Acid Reflux Disease

Acid reflux disease, or GERD, which is short for GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease, which effects 35% of Americans, is when the acid from your stomach is regurgitated into your esophagus.

Acid reflux disease is also referred to as heartburn, however it is much more serious and having acid reflux can result in a burning or tightening sensation in the chest, with pain even radiating into the arms, back or neck area.

When the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscles are weakened, they are often unable to fully close. This can result in acid from the stomach finding its way up into the walls of the esophagus.

Acid reflux disease can create a bad taste in your mouth, a burning sensation in your throat, and much more if left untreated. Although many people choose to simply live with the unpleasant effects, there are things that can evolve into serious complicatetions when you deal with GERD over a long period of time.

Simply eatting Rolaids ™ or Tums ™ may be enough for some sufferers, but for others there is much more involved.

One of the complications can be erosion of the esophagus and this could lead to Barrett's disease or other problems with your esophagus.

Another potential complication is that your esophagus can stay corroded and bothered which is called esophagitis.

Acid reflux disease can and should be treated and the best place to start is to talk with your doctor. If you choose not to treat it, you should know it will not go away and might even get worse.

The symptoms of acid reflux are closely related to the symptoms of hypertensions and heart attacks, and a number of acid reflux suffers often panic thinking the worst and the added stress and panic, makes it worse.. Fortunately, in most cases, the pressure in the chest and the difficulty in breathing is often relieved once the suffer burps and release trapped gases from the esophagus. Trapped gases in the esophagus are acidic fumes generated from the stomach, which is producing excessive acids during digestion.

* Causes of acid reflux *

The common causes of acid reflux or GERD is the person's lifestyleand unhealthy habits. Smokers and those who consume large meals mostly composed of fatty foods and caffeine often experience tightness in the throat coupled with burning sensations. In some instances, wearing tight clothing, lying down after a meal, or bending over after means also trigger acid reflux. Pregnant women also suffer from heartburns due to changes in their hormones.