Acid Reflux Disease Symptoms

Heartburn or pyrosis is a painful and burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the breastbone usually associated with regurgitation of gastric acid. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat, or angle of the jaw. Heartburn is also identified as one of the causes of chronic cough, and may even mimic asthma. Despite its name, heartburn actually has nothing to do with the heart. It is so called because of a burning sensation of the breastbone where the heart is located although some heart problems do have a similar sensation to heartburn. Compounding the confusion is the fact that hydrochloric acid from the stomach comes back up the esophagus because of a problem with the cardiac sphincter, a valve which misleadingly contains the word "cardiac," referring to the cardia as part of the stomach and not, as might be thought, to the heart.
 

Prevention

Relief is often found by raising the head of the bed, raising the upper body with pillows, or sleeping sitting up. Avoid pillows that raise the head only, as this does little for heartburn and places continuous strain on the neck. Eating a big meal causes excess stomach acid production, and attacks can be minimized by eating small frequent meals instead of large meals especially for dinner. To minimize attacks, a sufferer may benefit from avoiding certain foods that stimulate excess acid secretion and/or relax the opening between the stomach and esophagus. Acid fruit or juice, fatty foods, pretzels, coffee, tea, onions, peppermint, chocolate, or highly spiced foods are to be avoided, especially shortly before bedtime. While there are clearly other health-related benefits associated with dietary interventions a zealous recommendation for dietary restrictions is not evidence-based, and there is stronger support for reducing the symptoms of acid-reflex found in behavioral changes such as eating less and elevating your head while sleeping. Tight clothing around the abdomen can also increase the risk for heartburn because it puts pressure on the stomach, which can cause the food and acids in the stomach to reflux to the lower esophageal sphincter.

Restricting diet

Restricting diet is very important, since approximately 90-95% of sufferers of heartburn or esophageal disorder can link their symptoms to specific foods. Therefore, it is important that heartburn sufferers manage their diets as a way to treat their heartburn. Sufferers should choose the kinds of foods and drinks which have little risk of causing acid reflux, while some kinds of foods or drinks should be avoided as they are major heartburn triggers. Specifically, it has been shown that fatty foods and caffeinated beverages can cause the symptoms of heartburn.

Water

Some have suggested that drinking several glasses of water can temporarily reduce heartburn pain.

Alternative treatments

You can find relief from heartburn by trying several methods. Treatment can range from medications, a special diet, to alternative treatment. Changing your diet is one of the first things you should do. Avoiding acidy foods, like tomatoes, and foods high in fatty acids, like pizza or chili, helps prevent heartburn. Try not to eat your main meal before going to bed, this is one of the biggest mistakes we all do. The right way is to eat your breakfast in the morning, your main meal in the afternoon and just a snack early evening. We all know this, but I know, your daily routine does not allow this. If you suffer from heartburn every day, you have to try and change your eating habits now!

For a severe case of heartburn usually medical treatment is necessary.

You can also try sleeping with your head elevated at an angle, so it rises slightly above the feet and thus preventing the stomach acid from coming up. You may also put 2 bricks under your bed, so it just lifts the head of the bed slightly.

If you are overweight, loosing weight usually relieves symptoms as well. I know what you are thinking! Easy for you to say, I have tried everything, nothing works! I will always be overweight.

With gastroesophageal reflux disease, a certain amount of acid is required to open the valve from the stomach to the intestines. If the valve remains closed, the stomach contents are churned up into the esophagus and there is still enough acid to irritate it.