete; another 30% continue to have trouble swallowing and experience bloating. Furthermore, a 2002 study conducted in Sweden reveals that the procedure may not reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in patients who are at high risk for getting esophageal cancer.

If you are taking medication for acid reflux, and you symptoms persist, you may wish to discuss having acid reflux surgery with your physician.

The Seriousness of Acid Reflux Pain and How to Deal With it

July 17th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Acid reflux is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions in the world. It is a condition where gastric juices containing acid make their way back from the stomach and up into the esophagus. Typical symptoms of the condition include heartburn, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing.

The Seriousness of Acid Reflux Pain

Although there are some cases of acid reflux that are so mild they are hardly noticeable, in most cases the acid reflux pain experienced is so intense that it is debilitating. For most people the discomfort can end up affecting the quality of life and everyday activities, which can obviously be quite troublesome.

It is hard to describe acid reflux pain, and unless you have experienced it for yourself you will really never understand just how intense and uncomfortable it can be. Heartburn is the main symptom, and is a burning feeling that rises from the upper abdomen up towards the neck. Heartburn can be so painful that the sufferer finds it difficult to eat, drink, or even just walk around, until they find a way to get relief.

The majority of acid reflux pain occurs in the upper abdomen and chest, and can radiate from here through the rest of the chest and even into the arms. There are also some uncommon symptoms that may occur in people suffering from acid reflux, such as a persistent cough, hoarseness and asthma symptoms.

Acid reflux pain can also end up causing complications, including erosive esophagitis, esophageal stricture, ulceration or Barrett’s esophagus, and possibly even esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus is the most serious complication of chronic acid reflux syndrome and is a condition where there is a change in the membrane cells of the esophagus.

Dealing With Your Acid Reflux

It is obviously then very important that you deal with your acid reflux appropriately. Keep in mind that dealing with acid reflux is never easy in the beginning, and you may not even start to see results for a few months. Eating properly and getting enough exercise is definitely going to help you here, exercise in particular because it will give you energy and help your body to digest food more efficiently.

There are also certain medications that are available which can be used here, but remember that these are not intended to be long term solutions and you need to create a lifelong treatment plan instead to properly take care of your reflux.

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Lifestyle and dietary changes may help, as will a number of over-the-counter and prescription medications. But there are also several natural ways to eliminate the symptoms of acid reflux.

Heartburn And Acid Reflux Drugs Increase Risk Of Fractures (KMGH 7 Denver)
What works for your heartburn or acid reflux may, over time, be bad for your bones, according to a Canadian study.

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