Question: Are there ways to prevent this disease? Are there ways to control or cure the problem? Is there a risk of cancer associated with reflux?
Answer: Reflux can be treated by lifestyle modifications including weight loss, smoking cessation, alcohol avoidance and avoiding eating meals late in the day. Elevating the head of your bed on a couple of blocks may help nocturnal symptoms. When symptoms are not controlled with these lifestyle modifications, acid suppressing medications can be utilized. The most common medications are proton pump inhibitors such as Prilosec, Nexium and Protonix.

Anti-reflux surgery should be considered in some patients, including those who require lifelong medical therapy for reflux. It also might be needed for patients who have persistent symptoms in spite of medications or those that have developed complications from their reflux such as strictures, esophageal ulcers, and large hiatal hernias. Anti-reflux surgery has the advantage of “curing” reflux as the surgery will recreate the lower esophageal sphincter and prevent acid from leaving the stomach. The most common anti-reflux surgery is called a Nissen fundoplication. This surgery may be performed utilizing minimally invasive techniques. Postoperative pain is minimal and the procedure can be an outpatient one. Patients will have resolution of their reflux symptoms immediately following the procedure as the new valve begins to work immediately.

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Question: How and why do people get this disease?
Answer: Reflux is most commonly caused by a weakened valve at the lower esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter. Other causes may be related to abnormalities of how the esophagus moves or delayed gastric emptying. Obesity is a common cause of reflux symptoms. Other causes include caffeine and red wine, and some medications will reduce the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter resulting in reflux.

Question: What are the symptoms of reflux?
Answer: Common symptoms include heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain and a bitter taste in the back of the throat. Many patients are not able to lie down without having reflux or regurgitation. Difficulty swallowing may be seen in patients that develop either a stricture or narrowing of their esophagus from reflux or those that have developed a hiatal hernia.

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Drinking carbonated beverages everyday can lead to more than just a bad case of heartburn. In fact, research is finding that frequent consumption of these beverages over time, can actually dramatically increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer was a disease that was non-existent two generations ago, now it’s becoming a common concern. Researchers in India discovered a link between the rise in carbonation consumption and esophageal cancer in America over the past two decades. They found that the average consumption of carbonated soft drinks sky rocketed from less than 11 gallons per year in the late 1940’s to nearly 50 gallons per year by 2000. They also found that since the 1980’s, esophageal cancer has increased by more than 565% among white American men.

Studies have concluded that soft drinks have a direct link to gastric distension, a condition that brings on reflux. It was found that the consumption of liquid from a single standard soda can cause acid levels to remain elevated in the stomach for more than 52 minutes. Thus, if a person were to drink one can of soda a day, for a year, that would add up to more than 32,000 minutes of the esophagus being exposed to elevated acid levels.

Furthermore, the lower esophagus has a much higher chance of being damaged by soft drink consumption than by other non-carbonated beverages. For instance, if you were to drink 8 oz. of a carbonated beverage, your stomach might distend to 16 oz., instead of only distending by 8 oz. when drinking the same amount of water.

The distending that carbonation causes to the stomach results in acid reflux. Recurring acid reflux dramatically increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer, and drinking carbonated beverages increases gastric pressure, which may lead to an increase in reflux.

How exactly does acid reflux and esophageal cancer result from drinking carbonated beverages? The following is a basic breakdown of what occurs:
• The carbonated beverage is ingested
• The carbonation induces a burp – otherwise known as acid reflux
• The burp goes up through the esophagus and carries acid with it
• Over time the carbonation causes mechanical damage to cells causing lesions. Mechanical cell damage increases the risk of cancer.
• Frequent drinking causes a radical increase in the mutation of cells and excessive level of free radicals which can eventually lead to cancer.

Carbonated beverages don’t only include soft drinks like cola, root-beer and ginger ale. Any beverage with carbonation can cause acid reflux. Other beverages that contain carbonation include:
• Soda water – regular or flavored water with carbonation
• Beer
• Champagne
• Fruit juice

To find out if a beverage is carbonated, “carbonated water” is usually listed in the ingredients.

If you suffer from frequent acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), it’s a good idea to eliminate carbonated beverages from your diet altogether.

