Acid Reflux Disease Can Be Very Serious
Acid reflux disease is in condition in which gastric juices back up from the stomach and the esophagus is inflamed by the acid. The esophagus is also known as the food pipe. The hydrochloric acid, which is produced in the stomach to help digest food, comes up from the stomach (or chest) through the esophagus toward the neck causing heartburn. It also causes chest pain, regurgitation, and dysphasia. The acid doesn’t bother the lining of the stomach because it is a protected by the mucus that is comes from the cells along the stomach lining. However the lining of the food pipe isn’t protected. Thus heartburn develops. It is called heartburn simply because the esophagus lies in back of the heart. Generally the sphincter stops the acid from backing up. When you are swallowing the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes so that the food can go through. Afterwards it gets tight in order to stop the acid from flowing through. During Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) what happens is that between the swallowing the sphincter will relax and let the acids and other contents to collect in the stomach and cause damage to the esophageal lining. The pain and discomfort of acid reflux disease can cause changes in everyday life. It causes severe heart burn. This can affect you during everyday activities and during work. Esophagitis can cause narrowing resulting in difficulty in swallowing of solids and liquids. Approximately a third of all adults in the United States suffer about one time a month with symptoms from acid reflux disease. Also approximately ten percent of all adults have acid reflux on a weekly or daily basis. Unfortunately one worse problem is that not only do adults have acid reflux, but so do children and infants. If this disease is not treated properly it can cause cancer of the esophagus. There are treatments that can relieve the symptoms of acid reflux disease. Some of the medications are Proton Pump Inhibitors which affect the cells in the stomach wall responsible for producing the acid that is released into the stomach. Prokenetic agents aid in the emptying of the stomach to prevent it from overfilling. Antacids are used to stop symptoms of indigestion and mild heartburn by neutralizing stomach acids. They are, of course, sold without a prescription. Foods with high a content of fat, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, chocolates, and the consumption of caffeine can all be causes of acid reflux disease. So be careful of the foods that you eat. If reflux problems become too severe notify your doctor for advice and treatment.
|