Acid Reflux Symptom
You are sweating. You feel nauseous. Your lips are dry. Your tongue tastes bitter. There is pain in your chest and throat. No, you are not on a horror movie set, nor watching one. You may have acid reflux.
Acid Reflux Symptom
Acid reflux or Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition wherein digestive tract juices or gastric juices with acid go back to the esophagus from the stomach. This condition is commonly called "heartburn". However, acid reflux is just a cause of heartburn.
Acid Reflux Symptom
Acid reflux is a complex disease that also gives a strong feeling of burning sensation and discomfort from between the stomach to the neck. Because it is a complex disease, this should not be treated lightly. Patients with this condition are often disturbed by the discomfort thus affecting their usual daily routine such as work.
Acid Reflux Symptom
It is important to take note that the gastric juices are meant only to stay in the stomach lining because the stomach lining is tough. The esophageal lining however is not as tough as the stomach lining. In simpler sense, these gastric acids can literally burn the muscles and lining in the esophagus.
There are some cases wherein the acids tear down the lining of the esophagus. When healed, the tear turns into scars. These scar tissues can cause food to get stuck in the esophageal passage.
So what causes acid reflux? Acid reflux is caused by irregularities in the esophageal sphincter. This is the valve which prevents the contents of the stomach from reversing or returning to the swallowing tube or esophagus. This usually happens to people who generally eat too fast and too much. This also usually happens to people who hit the sack right after eating.
Other causes are smoking, obesity and stress. The nicotine in the cigarettes irritates the esophageal sphincter and even the stomach lining. Lack of exercise makes digesting difficult. However, it is not advisable to exercise right after meals. Stress on the other hand increases the secretion of gastric juices in the stomach, thereby exceeding the needed amount to digest the food. These excess gastric acids have nowhere to go but up north.
Persistent acid reflux after continuous medication and moderation may be a symptom of a more serious disease. It can be a symptom of ulcer in the stomach or cancer or in some rare cases, chronic heart disease. Experts advise patients not to play experts but see the doctors immediately.
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