However, if you really enjoy drinking carbonated beverages, and aren’t ready to go cold turkey, here are some tips for you to keep in mind when it comes to limiting your carbon consumption:

• Take one sip at a time – Don’t gulp down your drinks as this encourages burping, making it more likely for the esophagus to become irritated.
• Limit your intake –Treat yourself to one drink once in a while; don’t make it apart of your daily diet.
• Buy bottles, not cans – If you purchase soft drinks, avoid buying cans and opt for a bottle instead. A bottle will allow you to control the amount you drink without making you feel obligated to finish the whole drink as you would with a can.

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Millions of people suffering from indigestion, gas, bloating, heartburn and acid reflux are addicted to antacids and have taken them for years.

Watch this video as Dr Whiting explains all about it.

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“These findings demonstrate that we really need to start looking for dental erosions in pediatric patients with chronic acid reflux and integrate proper dental care into their treatment regimens,” said Dr Melvin Heyman, chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at UCSF Children’s Hospital and the study’s senior author.

Dental erosion causes the enamel to weaken, resulting in tooth sensitivity and increase the risk for tooth decay.

The study compared the dental health of patients aged 9 to 17 with symptoms consistent with acid reflux disease to those with no symptoms. The children with acid reflux were almost six times more likely to have substantial evidence of teeth erosion than those without.

Currently, the study shows positive correlations between acid reflux and dental erosion. However, the researchers are not yet certain what causes children with reflux to develop the erosion, and they say this will be a point of future study.

Obviously, detecting chronic acid reflux in children is the key to prevent the long term damage on the teeth associated with dental erosion and GERD. Do not hesitate to bring your child to see your doctor if you suspect he/she has the symptoms consistent with acid reflux.

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If you have acid reflux or heartburn you need to know the dangers of Barrett’s Esophagitis and esophageal cancer. . .

Barrett’s Esophagitis is a condition caused by acid reflux or recurring heartburn. Your esophagus lining is normally a pinkish color, however if you develop Barrett’s it will become a darker color, often permanently.

The signs of Barrett’s are the same as those of acid reflux and heartburn, so the best way to diagnosis it is by getting an endoscopy done.

The good news is that Barrett’s Esophagitis can almost always be prevented by using one or more natural remedies to treat and cure gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). . .

Why am I telling you this?

Because Barrett’s Esophagitis will increase your risk of  esophageal cancer by up to 30X! And there are studies that show esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer today.

Cancer of the esophagus is a very miserable disease and is 100% fatal, if found too late.

So, what you may think is a small problem now, could develop into a much more serious problem if you continue to use acid reflux drugs and antacids to mask the symptoms vs. a natural solution to address the root cause.

Acid reflux drugs are NOT a cure and will only worsen your problems in the long run. . .

Natural remedies will heal your esophageal tissue by reducing the back-flow of stomach acid into your esophagus. In most cases, the tissue will become fully healthy again, if natural prevention is continued.

The bottom line is that if you suffer from acid reflux, GERD or even mild heartburn, you need to take action now to avoid Barrett’s Esophagitis, esophageal cancer, and other potential dangerous complications and risks in the future. . .

Recently in Australia, there is a new study conducted on current and former smokers which indicate that there is an increased risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus.

Barrett’s esophagus is a condition in which cells in the lining of the esophagus, the muscular tube that carries food and saliva from the mouth to the stomach, are damaged from long-term exposure to stomach acid that has backed up into the esophagus. Individuals with Barrett’s esophagus are at an increased risk of developing esophageal cancer.

==> The Connection Between Acid Reflux and Smoking

The findings from this study appear to contradict those from a US study. In that study, it was found that in most people, smoking didn’t increase the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus.

To investigate whether smoking and body mass index are potential risk factors for Barrett’s esophagus, Dr Kylie Smith, from Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, and team studied data on 393 patients who had been newly diagnosed with the condition and 957 participants without the disease. All the patients were interviewed, and completed questionnaires on age, smoking history, body mass index, the presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease and other factors.

The analysis revealed that, overall, former smokers had a 2.39-fold increased risk of Barrett’s esophagus and current smokers had a 2.41-fold increased risk of the condition, compared with participants who had never smoked. The team also noted that a patient’s body mass index was not associated with their risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus.

