Acid Reflux Can be Set off by a Sore Throat

 Acid reflux refers to the condition in which the partially digested food containing digestive juices travels back into the esophagus from the mouth. To describe the mechanical layout of this disease, our digestive system has a circular band of muscle called lower esophageal sphincter.

 This muscle splits the stomach from the esophagus. When the food enters the stomach, this muscle closes so as to prevent the partially digested materials from traveling back into the esophagus. But when the lower esophageal sphincter is rendered incompetent, the stomach contents are allowed to regurgitate or spit up.


The stomach contents that moves back to the esophagus contains digestive acids since they have undergone digestion in the stomach where digestive liquids are released to facilitate the digestion. Because of the acidic nature of the refluxed materials, inflammation develops in the lining of the throat; thus a sore throat is one of the most common symptoms of this condition. Sore throat is usually associated with other symptoms, though sometimes it is uncommon, such as the occurrence of pus on the tonsil surface and drooling or frequent spitting. Moreover, a patient with sore throat may also experience difficulty in breathing caused by the narrowing of the air passage through the larynx or pharynx.

 The pain or other difficulties caused by sore throat can be abated, if not treated, with simple self-treatments that can be done at home. Gargling is a recommended practice. You may try gargling with warm water mixed with table salt. Drinking a lot of water is also very important. Get extra sleep, for this encourages faster recovery. Popsicles or cold drinks are good for sore throats.

Humidifiers or vaporizers can be used to sooth the pain in the throat. And also, sucking on solid candies, which help promote saliva production, works as an alternative remedy. It is known that saliva contains bicarbonates that help neutralize the acids that might have remained in the throat due to the reflux. But if home-treatments are not enough to ease your condition with the sore throat, medical treatments are available. The intake of medicine is particularly advised for those who experience associated symptoms like difficulty in breathing, dehydration or body water loss, and severe pains.

Take antibiotics if you feel that viral or bacterial infections have further developed in the throat. Also, rheumatic fever can be prevented from arising, though this condition is very much uncommon. Corticosteroids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect, can help in case of critical sore throat conditions. Preventive measures and remedies, of course, are available to minimize the incidence of acid reflux, and sore throat, as well.

One practical and immediate treatment is the application of gravity; that is, the person is kept in upright position at most times so to hold the digested materials down. Gravity can help prevent regurgitation, or the traveling of the stomach contents back up to the esophagus.

 Eating habits should also be changed to facilitate in the treatment of acid reflux. Usual cases of acid reflux usually take place after a meal. It is recommended that evening meals should be taken earlier and in smaller quantities. This is so that the stomach can get emptied in a shorter period of time as compared to when heavy meals are eaten. Moreover, patients with acid reflux have less chances of regurgitating when they lie down. Medications are also available.

Some drugs act to neutralize the acids in the stomach and some work by blocking the production of acids by controlling the actions of histamine.

Alcohol And Acid Reflux

The stomach produces an acid gastric juice, which promise a good digestion and the prevention of pathogens in food is essential. The term refers to the reflux of acidic gastric contents reflux into the esophagus. An occasional reflux of stomach acid is normal and usually goes unnoticed.

Acid reflux disease occurs when there are complaints or when determining changes in the mucosa of the esophagus. There is relatively large number of people suffering from reflux disease. One in five has occasional complaints that manifest themselves often characterized as heartburn. In about one in ten leads to an inflammation of the esophagus.

What are the causes of reflux disease?
In healthy people it may prevent the lower esophageal sphincter largely to the reflux of acidic gastric contents. If it is disturbed in its function of stomach acid, it flows back into the esophagus and then damages the mucosa. Coupled with that is often the assimilative capacity of the esophageal mucosa diminished, so that this natural protective mechanism fails. Delayed gastric emptying with a backlog may also impact negatively.

Alcohol and acid reflux
In the majority of cases a combination is earlier than the emergence of different mechanisms. There should be a diagnosis of nerve injury caused by alcohol in the stomach, for example, in the context of diabetes mellitus (diabetes) or with the autoimmune disease scleroderma and Sjogren’s syndrome.

It also occurs in 50 to 60 percent of all pregnant women, as heartburn, when mixed with alcohol. Cause is the increased pressure in the abdomen. The symptoms usually disappear after childbirth.

A link to the genesis of acid reflux disease with Western dietary habits such as excessive intake of saturated fatty acids, nicotine or alcohol consumption, the increased consumption of sweetened or highly acidic food and drinks and obesity is suspected, but could yet be proved unsafe.




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Quick Recovery From The Two Most Common Acid Reflux Surgery...

 Did you know that unhealthy eating habits can cause acid reflux? Based on scientific research, anyone, even infants and young children have a tendency to have acid reflux.

This disorder is most common in infants and young children but in time, disappears. Acid reflux known also as gastro-esophageal reflux disease can definitely affect adults too. This is a disorder that could happen anytime especially to someone who had just had a large meal with lots of acidic foods or even someone with history of acid reflux, thus, having recurrences of the disorder due to unhealthy eating patterns.

Unhealthy diet and an inappropriate eating schedule can cause acid reflux. As a person consumes a heavy meal, full of acid foods, an abnormality in the stomach can occur like bringing back the food induced to the esophagus and throat. Acid reflux is unexplainable to many because this condition can occur anytime but are most likely to occur after several heavy meals or unhealthy eating habits.

Many people with acid reflux can control their condition by means of medical treatment and even appropriate diet. Some people with a severe condition of acid reflux should consider surgical procedures because for most people, acid reflux surgery is the best solutions for this disorder. There are several surgical procedures that acid reflux patients can choose from. The most effective and safe acid reflux surgeries are Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery, also known as Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication and Intraluminal Endoscopic surgery that most patients encounter.

Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication, or fundoplication for short, is the most common form of acid reflux surgery. This surgery is performed by tightening the walls of the esophagus in the area next to the stomach then adding pressure to the lower esophageal muscles. When the pressure increased between the stomach and esophagus, this medical procedure prevents the content of the stomach to go upward inside the throat and esophagus. Another method mostly considered by other patients with acid reflux is having the esophageal valve tightened in order to seal the esophagus and prevent gastric acid to enter.

 Intraluminal endoscopic acid reflux surgery is another acid reflux surgery that most patients prefer. This surgical procedure has the same procedure as the fundoplication except that it involves a small optical, tubular instrument that is needed to be inserted in the body and at the same time, view the inner parts of the body that needs surgical or biopsy attention thus allowing an actual biopsy or surgery to be performed. This is possible through the so called endoscope.

 Intraluminal endoscopic acid reflux surgery is quick and has minimal risks for the patients. As such, a post-operatory treatment is not required but allows possibly fast recovery for patients as well. Because of medical advancement and millions of modern treatments, acid reflux can now be treated. Patients who wish to rid of acid reflux can do so because of the options given to them through possible medications, proper diet or surgery. Likewise, surgery is most recommended to people with chronic acid reflux but is now available to patients with less serious conditions of acid reflux.

 Henceforth, surgical procedures have been the most common way of getting rid of acid reflux completely and permanently. In mind, patients that are considering surgery will have quick recovery after the surgical procedures and will no longer have acid reflux.