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Copyright © 2009
Harry Heys
Acid Reflux is often referred to as heartburn, gerd and gord. Whatever you call it, one thing is certain, acid reflux pain can be unbearable.
The full name used by the medical profession in the US is gastro esophageal reflux disease and in the UK gastro oesophageal reflux disease. Gerd or gord is the cause of heartburn which is common amongst all people and causes upper abdominal pain and discomfort.
The pain is caused by acid and pepsin from the stomach forced into the esophagus. The lining of the esophagus has no protection against the acid and is irritated and can become ulcerated and even digested by the acid and pepsin. The symptoms can range from minor to really serious where there is bleeding with the esophagus being perforated and even becoming cancerous. Gerd is very common and becoming even more so - mainly due to the increase in obesity and the increased pace of life. Go back 100 years and your ancestors probably wouldn't have recognised the disease.
If you are overweight, especially pear shaped with a lot of fat around the abdomen, your organs are tightly compressed with little room, they have more pressure on them. There is only one way to go - when the stomach pressure increases - up through the esophagus! This is especially so when lying down or bending down.
This obviously means losing weight is the number one target for people who suffer from acid reflux pain. Easier said than done!
Unfortunately the esophageal problems aren't the whole story for many pain sufferers, fluid from the stomach can also rise to the mouth. This can be acid brash where the fluid contains both acid and bile and is really sour or bitter or your mouth may fill with excess saliva and this is known as water brash. You may also experience pains in the middle of the chest and find it very hard to and painful to swallow even well chewed food.
Going to the Medic may not bring the help you crave, as the things which are prescribed are often antacids, acid suppressants or anti digestion remedies.
If the symptoms are assessed on the DeMeester scale and score maximum points, the Medic will usually send you for a Barium x-ray or an endoscopy with the latter now being the preffered option.
There is lot more to discuss on acid reflux pain which will be dealt with in future articles, in the meantime try to lose weight, slow down and eat regular meals at set times and also try out some of the suggestions shown above.
For more information on Acid Reflux, visit Natural Cures and Remedies for some excellent information on Acid Reflux, Gerd and Heartburn.
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