Dr Smith and his team concluded: “Current and past smoking significantly increases risk for Barrett’s oesophagus but body mass index does not, after adjustment for the effect of reflux.”

The research is published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Sore Throat

Some acid reflux sufferers complain severely about a sore throat and difficulty swallowing symptoms.

An irritated throat occurs when digestive acids travel back up the esophagus, past the upper esophageal sphincter (UES), and into the larynx and throat. The acid causes the sensitive tissue at the back of the throat to become inflamed, resulting in a sore throat. Acid reflux that frequently aggravates the throat is usually referred to as laryngopharyngeal reflux or LPR.

Most patients will overcome the acid reflux symptoms by taking common over-the-counter or prescribed H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors which help to alleviate the sore throat by  preventing acid reflux.

In fact, there are many natural remedies you can try first to help relieve your irritated throat?

Heartburn acid reflux remedies like:

Drink plenty of fluids – Drink plenty of hydrating fluid, especially water, to keep your body hydrated and the back of your throat moist. This will provide comfort to the irritated tissue.  Another excellent drink that helps relieve throat irritation is herbal tea. Herbal teas that contain anise and lavender soothe painful swallowing, aid in digestion, and help to reduce stomach acid, alleviating acid reflux.

Besides herbal tea and water, drinking warm water with a teaspoon of honey is also a soothing and safe remedy.

The best way to overcome this problem is to drink fluids regularly throughout the day. Try always having a glass or bottle of water to hand to encourage you to stay hydrated.

Gargle with warm salt water – Gargling a mixture of warm water and salt can help reduce the swelling that comes with a sore throat. The swelling of an irritated throat is the result of a higher water concentration in the cells that line the throat. Warm salt water helps to draw out some of the extra water, which decreases swelling.

Here is what you need to know about gargling with warm salt water:
1. Only gargle with a light mixture that consists of ½ teaspoon of table salt per 1 cup of warm water.  Too much salt will only further harm the stressed mucus glands of your throat.
2. Mix salt and water well.
3. Gargle for thirty seconds several times a day. Gargling only once or twice will not have a significant effect on your sore throat.

Humidifier or cool mist vaporizer – The dryness in the air can aggravate an already irritated throat making it feel very dry, scratchy, and raw. Humidifiers and cool-mist vaporizers are machines designed to add moisture to the air. Air with moisture will reduce throat irritation.  Keep in mind that these devices should be placed in an area where you will be spending the most time.

Hard candy – non-medicated throat lozenges or mild tasting hard candy (I.E. butterscotch and fruit flavors – avoid chocolate or peppermint candies as they tend to aggravate acid reflux) can provide relief of both sore throats and acid reflux.  Hard candy helps to eliminate dryness, the burning feeling in the throat, and gives the throat extra moisture.  This is because hard candy increases the production of saliva, and saliva contains bicarbonates that work to neutralize acids that may remain in the throat.

Active manuka honey – Active manuka honey can provide relief from sore throats, alleviate acid reflux, and even prevent it.

In the case of painful swallowing, you can try using  active manuka honey as a natural remedy:
1. Take 1 teaspoon of honey
2. Do not swallow immediately.  Let the honey melt in your mouth and then swallow to allow the mouth and throat to be better coated.
3. Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes after swallowing to keep the manuka honey concentrated
4. If you have a persistent sore throat this remedy can be repeated every few hours, up to 4 times per day. Note: if you are a diabetic you need to watch your sugar intake, and will need to alter this remedy accordingly.

Sleep – Rest always helps the body heal. Remember to keep your head propped up with pillows or raise the head of your bed to prevent acid from traveling up your esophagus to your throat during sleep.

Control eating habits – Not only do you need to avoid foods and beverages that can cause acid reflux, you also need to ensure you are eating properly. This means eating small quantities slowly, and in an upright position. You should also limit activities after eating, and avoid lying down for at least 2 hours to encourage proper digestion.

Finally, although natural remedies can be very beneficial for treating your symptoms, it is important that you carefully monitor your irritated throat. Making sure that the sore throat and difficulty swallowing you are experiencing is a symptom of acid reflux and not something else like strep throat or tonsillitis.

