Acid reflux can be painful and very uncomfortable, and it’s something you want to avoid altogether. If you suffer from acid reflux, you can have your pick of acid reflux medication. However, because of the many medications available, you might have a difficulty choosing the best treatment that works for you.
Acid reflux occurs when the acids from your stomach seep past through a weakened esophageal sphincter and into the esophagus. This results into a burning sensation felt in the upper abdomen area which could extend up to the neck, and is often accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth.
To treat acid reflux, one can go for natural medication or synthetic medication. Each comes with its own pros and cons, and your choice of acid reflux medication would ultimately depend on your preferences.
If you are a firm believer of using only natural methods, you can try home remedies and herbal treatment to treat acid reflux. You can also implement changes to your diet and lifestyle to prevent acid reflux.
On the other hand, you can opt for synthetic medication which is often prescribed by doctors or bought over the counter. Some of synthetic acid reflux medication includes proton pump inhibitors or PPIs which help treat acid-related problems in the stomach and throat by blocking or regulating acid production in the stomach. Antacids are also another option, which help ease symptoms of too much gas such as bloating, belching, and a feeling of fullness in the stomach or abdomen.
There are many brands of drugs being sold in the market today, and you can easily get one in your local drugstore. However, you should keep in mind that using synthetic medication may exhibit side effects which could cause complications to your health.
It is always best to seek expert medical advice before taking in any form of acid reflux medication. A lot of factors have to be considered, such as the severity and degree of your condition. Your health care provider should be able to guide you through choosing the right medication that will work best to your unique treatment needs.
Filed under Effects of Acid Reflux, Featured by on Nov 26th, 2009. Comment. 
You’ve just enjoyed a heavy and hearty meal when suddenly you experience this painful sensation in your chest area. Before you panic and think you’re having a heart attack, it’s best to pay close attention to your body to determine if what you’re having is heartburn or a heart attack. Because the symptoms of the two conditions can easily be confused with one another, one should learn the difference between symptoms of heartburn and a heart attack.
Heartburn is the burning sensation one feels when acid from the stomach rise up into the esophagus. This is a result of several factors which could weaken the esophageal sphincter, the muscle responsible for keeping gastric juices restricted to the stomach.
Usually, symptoms of heartburn include a painful and burning sensation that starts from the stomach and extends to the lower chest area, usually at the breastbone, and even into the neck. This is often accompanied with a sour and acidic taste in the mouth. It could be over in a few minutes, or it could last until a few hours. Bloating and belching are also some heartburn symptoms, as well as a feeling of fullness in the stomach area.
On the other hand, the chest pain in a heart attack is a sudden squeezing or crushing pain located in the center of the chest. This is often accompanied by nausea, dizziness, sweating and shortness of breath.
Timing is also important in differentiating symptoms of heartburn from a heart attack. Heartburn usually happens after a big meal, or when you bend or lie down. On the other hand, a heart attack is most likely to occur during or after strenuous activities, physical exercise and stress, although it can happen anytime.
If you experience heartburn symptoms frequently, have a discussion with your health care provider immediately. It may be a symptom to an underlying condition, which could worsen if left untreated.
Learning more about the symptoms of heartburn will help you be more in tune to your body so you can spot its onset and learn to differentiate it from a heart attack episode.
Filed under Featured, Symptoms and Treatments for Heartburn by on Nov 24th, 2009. Comment.
Acid reflux affects both men and women, but it affects women differently. Women are affected by acid reflux when they are pregnant and when they experience hormonal changes especially during the perimenopause period, or the time leading to the actual menopausal period. However, even with this difference, the acid reflux symptoms in women do not differ greatly to those experienced by men.
Women are more prone to acid reflux when they are pregnant. The growth of the baby in the uterus during the second and third trimester adds extra pressure on the stomach area. Also, progesterone, the pregnancy hormone, can affect the esophageal sphincter negatively, causing it to ease up, thereby allowing gastric juices from the stomach to seep out into the esophagus. This causes a burning sensation known as heartburn.
During the perimenopause period, women experience hormonal changes which can affect the balance of the gastrointestinal system. These changes could cause natural bacteria in the intestine to thrive, resulting into an increase of air as a byproduct of bacterial reactions. This air could lead into bloating and heartburn.
A report published in New England Journal of Medicine also shows that weight gain in women increased the risks of getting heartburn and acid reflux. Getting rid of unwanted pounds can help cut the risks by up to 40%, which is just one of the reasons why one should consider getting a healthy body mass index.
Because acid reflux symptoms in women can easily be mistaken as heart attack symptoms, it is wise to know how to spot the difference. Acid reflux symptoms include a burning sensation that starts at the lower portion of the chest, usually at the breastbone. This pain is often accompanied by an acidic or sour taste in the mouth, belching, and a feeling of fullness or bloating in the stomach. Usually, these symptoms appear after you’ve had a hearty meal.
Although acid reflux symptoms in women are similar in men, women are susceptible to heartburn because of other factors including pregnancy and hormonal changes which could ultimately affect the esophageal sphincter negatively and cause gastric juices from the stomach to seep out into the esophagus.
Filed under Effects of Acid Reflux, Featured by on Nov 22nd, 2009. Comment.
