Acid reflux is a medical condition that happens when you go to bed too soon after dinner. It also happens when you have a large meal. Also a lot of people mistake acid reflux to what we call gastroesophageal reflux also known as GERD, which is a chronic condition where acid reflux occurs from time to time and enough to cause complications.
On the other hand, acid reflux is a condition when the acid in your stomach rises into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn or other pains and complications. This isn’t a hidden or rare ailment. It is common and so many people live with acid reflux.
There are so many symptoms of acid reflux and often, people mistake it for asthma. There is a thin line between asthma and acid reflux which makes them seem alike even though they are not the same.
One of the symptoms of acid reflux is asthma symptom. This happens when acid reflux has resulted into GERD. And when that happens, conditions like shortness of breath, wheezing or chronic cough will be triggered.
Also, a feeling of getting uncomfortable of feeling of discomfort when trying to swallow most times shows that one is having acid reflux. This is because reflux mostly happens at night and when it does, it happens into your throat.
How about heartburn? It’s also a symptom. The burning feeling that happens in your chest and this is because acid burns the tissues that flows into your esophagus. For other symptoms of acid reflux, they are noncardiac chest pain, backwash, regurgitation and so much more.
Acid reflux isn’t something that happens on its own. There must have been something that triggered it before it begins to occur. There is something called the sphincter. It is a circular band of muscle around the esophagus which relaxes and lets food and liquid flow into the stomach. Then, if it doesn’t work or gets weak, that’s when acid reflux will begin to occur.
Also, the food that you eat like tomatoes, fatty foods, spicy foods or citrus fruits can cause acid reflux.
Acid reflux mostly turns into GERD when the patient has obesity, pregnant, scleroderma or delayed stomach emptying. Also engaging in smoking, taking medicines like aspirin, eating large meals late at night or taking alcohol increases the risk of GERD.
Acid reflux truly goes away but takes so much time. Also, this depends on the body. For some people, it never goes away especially when it has resulted into GERD. Nevertheless, the condition can be managed or lived with. Antacids are very powerful and they are known for neutralizing stomach acid and the moment when the patient begins to take it, there will surely be changes.
Aside from the medications, there are other ways to cool down and manage your acid reflux like quitting smoking, staying away from carbinated drinks, avoiding fatty foods or tomatoes and losing weight if you have obesity.
It is advised that one sees the doctor when the symptoms have become more severe or frequent. Also, when you are having difficulty in breathing or extreme stomach pain.
People mostly undergo a surgery if they want acid reflux to go away.
It is a condition that can be managed and if not managed well, leads to GERD.
REFERENCES SOURCES
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17019-acid-reflux-gerd
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/9-ways-to-relieve-acid-reflux-without-medication
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20361940