If your sore throat worsens, has not improved in five days, you notice a coating of pus on the surface of your tonsils, or have difficulty breathing you should immediately see your doctor or you can learn more about how to relieve your sore throat painlessly using natural methods within 24 hours.

If you are interested to find out more ways to cure your heartburn acid reflux naturally without taking any medication, you may like to check this out:

If you are interested to find out more ways to cure your heartburn naturally without taking any medication, you may like to check this out:

So, what causes exercise-induced heartburn?

Exercise can trigger heartburn if the LES muscle (the lower esophageal sphincter) is weak or too relaxed, and food or stomach acid “burps” back up from your stomach into your esophagus.

Also, exercise-induced heartburn can be triggered by certain foods — especially spicy foods like tomato sauce, acidic foods like orange juice, carbonated sodas, coffee, chocolate, and alcohol. These are the most common triggers for heartburn, according to the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).

Here are the 6 tips which you can try when exercise triggers you heartburn or acid reflux problem.

Most importantly, you don’t need to give up exercise to avoid heartburn.

1. Watch your diet.
Tara O’Brien, PharmD, a pharmacy manager at Pharmaca in Seattle, suggested that it is good to start to look at your own daily diet. Ask yourself – what you do eat quickly before going for a run or exercise and what types of food. Cut out the problem-causing food and try not take any coffee or chocolate before exercising.

2. Eat something soothing before exercise.
Good to experiment with foods to see if one thing aggravates it more than another. For some people, eating a yogurt before a run is fine while other people may experience their worst heartburn ever. You can start experimenting by trying a banana, yogurt, a small bowl of whole-grain cereal or toast.

3. Try eating 2 to 3 hours before working out.
You can try to eat a light snack before you exercise like a half-hour, hour, 2 hours before — and see which works best for you. Or you may need to eat two to three hours before working out to give your stomach time to empty.

4. Rethink your workout.
Certain kinds of exercise may trigger heartburn for some people more than others. Experiment to see whether certain workouts trigger heartburn more or less for you. Maybe you can go hiking if high-impact aerobics or running hurt.
Crunches and core work on a full stomach may not be a good idea. Headstands and Downward Dog in yoga, which reverse the natural gravity of digestion, can also trigger heartburn; please ask your teacher how to modify these inverted poses.

5. Try baking soda.
Taking something for symptoms wouldn’t hurt, says O’Brien. Several natural remedies exist, although they only provide temporary relief. Baking soda added to water can help neutralize and wash away stomach acids. Because baking soda may add more salt to your diet, it’s best to speak to your doctor first before trying this remedy.

6. Try over-the-counter relief.
In your local pharmacy, look for an antacid with calcium — that’s the ingredient that neutralizes stomach acid. “Chewing a Tums or taking a calcium-based antacid is very safe, so it would be worth a try,” says O’Brien. Although these are fast-acting, symptom-relief antacids, it can’t hurt to try one as a preventive measure before exercise.

Exercise-induced Heartburn: To Eat or Not to Eat Before Exercise?

No doubt you’ve often wondered: Should you eat before exercise or work out on an empty stomach?

“That depends on how much exercise you’re going to do,” says O’Brien. “You always want to have fuel.”

She advises at least having a light snack — a banana would be perfect fuel for exercise — unless you’re going for a 20-mile run.

Call Your Doctor or Pharmacist If:

* Your symptoms aren’t relieved, no matter what you do.
* You have chest pain, either triggered by exercise or not. Chest pain can be a warning sign of a mild heart attack. People having heart attacks have been known to dismiss their chest pain as “just a little heartburn.”

Instead of taking the coffee and orange juice before you exercise, how about trying yogurt or a banana an hour or two before exercise, and keep your headstands short to avoid heartburn. You may just over your heartburn problem.

If you are interested to find out more ways to cure your heartburn naturally without taking any medication, you may like to check this out:

Many people do not know that a chronic cough can be caused by acid reflux. Very often, it will lead to a chronic or semi permanent acid reflux cough which is common symptom that experienced by acid reflux sufferers.

