The Challange Of Acid Reflux

Answer 1

Acid reflux is a troubling, chronic condition that affects millions of people in our society today. Acid reflux exhibits itself as a burning sensation and results when stomach acid enters the esophagus. These symptoms occur when the lower esophageal sphincter is abnormally relaxed. This sphincter normally maintains a tight seal around the top of the stomach. In addition to heartburn, acid reflux can also result in spontaneous regurgitation and difficulty in swallowing.

Less commonly, acid reflux can result in chest pain, nausea, abnormally heavy salivation and painful swallowing. Long term acid reflux sufferers are at risk of contracting esophagitis, a more serious condition that features inflammation of the esophagus. Serious cases of esophagitis can force sufferers to resort to feeding tubes as their sole form of sustenance. Treating acid reflux can be quite difficult, due to the sheer number of underlying conditions that can cause the symptoms. Obesity is a major contributing factor towards acid reflux. A study of acid reflux sufferers showed that as much as 13% of negative changes in stomach acid levels could be attributed to weight gain and changes in body shape. Acid reflux may also be symptom of sleep apnea or gallstones.

Although curing or even treating acid reflux can be virtually impossible, patients can take measures to limit the severity of symptoms. These measures include sleeping with the upper body raised or sleeping exclusively on the left side. Acid reflux sufferers should limit the size of their meals and avoid eating before sleep. Losing even a few pounds can produce appreciable symptom reductions. The most popular method for limiting acid reflux is for sufferers to refrain from foods that are perceived as rich or acidic. These foods commonly include acidic fruit juice, coffee, fatty foods, onions and peppermints. This strategy is highly intuitive, which has resulted in enduring popularity. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of convincing evidence that dietary changes directly reduce acid reflux. Changing diet can indirectly reduce acid reflux by producing weight loss. The troubling acid reflux epidemic only highlights how obesity continues to create challenges in our society.