Acid Reflux Definition
The esophagus is a muscular tube that leads from your throat down to your stomach. Acid reflux occurs when acid and other materials back up from the stomach and into your esophagus. It is often just an annoying condition, that on occasion can become very painful. The medical term for acid reflux is “Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease” or GERD for short.
Most times during acid reflux, the materials from the stomach remain in the lower part of the esophagus, where they can cause heartburn and nausea. Over time, they can also cause damage to the esophagus.
Occasionally, the stomach materials will back up all the way into your mouth. When this happens, the acid will cause a burning sensation in your throat, and you may even find small, undigested pieces of food in your mouth.
What Are The Causes of Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is usually blamed on a defective lower esophageal sphincter. The esophageal sphincter is a tough rim of muscle that surrounds the lower end of the esophagus. When food is eaten, the sphincter contracts strongly to push the food into the stomach.
Acid reflux occurs when the sphincter is not strong enough to force the food into the stomach, or when the sphincter does not push and simply relaxes, allowing food and chemicals in the stomach to rush back into the esophagus.
Other culprits associated with acid reflux include a hiatal hernia and a “weak” or “slow” esophagus that doesn’t contract strongly enough to move the food to the stomach in a timely manner.
How Do You Treat Acid Reflux?
Doctors usually suggest lifestyle changes first. These changes might include eating smaller meals, losing excess weight, abstaining from alcohol and cigarettes, staying up and active for at least a couple of hours after meals, and sleeping with your head elevated.
In addition, there are over-the-counter medications available to ease symptoms. Some, like Pepcid and Zantac are called Histamine Receptor Antagonists. They work by decreasing the amount of acid in the stomach. Other medicines, like Mylanta and Tagamet, work to neutralize acid.
If there are no relief from symptoms then medicines can be prescribed to help prevent the release of acid into the stomach and intestines. These treatments may be proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium and Prevacid or Reglan which helps speed digestion.
If you are experiencing acid reflux symptoms it’s a good idea to seek medical advice. You can then discuss what kind of treatment is more suitable for your exact needs.
Acid Reflux News
Treatment of silent acid reflux does not improve asthma in children, study finds
Adding the acid reflux drug lansoprazole to a standard inhaled steroid treatment for asthma does not improve asthma control in children who have no symptom of acid reflux, according to a new study. Lansoprazole therapy slightly increased the risk of sore throats and other respiratory problems in children, however.
Treatment of silent acid reflux does not improve asthma in children, NIH study finds
( NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute ) Adding the acid reflux drug lansoprazole to a standard inhaled steroid treatment for asthma does not improve asthma control in children who have no symptom of acid reflux, according to a new study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Lansoprazole therapy slightly increased the ...
Acid reflux drug does not improve asthma symptoms in kids
Washington, Jan 25 : Addition of acid reflux drug lansoprazole does not alleviate asthma symptoms or the control of the respiratory illness in children and may even increase upper respiratory infections risk and other adverse events, a new study has revealed.