How does acid reflux result in coughing?
When the acid flows back up the esophagus, the esophagus reflexes which results in a spasm of the airways that can lead to shortness of breath and/or coughing. Thus, a cough can result when certain nerves within the esophagus related to the lungs are irritated, which triggers coughing. Hence, the acid reflux can cause coughing without ever passing into the throat. It is possible that a cough to be the only acid reflux symptom a person experiences.

Those who suffer from chronic cough usually have frequent cases of reflux that are so severe that they can experience the following symptoms:

Throat and larynx inflammation and damage – If refluxed acid enters the throat and voice box it can cause inflammation which can lead to swelling of the throat tissue. The inflammation and swelling can result in a sore throat and hoarsens, causing coughing. Over time, the constant assault of acid on the throat can lead to damaged throat tissue. When the throat is damaged or inflamed, the throat is irritated, and coughing can result.

Aspiration of acid into the lungs – refluxed acid that passes the larynx can invade the lungs. When acid is refluxed into the lungs this is known as aspiration and can result in coughing and choking. Over time, aspiration can cause damage to lung tissue which can lead to fibrosis (progressive scarring). Aspiration can occur with or without symptoms, and can lead to lung infections that result in pneumonia. Aspiration primarily occurs at night because the digestive processes that help to prevent reflux and the coughing reflex that is designed to protect the lungs are inactive.

Bear in mind; even when it is clear that GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) can cause and/or exacerbate coughing, it is still not certain that how often the symptom of coughing is directly related to acid reflux.

More Information ==> The Link Between Coughing and Heartburn

How is chronic cough caused by acid reflux treated?
If you suspect that your chronic cough is caused by acid reflux, the best way to treat your cough is to treat your acid reflux.  Firstly, you need to establish whether your chronic cought is the result of yoru acid reflux. If it is so, there is no point for you to take over-the-counter medications which are meant to treat cough due to colds or allergies.

Your aim is to stop the cough by preventing acid reflux. Therefore, the following are some suggestions on how you can attempt to ease a chronic cough:

Lifestyle change: A lifestyle change involves –
Alter eating habits - avoiding foods that are known to trigger acid reflux (I.E. fatty and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juice and fruits, alcohol, etc.), as well as eating smaller and frequent meals.

Lose weight – if you are overweight, losing weight will take pressure off your lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which reduces the risk of reflux.  Engage in exercises such as walking, swimming and cycling.  These exercises will not place pressure on your stomach or LES.  You should wait for at least an hour after eating before exercising.

Stop smoking – Smoking increases your risk of acid reflux, but it can also exacerbate chronic bronchitis, which could be something you are suffering from if you are a smoker.

==> Do You Know that Smoking Cause GERD?

==> The Connection Between Acid Reflux and Smoking

Prevent acid reflux while sleeping – Acid reflux is more common when we sleep, because the defenses in the digestive system that help to prevent acid reflux are inactive.  Thus, to help stop acid reflux from occurring while sleeping, make sure you avoid eating and drinking two to three hours before you lie down.  You should also elevate your head approximately 4 inches when lying down to prevent acid from traveling up your esophagus.

==> How To Prevent Acid Reflux Heartburn At Night

No doubt, changing your lifestyle can be effective, but improvement in your cough symptoms may be slow. Sometimes, it may take you months before your cought is completely cleared.

Medications for Acid Reflux: - Taking medications that prevent and block the production of acid such as antacids (Tums) and H2  blockers (Zantac) can help alongside lifestyle changes in alleviating acid reflux symptoms.

Another medication known as a proton pump inhibitor is beneficial for those with GERD because it not only stops acid production, it also allows the esophagus healing time.  Medications designed to relieve acid reflux symptoms are generally safe for long-term use, but you should speak to you doctor first, as well as be monitored by your doctor if you decide to take any medications.

Other treatment: If your chronic acid reflux cough is still not easing after trying methods to prevent and relieve acid reflux, it’s time for you to seek the help of your doctor.  He or she may prescribe a medication known as a bronchodilator which helps to relax the air passages in your lungs to sooth coughing.  This medication or another kind may be provided while the doctor runs tests to see if they can determine the cause of your cough, so that they can provide you with the best treatment method.

If you are interested to find out more ways to cure your heartburn naturally without taking any medication, you may like to check this out: