Acid Reflux Disease Everyone Knows About
Everyone today knows about acid reflux disease and that it can cause indigestion and heartburn. We see the television commercials that talk to us about the 'little purple pill' and testimonials about how people are living healthier and happier lives now that their acid reflux disease is under control. This all sounds good, but acid reflux disease is not something that most people want to deal with. In most instances, it is not deadly, but just annoying. The symptoms can be extremely painful and people have been known to go to the emergency room believing they are having a heart attack when in fact they are having an acid reflux attack.
Just what is this disease of acid reflux and why are people getting it? If you think back to your parents and grandparents, they talked about getting heartburn and how painful it could be. They learned how to manage their discomfort with home remedies and complained a lot about how they felt. Many times they even joked about the consequences of getting old and not being able to eat their favorite foods anymore because they got heartburn from them. Today we know that the heartburn many of our relatives were experiencing was, in fact, acid reflux disease. It is just that it had not been discovered or even named generations ago. So what exactly is acid reflux disease and how does it happen? Acid reflux disease is caused by a back-flow of the stomach's contents (including the acid) into a person's esophagus. This causes the burning sensation in the chest and throat that most people used to call heartburn. The acid from your stomach can burn the lining of your esophagus and this is what is causing the burning sensation and pain. The reason that acid reflux disease strikes some people and not others has not been accurately determined. For some people it is a heredity factor while others just suddenly develop the symptoms. Regardless, it can be a debilitating problem if not taken care of properly. There are some specific triggers that might spark an acid reflux attack and these include eating chocolate, peppermint, citrus, spicy and fatty foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages. These foods can cause the stomach to create more acid than usual and this can trigger an attack. Other indicators include excessive stress, lying down after eating and even wearing clothing that is too tight can cause problems. Acid reflux disease should not be ignored. If you or someone in your family has this disease, work with them to help them adhere to their diet without lecturing them. Help them monitor their medications and make sure that they keep their medical appointments. |