What Are The Available Treatments For Acid Reflux Disease

 Acid reflux is a condition that is shared by millions of people in the world. Acid reflux disease occurs when the sphincter muscle at the base of the esophagus does not close like it should. The result is the contents of the stomach and the acids in it go back up to the esophagus.

The acid causes a burning pain and if this condition is not treated immediately, the acid can damage the esophageal tissue and lining.

So what are the acid reflux disease treatments available to people afflicted with acid reflux disease?

Acid Reflux Disease Treatment: Medication

If you are suffering from acid reflux and you notice that the condition is becoming more severe and occurring more and more frequently, take this as a sign that you need to pay your doctor a visit. Your doctor will be able to make a proper diagnosis of your condition, pin point the causes of your acid reflux condition and prescribe to you an appropriate acid reflux disease treatment.

There are many acid reflux disease treatment options available to you -- over-the-counter medications as well as prescription drugs. However, some doctors are apt to recommend instituting lifestyle changes first before prescribing medications. Should the lifestyle changes fail to work, your doctor may prescribe an acid reflux disease treatment in the form of prescription drugs, which are known to work well at alleviating acid reflux pains. In rare cases when drugs fail to work, surgery is the last acid reflux disease treatment option that a doctor would recommend to correct the problem.

Acid Reflux Disease Treatment: Lifestyle Changes

The rise in the number of people afflicted with acid reflux disease is attributed by many doctors to diet that consists of carbohydrates and fat, and sedentary lifestyle. Also, people who are overweight or obese are more likely to have acid reflux disease. This link between obesity and acid reflux is attributed to the fact that the excess weight in the midsection increases the pressure on the stomach, which in turn makes it hard for the esophageal sphincter to work normally.

This is the reason that a low-fat diet is one of the acid reflux disease treatments administered to afflicted individuals. In this kind of acid reflux disease treatment, you are required to avoid foods that can trigger your condition.

Acid reflux is worse during nighttime. Acid reflux is more pronounced among sufferers when they are lying down because the position allows the stomach acid to flow back up into the esophagus and even into the mouth. Thus, an acid reflux disease treatment can be as simple as sleeping on an incline position, either by raising the head of the bed by a few inches or by using wedge pillows.

What is Acid Reflux?

Commonly referred to as GERD or acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease is an uncomfortable condition where the liquid that is in a person's stomach backs up or "refluxes" into the esophagus. Causing inflammation and damage to the esophagus lining in some patients, this can range from mild and uncomfortable to a very serious problem. Since this liquid is filled with both pepsin and acid and even bile, the reflux can cause pain and burning sensations.

It is important to note that acid reflux is a chronic condition. Once a person starts suffering from acid reflux, they are usually plagued with the problem for life. After the esophagus heals via treatment, things may be going well. However, if treatment is stopped, the condition will more than likely return in a few months. For this reason, people suffering from acid reflux need to continue lifelong treatments.

Although many people are faced with the daily discomfort of acid reflux, few truly understand that everyone actually experiences reflux. Patients with GERD or acid reflux condition simply experience a reflux that has more acid. The acid also remains in their esophagus longer.

Reflux and acid can be harmful, but the body has a way of minimizing those affects. Usually, this occurs after eating when a person is sitting. The refluxed liquid usually follows the path of gravity and goes back into the stomach. We also have a habit of swallowing throughout the day. This also carries the liquid back into our stomachs. You may not even realize the fact that your saliva actually acts as a neutralizer for this acid.

Although acid reflux can affect almost anyone, there are instances where people are more likely to suffer from this problem. One of the best examples of this is during pregnancy. While many women experience "heartburn" or acid reflux during pregnancy, they often see a lessening of symptoms after delivery. The reason for the increased acid reflux problems during pregnancy can be explained by the fact that a fetus puts pressure on the abdomen. In addition, elevated pregnancy hormones often lower pressure in the esophagus, contributing to acid reflux. Other instances where people are more susceptible to acid reflux include patients with various diseases that affect the muscles in the esophagus.

Although acid reflux is a painful problem, there are treatment options available. There are both prescription remedies available as well as a variety of over the counter products that can help you to find relief from the pain and agitation of acid reflux. Just as abundant as medicinal remedies, there are a variety of natural remedies. One of the most recommended home remedies for acid reflux is cinnamon. If you are suffering from the pain of acid reflux, nibbling on a piece of cinnamon toast could be just the thing your body needs to alleviate your symptoms. Other home remedies include making a salad of Romaine lettuce.

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Some Guidelines On Proper Acid Reflux Diets

 Before taking medication, most doctors will advise that the person with acid reflux disease make some changes to his/her diet, i.e. have a proper acid reflux diet plan.

It is an easy and useful change that one can make. A proper diet for acid reflux could make a huge difference to the health and comfort of many people.

