Acid Reflux Problems

Although many people call the condition where the stomach contents want to flow back up the esophagus, heartburn, it is more commonly called acid refluxA. Similar symptoms are seen with other disorders of the digestive tract even though we refer to them differently. To help digest and assimilate food, the stomach uses an acid. However, when the acid wants to escape the confines of the stomach via the digestive tract, it causes a burning pain in the chest.

When food enters your stomach, a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter opens to allow food into the stomach which normally remains closed so that stomach food and acid do not flow back up into your esophagus area. However there are times when the lower esophageal sphincter does not remain closed, when this happens acid from the stomach can reflux or flow back into the esophagus. Medical science prefers to call the condition: gastroesophageal reflux disorder. Although the real cause of acid reflux disorder has not yet been found, it is thought that eating the wrong foods could be to blame; unfortunately, overeating and junk food can also overload the digestive systems ability to digest food adequately.

Many people that overeat find they have this condition because their eating habits affect the stomach walls and place pressure on the muscles surrounding them. This affects the functioning of the esophageal valve causing reflux and the pain of heartburn. The aim is to lessen the stress on your stomach and stop any damage the stomach acid will cause to your esophagus. If this is a problem you have to live with then you should eat smaller meals during the day which will help the situation. This situation can be a problem for the health of the body as the stomach, esophagus and mouth all need to be in good working order. This is because the stomach is not only responsible for breaking down our food but also for preparing this food to be converted to specific nutrients that everyone’s body needs.

Whilst an immediate solution may be to use the well advertised acid calming drugs available they are not designed for long term usage. These can create additional nutritional deficiencies and disease that a doctor may have a problem when diagnosing the cause. The long term approach to reduce the stomach problems and acid reflux is to adjust how you consume food and drink. Hopefully this will reduce the strain the stomach is placed under, gradually returning it to a more stable condition. It may take a while but if the number of times you experience heartburn reduces, you may be able to enjoy some of the foods you stopped eating; all the while remaining conscious of the need to take things slowly and not place stress on your stomach again.

Other factors can also create a predisposition for acid reflux and these include:

• Smoking
• Allergic reactions to certain types of food
• Prescription medication
• Alcohol
• After meal napping

All of these factors are within your control and it only requires a change of habits and behavior on your part. The number of heartburn episodes that occur should diminish. All that is required is a little dedication on your part to be careful about what you eat and drink to possibly clear up your acid reflux problem. This is a decision which only you can make but it shouldn’t take Einstein to know what the choice should be!