Do You Have Acid Reflux?

By Author: Thomas Strickland
Total Articles: 102
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Heartburn is a very common problem in America, and it effects everyone from infants to pregnant women and every demographic in between. Stress and a high fat diet are all part of American culture, and this is leading to heartburn in epic proportions. When heartburn is not treated effectively, or when stress or other lifestyle factors increase, heartburn can lead to another more serious condition known as acid reflux. When acid accumulates in higher proportions than through standard heartburn, the end result is acid reflux which can be terribly painful. Here you will find out if your heartburn is just heartburn, or if you are dealing with the more serious problem of acid reflux, also known as GERD for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
The first symptoms of GERD start as heartburn, and these symptoms are a little more intense than standard heartburn, and are experienced as burning and pain in the esophagus. GERD occurs when there is too much acid in the stomach, so what happens is the stomach tries to get rid of this acid by regurgitating it back up the esophagus. You may even regurgitate right back into your mouth, ...
... where you will not only experience the pain and burn, but also a sour taste that burns your mouth and throat. Additional symptoms of GERD include a difficulty in swallowing and breathing, and this will lead to gagging and increased coughing. Some people also find choking like symptoms when they are dealing with GERD.
More uncommon symptoms of GERD include chest pain and hoarseness from persistent coughing. You will find these symptoms occur most commonly in the mornings, or after any extended period of lying down, as this will increase the accumulation of acid and cause some discomfort. Other uncommon symptoms of GERD include bad breath, and this is caused when acid hits your salivary glands leaving your mouth with a salty and sour taste.
Common myths surrounding GERD suggest that lifestyle factors are a contributor to acid reflux disease. While your lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, or spicy food intake can worse the symptoms of your GERD, research has not found them to be actual causes of acid reflux. You can alleviate some of your symptoms by decreasing these lifestyle choices, by eating many small meals rather than large ones, and avoiding food before bed time, a time when acid likes to accumulate.
Treatment for acid reflux comes in a wide variety of methods, and you can use at home remedies, over the counter remedies, or prescription treatments such as Aciphex. Over the counter remedies will assist you in controlling your acid throughout the day, and provide comfort from your primary symptoms. You also want to ease up on some of your lifestyle factors, and avoid eating around time frames where you will be lying down for long periods. Avoiding fatty and fried foods will also work towards controlling acid. If your acid reflux is considerable and impacting your quality of life, you will want to talk to your doctor about prescription treatments such as Aciphex that will target those primary symptoms and bring you comfort and relief.