What Is Acid Reflux - Heartburn?

Many people have a sometimes painful, always annoying condition referred to as Acid Reflux. It is sometimes known as Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Acid reflux occurs when acid and other materials in the stomach back up into your esophagus or reflux. The esophagus is the muscular tube that leads from your stomach to your throat.

When acid reflux occurs, materials in the stomach remain in the lower part of the esophagus where they may cause heartburn and even nausea. Long term occurrences can also eventually damage the esophagus.

There may be occasional times where stomach materials back up all the way to your mouth. This allows the acid to create a burning sensation in your throat. You might even find bits of undigested food in your mouth.

What Causes Acid Reflux?

A defective lower esophageal sphincter is often to blame for acid reflux. This is a tough rim of muscle surrounding the lower end of the esophagus. The sphincter is responsible for strong contractions to push eaten food into the stomach.

If the sphincter is not strong enough to push food all the way into the stomach acid reflux may occur. Also the sphincter may not push but instead simply relaxes thus allowing food and chemicals to flow back into the esophagus.

It is also possible that a hiatal hernia and a weak esophagus that doesn't contract strongly enough are culprits associated with acid reflux.

Is Acid Reflux Treatable?

Most physicians first suggest lifestyle changes to deal with acid reflux. These changes include eating smaller meals, eliminating smoking and alcohol, losing weight. They may also suggest staying up and active for a minimum of 2 hours after meals. Sleeping with your head elevated is also suggested to help with this condition.

If these lifestyle changes do not work sufficiently then there are several over-the-counter medications that are available to help ease the symptoms. Some are a class of Histamine Receptors Antagonistist that act to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach. These are products such as Zantac or Pepcid. Other products such as Tagamet or Mylanta are designed to neutralize acid.

Prescription medicines may be prescribed if these other options do not work. These are products such as Nexium and Prevacid that are a class of proton pump inhibitors. These products work to prevent the release of acids into the stomach and intestines. Additionally there are promotility agents such as Reglan that are designed to force the esophagus to empty more quickly and speed digestion.

Today's Featured Articles:

Acid reflux is a painful condition seasoned by millions of people every year. In fact, many appear the incidence of acid reflux is on the rise and attribute the increase to the modern elevated fat, elevated sugar diet and relatively sedentary lifestyle. Acid reflux is basically severe, recurring heartburn, generally believed to result from increased abdominal pressure. This pressure prohibits the esophageal sphincter muscle from closing off the stomach, and stomach contents (including strong stomach acids) wash up into the esophagus, causing intense pain. Numerous over the counter and prescription remedies for acid reflux exist, in any case
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