Good Health & Fitness

To some people, heartburn or acid reflux is considered normal after eating. Partially digested, acidic, food moves upward through the esophagus. This leads to a burning sensation in the esophagus and sometimes the throat. It may also reach the back of the mouth. This may produce hoarseness, choking, bad breath and a cough.

Most people have suffered from an occasional reflux of food, particularly after eating a big meal. But, some people notice these burning sensations far too frequently.

If you are looking to get rid of heartburn, you’ll want to discover the cause of your acid reflux.

There are some well known causes of heartburn or acid reflux disorder you need to learn about.

One common reason for acid reflux is the failure of the lower esophageal sphincter muscle to close. This sphincter muscle circles the esophagus just above the stomach. It’s purpose is to shut the esophagus and stop the contents in the stomach from returning back into the esophagus. This muscle is meant to relax just for a second only when food in the esophagus is ready to enter the stomach.

Some people put up with a weakened sphincter muscle. It is not sufficiently strong to properly seal off the stomach from the esophagus. For other people, the muscle relaxes for a couple of minutes when it ought to stay constricted. These relaxations are momentary and occur often when the stomach is full. This permits partially digested, acidic food to get away from the stomach and enter into the esophagus.

Acid reflux also can come about due to a hiatal hernia. The relationship between the lower esophageal sphincter muscle and the diaphragm is important here. Your diaphragm is a curved sheet of muscle that separates your upper chest from your belly. When the diaphragm contracts it expands the lungs so that you breathe in. When the diaphragm is relaxed, your lungs are reduced in volume allowing you to exhale. The esophagus goes through the diaphragm and joins the stomach just below the diaphragm. The lower esophageal sphincter muscle should be positioned right at the diaphragm. But, in a few people, some of the stomach has been pushed up above the diaphragm.

In general, the diaphragm assists the lower esophageal sphincter muscle close off the stomach. But, with the hiatal hernia, the top portion of the stomach and the lower esophageal sphincter muscle are over the diaphragm. Here the sphincter muscle must work alone to seal off the stomach and this seal is far less secure. Normally the top of the stomach is slightly angled and a flap also helps hold the contents in the stomach. But, with the stomach extending straight up through the diaphragm, the flap frequently does not function. So, the sphincter muscle working alone along with the reduced performance of the flap make acid reflux more probable to occur.

Lastly, the normal peristalsis waves that force food down through the esophagus may not completely function. These peristalsis waves also help to drive any reflex back into the stomach. However, when these waves of muscular contractions fail to completely function, reflux can make its way up the esophagus and can reach the mouth.

You can take action to reduce the prospect of acid reflux not to mention reduce the acid content of your stomach to reduce the burning sensation when reflux does take place. See your medical professional for the solution that is best in your case.

Acid reflux symptoms manifest in patients with GERD or acid reflux, a condition that occurs when the tube transporting food into the stomach becomes too weak to handle the acid produced, stored, and used by the stomach to digest the food a person eats. In order to store the acid produced without causing damage to the digestive system, the stomach walls must have enough strength. However, patients may experience some symptoms when the stomach pushes the acid to the esophagus. To give you knowledge about this condition, this article presents some of the acid reflux symptoms.

Acid Refux Symptoms:

1. Heartburn – one of the main acid reflux symptoms, this burning sensation radiating from the stomach to the chest and throat is said to be experienced more often at night. This is supported by a certain medical study which also states that some activities may lead to the occurrence of heartburn, including the following:

· After eating a heavy meal;
· Lifting;
· Bending over;
· Lying down on the back

2. Dyspepsia – Half of those diagnosed with GERD can experience dyspepsia through the following conditions:

· Pain and discomfort particularly in the upper part of the abdomen;
· Nausea after eating;
· Feeling of fullness

However, it is important to remember that it is possible to have dyspepsia without having acid reflux.

3. Regurgitation – this condition is described as the feeling of acid backed up in the throat. It is sometimes called “wet burp” when the acid is pushed to the mouth. If the acid is forced back to the mouth, it causes the feeling of throwing up..

Less Common Acid Reflux Symptoms:

Many patients with acid reflux do not experience the main acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation. The symptoms may instead appear or experienced in other locations. Here are some of the less common acid reflux symptoms:

1. Chest Pain or Sensations – this is the sensation or feeling that the food is trapped and can’t move from behind the breastbone. While this signals acid reflux, it is important to know that it is different from chest pain due to some heart conditions, like heart attack and angina.

2. Throat Acid Reflux Symptoms including the following:

· Acid laryngitis – this condition is characterized by dry cough, hoarseness, feeling of lump in the throat, and the need to clear the throat repeatedly
· Dysphagia (trouble swallowing) – in some cases, acid reflux may cause the patient to choke or have difficulty in swallowing the food, thereby causing severe chest pain.
· Persistent hiccups
· Chronic sore throat

3. Respiratory Symptoms and Coughing – Wheezing and coughing may also occur. In one medical study, acid reflux alone accounted for around 40% of chronic cough cases in non-smoking patients.

4. Chronic Nausea and Throwing Up – constant occurrence of nausea that often leads to vomiting or throwing up may also be one of the acid reflux symptoms. However, this isn’t always the cause as nausea and vomiting may also signal other medical conditions like gallbladder and pancreatic disorders, ulcers, and stomach cancers. Thus, it is necessary to always consult with your doctor whenever this symptom is experienced.