A good way to understand this area of interest is to read the following paragraphs you have come to the right place.
Your stomach lining is tough as nails. It's built to handle the most dangerous kind of acid - the sort that burns holes through fabric. However, your esophagus is made of soft tissue and can be easily damaged as acid comes back up in the form of heartburn. While it's not uncommon to have a heart pang here or a burp there, acid reflux GERD (or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder) is a serious condition that can cause other medical problems if left unchecked.
We all experience heartburn sometime in our lives. It may just be a one-off unpleasant burp. It may be "swallowing something down the wrong pipe" or dysphagia, difficulty swallowing. At its worst, heartburn symptoms include debilitating chest pain. If you experience these symptoms two or more times per week over several months, then you may have acid reflux GERD.
When you see your doctor about acid reflux, there are several tests to determine if your heartburn may damage the esophagus or internal organs. The first test is called an Endoscopy, where a thin, flexible tube and video camera are passed into the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach. Don't worry - you'll be sedated and you won't feel a thing!
The second test your doctor may perform is called a Barium Esophagram. This test observes the shape of the esophagus, looking for abnormalities in the stomach and throat. You'll drink a chalky liquid containing barium, which coats the esophagus and stomach, and allows them to be viewed in an X-ray. A third procedure, known as Esophageal pH Monitoring, tests for the amount of acid in the esophagus over time.
In one variation of this test, a tiny tube goes in through the nose, into the esophagus and an acid monitor on the tip measures acid levels over a 24-hour period. The other way to monitor consists of attaching a medicine capsule sized monitor during an endoscopy, which tests acid over a 48-hour period when the monitor is passed out like food. While these may seem uncomfortable, keep in mind that it's better than dealing with a rotted esophagus later!
The treatment options for acid reflux GERD varies from patient to patient. Some people take antacids, which neutralize the stomach acids and helps to control acid reflux symptoms. Other patients take mucosal protective agents to protect the esophagus. Sucralfate suspension, available only by prescription, acts like a gel layer that blocks stomach juices from rising out of the stomach.
The thick Alginic acid is an over-the-counter method where the heartburn medicine floats on top of stomach acid to block esophagus contact. A third treatment involves Promotility or Prokinetic Agents (prescribed Metoclopramide) which encourages the stomach to empty acid before it becomes a problem. A fourth option helps you reduce the amount of acid the stomach produces by giving patients Acid-suppressive H2 Receptor Antagonists or Proton Pump Inhibitors.
In addition to these measures, doctors usually advocate that patients try to lose weight, quit smoking, wear looser fitting clothes, eat smaller meals, buy new pillows and avoid eating by several hours before sleeping. Trigger foods like chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, caffeine, citrus, tomatoes and high fat foods are also to be avoided. It may seem like a hefty price to pay, but consider that the cost is your life!
These articles can be very inspiring, hope the information was useful. Thanks a lot for reading.
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Today's Tip On Acid Reflux
Polyunsaturated fatty acids include soy, vegetable oil, sunflower, soybeans, mayonnaise and margarine. However, small amounts should be used, as high amounts have been linked to oxidization and free radical production, leading to cancer. |
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