Acid reflux disease is a very common thing and anybody can suffer it due to something as simple as overeating, but if symptoms and conditions persist for an extended period of time, medical attention should be seeked. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to this disease so it is mostly advised to bring lifestyle changes which will minimise the problem of acid reflux.
It is also known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD. It causes severe discomfort, and burning sensation in the chest; and restlessness.
People also experience heartburn; nausea, and in worst cases the mucous lining of the oesophagus also gets affected. People who are more likely to get acid reflux attacks are the ones with hiatal hernia, obesity problem; asthmatic problem; smoking, stress, and alcohol problem; scleroderma; and recurrent vomiting etc.
Pregnant women in their last semester sometimes suffer from acid reflux when the baby presses too hard into the stomach.
A person is said to be affected with acid reflux disease when the gastric acid starts flowing back into the oesophagus; and this reverse cycle causes burning sensation and chest pain.
Acid reflux condition is caused when the oesophagus sphincter, which performs the job of preventing acid or food elements from surging back from stomach to oesophagus, does not perform its normal function.
Coming to the treatment of acid reflux condition, like mentioned earlier, prevention is better than cure.
So make an effort to bring lifestyle changes which may include controlling your urge for goring on to food, eating 3-4 small meals instead of one or two big meals, having dinner three hours before going to sleep. Likewise, limiting smoking and drinking will also help, leading a stress free life will also help because stress is supposed to affect digestion adversely.
Sleep regular hours at regular time. Make sure that your diet does not include excessive aerated drinks, chocolates, coffee, spicy and fried foods, and also foods items with high in fat content. For those who are obese should focus on losing weight.
If bringing changes in lifestyle does not improve the situation the patient should seek medical help and doctors based on tests, X-rays, endoscopy, post physical examination, checking out symptoms will derive a treatment plan for you.
Medication for acid reflux generally starts with courses in antacid medicines and goes further up depending on the situation and severity of case, laparoscopic surgery being the last option.
Sphincter gets stronger with the help of this surgery and also helps it to restore its normal functioning, which minimizes the reverse flow of acid.
Then there is something called radio frequency treatment which causes the tissue constriction and improves muscle lining thickness in the sphincter area. In this treatment radio frequency energy is sent to affected areas to create heat lesions in sphincter and upper part of abdomen which work to relieve the condition and repair the organ.
There are some home and organic remedies for acid reflux situation. It is followed when a person does not want to take allopathic drugs or when she is not in a position to like pregnant women. Post lifestyle changes when nothing bears results some people give organic medicines or home remedies a try.
Some of these remedies are, fennel tea or feel seeds drunk with warm water; aloe Vera juice before meals helps quality of digestion;
Apple cider vinegar added with water taken with meals helps; regular consumption of milk and yogurt in meals also help to bring things back to normal; ginger root also helps digestion, so add ginger in your cooking and have ginger tea. Include green leafy vegetables, peels and papaya, grains and fruits like banana, apple, grapes etc in you diet because these are found to be good acid reflux fighters.
