What is Acid Reflux and How do I Know if I Have it?

Acid reflux, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is technically defined as chronic symptoms or mucosal damage produced by the abnormal reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus. This is commonly due to transient or permanent changes in the barrier between the esophagus and the stomach.

Symptoms of heartburn in adults is the major symptom of acid reflux, characterized by a burning discomfort behind the breastbone. Some of the symptoms of acid reflux in adults include difficulty swallowing and chronic throat and chest pain. Some people may have only one of those symptoms.

Atypical symptoms of acid reflux include burning sensation at the base of the throat, cough, hoarseness, changes of the voice, chronic ear ache, or sinusitis.

Complications of acid reflux include stricture formation, Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal ulcers and possibly even esophageal cancer.

Occasional heartburn is common but does not necessarily mean one has acid reflux. Patients that have heartburn symptoms more than once a week are at risk of developing acid reflux. The presence of a hiatal hernia is a risk factor for development of acid reflux.

Symptoms of acid reflux may be difficult to detect in infants and children. Symptoms may vary from typical adult symptoms. Acid Reflux in children may cause repeated vomiting, effortless spitting up, coughing, and other respiratory problems.

Inconsolable crying, failure to gain adequate weight, refusing food and bad breath are also common. Children may have one symptom or many. No single symptom is universally present in all children suffering from acid reflux.

Babies’ immature digestive systems are usually the cause, and most infants stop having acid reflux by the time they reach their first birthday. Some children don’t outgrow acid reflux and continue to have it into their teen years.

Children that have had heartburn that doesn’t seem to go away, or any other symptoms of acid reflux for a while, should talk to their parents and visit their doctor.

Certain foods promote acid reflux. They include but are not limited to: Coffee, alcohol, calcium supplements, and excessive amounts of Vitamin C supplements are stimulants of gastric acid secretion. Taking these before bedtime especially can promote acid reflux in the evening. Calcium containing antacids is a good example of this.

Foods high in fats and smoking reduce lower esophageal sphincter competence, so avoiding these tends to help, as well. Fat also delays emptying of the stomach.

Having more but smaller meals also reduces the risk of acid reflux. Why? Because there is less food in the stomach at any one time.

Disclaimer

The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you or someone you know suffers from acid reflux, please seek professional medical advice for the latest treatment options.

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Effective dietary tips for Acid reflux treatment or heartburn

When you think about Acid reflux, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Acid reflux are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

In cases of persistent heartburn, dietary improvements tends not to be enough alone.

So as well as advocating a digestion-friendly diet, your doctor is likely to recommend one or more of the following types of medication.

Antacids to neutralize the acid in your stomach; H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors to reduce acid production; or prokinetics to strengthen the lower esophageal sphincter and expedite stomach-emptying. However, if heartburn symptoms are mild and occur only from time to time, usually you will be advised to make the following changes to your diet.

Obesity, especially excess fat on the chest and abdomen, is a common contributory factor to GERD and hiatal hernia, and therefore to heartburn.

Choose a healthy calorie-controlled diet and customize it by following the eating tips below.

Both these factors lead to an increased risk of heartburn.

So opt for 4-6 small meals or snacks, and allow a maximum of 3 hours between eating.

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In addition, choose foods that are “easier on the stomach” and more more easily digested.

Fizzy or carbonated soft drinks cause belching and upward pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), increasing the likelihood of heartburn.

The best drinks include: water, herbal teas or diluted non-citrus fruit juices.

Also note that some soft drinks (eg. cocoa, coffee, orange juice) are not helpful for heartburn as they can over-relax the LES, thus encouraging the backward flow of acid from the stomach.

Constipation can lead to extra strain on abdominal muscles and increase the risk of heartburn.

To prevent constipation, eat more high-fiber foods such as: oats, apples, pears, dried apricots and vegetables.

When increasing fiber intake it’s also important to increase your water intake by at least 40 fl oz a day- 4 to 6 cups daily.

Alcohol is not helpful to heartburn for several reasons as it tends to irritate mucous membranes.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Acid reflux. When people start looking for more information about Acid reflux, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

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Tired of Cold Sores That Don't Go Away?

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, a common and infectious virus that is commonly contracted as a kid and hides in the nerve ganglia around the site of the cold sore.

The virus can lay latent for months or even years before reappearing when your body is out of equilibrium.

Your natural body defenses keep the virus at bay until your resistance is decreased, you have a fever, overexposure to the sun or wind, or you're menstruation, and you suddenly feel that familiar tingling feeling.

When the virus travels down your nerve fibers to the skin's surface, this is what it looks like.

Now you'll experience tingling, stinging, sometimes burning, or drying sensations that will last a few hours or days, followed by redness and swelling at the cold sore site, indicating that the virus is multiplying.

The emergence of clusters of little acutely sensitive blisters follows, followed by all of the blisters merging to form one huge open, weeping sore.

This is the most painful and contagious stage, although it will start to crust over and heal after that.

It's unpleasant at this point since any movement cracks the scab.

The sore heals from the inside out after the scab forms.

The infection is fading, but the itching, soreness, and irritation are still present.

The redness normally lasts for another 2 to 14 days after the scab has disappeared. Contagion persists until the site is completely gone.

Cold sores can be treated with creams and lotions that can relieve pain and prevent secondary infections, but there is no cure for them.

In terms of reducing the quantity and severity of infections, preventative approaches appear to be more effective than therapeutic interventions.

Recognize the situations that frequently lead to the development of a cold sore and take steps to avoid them.

Recognize the earliest signs of a cold sore and seek treatment as soon as possible.

Antiviral medications can be prescribed by a doctor to help with symptoms and re-infections.

Avoid coming into contact with the sores; if you do, wash your hands promptly, and don't share linens or towels with anybody else.

The amino acid lysine, which is particularly helpful in avoiding or minimizing the occurrence of cold sores, is used in naturopathic cold sore therapies.

Because dry cracked lips seem to attract a cold sore, a salve containing lysine works well as a lip balm. Vitamin and mineral supplements, including vitamin C, E, B vitamins, and zinc, may assist the body fight the herpes virus.

A whole foods diet that is low in sugar and refined carbohydrates and high in fiber and alkali-producing foods can also help avoid herpes outbreaks.

Can you feel it coming on? That tingling sensation or hot feeling that tells you a Cold Sore blister is about to erupt. There is nothing you can do to stop it, and you know it's contagious, which just adds to your stress level.

The same questions keep running through your mind every time it happens: "How long will this outbreak last? When will I get another one? Is there any way to get rid of this quickly?

Relief IS HERE!