Use Acid Reflux Medicine to remove that Annoying Heartburn Symptom.

By Raymond Harper

Cause of acid reflux- Heartburn symptom

Alcohol lovers would often love to mix their drink with spicy dishes and greasy and fatty foods. There seems to be a real joy for some in this mix which at the time seems to be the perfect combination for a night on the town. Unfortunately for a large majority of the population it is a disastrous combination it is bad for the esophagus, bad for the stomach and usually is the onset of your first heartburn symptom of the day. The alcohol, the spicy dishes and the greasy and fatty foods are the perfect combination to give you a sleepless night with acid reflux disease of which the correct term is known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Other causes of acid reflux are pregnancy, genetic influences, presence of infection in the gastrointestinal tract, and the Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs).

digestive system

 The Gastrointestinal System of the body is the system of organs which takes in food, extracts the nutrients the body needs for energy, and expels the remaining waste. We need to eat to for our body to acquire energy, growth and repair. The digestive system is usually very efficient and starts in the mouth where we break down our food by chewing and moistened with saliva. Saliva also has a special chemical, called an enzyme, which starts breaking down carbohydrates into sugars. The food is further broken down when it enters the stomach and is mixed with gastric juices. It then enters the duodenum (small intestine), where the food is mixed with more digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver.

 Acid reflux Disease is a condition where the liquid contents of the stomach flows back up and enters the esophagus (or refluxes). There are many different problems that integrate to cause acid reflux and it depends which symptoms you have as to how severe your acid reflux can be. GERD is a chronic condition and once you have this it usually lasts your entire life. The regurgitated liquid contains stomach acid and pepsin which is an enzyme produced by the stomach to digest the proteins in the stomach from your food. However the stomach acid is believed to be the component most likely to cause injury such as inflammation and damage to the esophagus.  Another problem that has an effect on your acid reflux symptoms is damage to the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES is a ring of muscle that at the lower end of the esophagus that acts like a valve to let your food into the stomach but also to stop stomach from re-entering the esophagus which at the least can cause irritation but with varying severity of condition the worst leading to esophageal cancer. Acid reflux medication can help to heal the damaged esophagus, and some lifestyle changes to your diet and some small changes to your eating and sleeping habits are required natural cures can also help. But usually if you stop your acid reflux treatment it does not take too long for the symptoms to re-appear and treatment for acid reflux usually has to be continued for life.

Stomach acid

 Normally, liquid reflux from the stomach occurs to most healthy individual but without any consequences or acid reflux symptoms. . However, people with acid reflux or GERD, usually have more stomach acid in the refluxed liquid. Usually this reflux is worse at night when lying down as the effects of gravity which aids your digestion are not in play and it is easier for stomach acid to enter the esophagus where it can do a lot of damage. So getting back to the alcohol lover when they have their drink and ate the spicy of fatty foods this is the perfect recipe for acid reflux disease to take place while they sleep.

The body has mechanisms to protect itself from the harmful effects of acid reflux. Most reflux happens during the day when individuals are upright. In said position, the refluxed liquid is more likely to flow back down into the stomach due to gravity. Moreover, while individuals are awake, they continually swallow, regardless if there is reflux or not. Each time individuals swallow stomach acids in the esophagus are propelled back into the stomach by the action of the muscles in the esophagus. Another natural defense to reflux is the salivary glands in the mouth. These glands produce saliva, which contains bicarbonate. Every time an individual swallows, the bicarbonate-containing saliva slides down the esophagus. The bicarbonate neutralizes the small amount of acid that remains in the esophagus. to combat night time acid reflux you can elevate the head of your bed or a more comftable method is to buy an electric adjustable bed. After all you probably will have acid reflux disease for life so you may as well be comfortable.

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Acid reflux medicine

 There are two main aims in the treatment of GERD. The first is to relieve the pain of acid reflux. Preventing acid reflux pain improves the quality of life for GERD sufferers. The other aim is to prevent the development of more serious complications. These include Barrett’s esophagus and esophagitis two major chronic conditions you can get as a result of acid reflux disease

 The first acid reflux medicines are the Histamine Blockers or H2 receptor antagonists. Histamine is a chemical that stimulates acid production in the stomach. The H2 receptor antagonists prevent the histamine from stimulating the acid producing cells. They block the production of the stomach acid thereby reducing secretion and concentration of acid which can cause acid reflux. 

One of the first acid reflux medicines was called Cimetidine which was introduced in 1975. It has a short half-life and short duration of action. The three newer and more popular H2 blockers are Ranitidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine. They have evolved and are more potent than Cimetidine they are all available without prescription and can be bought over the counter or online.

The second and more powerful acid reflux medication are called Proton Pump Inhibitors. They are a newer medication and work by totally blocking the acid secreting cells from producing acid. The main advantage that PPI, s have over h2 antagonists is that they are more effective at blocking off acid and their effects last longer. One tablet per day will last for 24 hours. They are also good for combating other problems attributed to acid reflux. Not only are they better at treating heartburn but they are also used to heal inflammation of the esophagus where h2 antagonists cannot relieve a damaged esophagus adequately. They are taken usually before a meal so that they are active when acid production is at its peak, which is after eating.

Some of the PPI, s on the market include Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and Aciphex. I am personally taking Prilosec (Omeprazole) for my own acid reflux disease and find that taking one tablet in the morning is adequate to last me until the next day.

Prevention is better than cure, so the saying goes. So if you have heartburn symptoms you should start practicing some lifestyle changes before it starts giving you GERD complications. By changing your eating habits, small changes to your diet, and altering your sleeping position you may just do enough to stop that first acid reflux symptom happening.