Acid reflux is a condition that attacks almost everyone at some point in their lives. This is not really a surprise. Though we tend to be comfortable and confident when we are young, growing adults need to realize that this is no time for relaxation and enjoyment.
The challenge of living with this condition has been that for years people have known what works and what doesn’t. The problem is that not all doctors have ever found the right combination of foods and medical treatments to safely manage acid reflux.
Understanding the symptoms of acid reflux is just the first step to successfully managing the condition. Those who have tried everything and used every remedy often do not even realize they are in pain and that they are dealing with the disorder until the entire experience starts to take its toll on them.
Reflux of gastric acid into the esophagus is actually a direct attack on a person’s body. This is why the condition is so painful and uncomfortable. Though it is easy to over-react and panic when you are experiencing this discomfort, the reason you feel this way is a direct result of an internal biological process.
Reflux can manifest itself in many ways and be overwhelming. If you are experiencing reflux in your esophagus, you will know that you are in real pain. When the acids become too painful to tolerate, this can lead to heartburn, which will lead to other symptoms.
Heartburn can be very much like a burning feeling that comes from your chest. It can come at any time and anywhere, especially while eating. It has been reported that heartburn is one of the most frequent symptoms of acid reflux.
Heartburn can actually lead to damage to the stomach lining and the esophagus. If the stomach lining is damaged, there is also damage to the esophagus, especially in the event of more severe cases. Some people have found that dealing with acid reflux has been as simple as learning to recognize the signs.
If you find that you can identify the cause of your reflux issues, but are still in pain, it can help to learn about the esophagus. What happens in the esophagus is that the muscles attached to the lining of the esophagus contract down upon the acids in the stomach. The esophagus is just like a hose; the contractions from the muscles will help to push the liquids and foods up the hose, but it’s the muscle contraction that causes the “hose” to be cut off in the end.
There are other muscles located within the esophagus that help to push the contents back up the esophagus. These muscles are called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). These muscles are extremely important in helping to keep you from regurgitating, but when they begin to contract without your consent, they can actually damage the lining of the esophagus.
Damage to the lining of the esophagus can occur in many ways. One of the more common ways to do this is when a child is born, the nerve endings in the esophagus are permanently damaged from the time the baby is born. Another way to get the damage done is when the acid in the stomach does not properly relax down into the esophagus.
There are a number of different medications that are used to deal with reflux, but not all of them work well. You can avoid the risk of damaging your esophagus and your stomach lining by learning to recognize the signs of acid reflux.