 With a proper diet for acid reflux, it could remove all of the symptoms attributed to this condition and provide for more undisturbed sleep.

An effective and proper acid reflux diet plan includes knowing what food to avoid, what food to consume and good eating habits. In this short article, we shall go through some important guidelines that you can take away.

 (The Do List)

Appropriate Foods For The Acid Reflux Diet

Consume food that is rich with complex carbohydrates
Foods that are good for an acid reflux diet are foods that contain complex carbohydrates. Foods such as bread, pasta, and rice tend to absorb the acid and prevent it from backing up in the esophagus. Since these foods tend to put on weight, it is best to eat smaller portions of them. If you drink milk, switch to a milk that is lower in fat.

Bake or Broil Food
Avoid frying foods whenever possible. Baked or broiled will serve two purposes; it will help control acid reflux symptoms and help to maintain a lower weight. Do not drink alcohol in excess, especially fruit wines. Having a small glass of wine with dinner will probably be ok but keep it to a minimum of one to two times a week.

Stick to non carbonated drinks
Switch to drinks without carbonation. Decaf tea or coffee is a good choice but water is better. There are many flavored waters that are quiet good and good for you. Herbal tea is another good choice. You can experiment with the foods you eat to determine which foods cause you the most trouble. Everybody reacts to foods differently. By controlling your portions and eating high acid foods in moderation, you should be able to stick to an acid reflux diet without a lot of difficulty.

Use nutritious meat
There are some excellent meats to include in this diet that are nutritious and delicious. Extra lean ground beef, steak and chicken are usually great for a main course when on the best diet for acid reflux. Most fish is also very nutritious and safe for those with acid reflux. All of these are acceptable in the best diet for acid reflux, but these should not be cooked with a lot of grease. Those who want to avoid the symptoms of acid reflux might want to grill or broil the dishes.

Use wheat based food items
Most bread, cereal and graham crackers should not produce the symptoms of acid reflux. Corn bread and pretzels are good additions to the best diet fiber acid reflux. The best diet for acid reflux will eliminate some desserts, but other desserts should be fine for those with this condition.

Use cheese
Cheese often makes a good dessert, and there are some cheeses that will be an important part of the best diet for acid reflux. Fat free cookies are usually fine for those with acid reflux. People with acid reflux should avoid rich, creamy cakes and most ice creams.

Use ginger
Gingers have some healing qualities, and those with acid reflux might try adding ginger to some of their food and beverages. Fresh ginger is available in the grocery stores, and this can be ground up and added to meals. Some dishes call for this in the recipe, but it can be added to other dishes. Ginger can also be added to tea. There are some cuisines that include ginger in many dishes such as Chinese cuisine. Those with acid reflux might patronize the Chinese restaurants and look for those dishes with ginger.

Drink Tea
People with acid reflux should try to add green tea to their diet as this beverage is known to help the body digest other food and beverages. Herbal teas contain substances such as chamomile and licorice root provide a repair mechanism for the stomach so those with acid reflux should consume these teas if possible. People with acid reflux should try to drink plenty of water which will help the body excrete the excess acid more efficiently.

(The Don't List)

Avoid Spicy food
Stay away from spicy foods. Even foods you don't think taste spicy can play a big role in creating acid reflux, so knowing what's in your food and knowing to stay away from food with spices in them is a great way to naturally remedy acid reflux. This isn't to say you are limited to nothing but bland foods now, it just means be as liberal as possible when eating spices that can irritate your stomach to the point of being in pain.

Cut down on Large Meals
A recommended choice of acid reflux diets plan always include eating several small meals everyday instead of three large meals as what most people do. This is a good eating habit for everyone, even if you don't experience from acid reflux disease. This is to let the stomach to have sufficient capacity for proper digestion.

Avoid Any Meal Just Before Bedtime
Consuming just before bedtime, especially heavy meal, is prone to cause reflux problems. This is because the stomach has to produce great amounts of acid in order to digest the food. The excessive acid tends to back up into the esophagus when you lie down. Generally, a good practice is to eat your last meal before 8pm daily.

Avoid Fast Foods
Fast food are high in fat and will cause your stomach to produce more acid. Fast foods can also lead to weight gain, which will add to the problem of acid reflux.

Limit Or Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol will add to the secretion of acid in the stomach. It may also curb the contraction of esophageal sphincter. It is the failure of the sphincter muscle to contract tightly that leads to acid reflux.

Avoid Foods That Stimulate Acid Production
Last but not least, an acid reflux diet should avoid foods that increase the secretion of acid in the stomach. These foods include coffee, spicy foods, tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate, and alcohol.







Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit acid reflux remedy to learn what causes the pain of acid reflux and other home remedies for acid reflux.