Sunday, March 15, 2009

Natural Remedies For GERD

Given the confusing terminology of heartburn, acid reflux and GERD, it's not surprising that many people are unclear as to the nature of their condition. Heartburn, acid reflux and GERD are all facets of the same condition - one in which the stomach contents back up into the esophagus. Heartburn is the common symptom felt by sufferers. Acid reflux describes the action that leads to this symptom of heartburn. GERD is a chronic condition of acid reflux with some potentially dangerous implications.
Other symptoms can include a persistent sore throat, hoarseness, a chronic cough, or a feeling of a lump in the throat. If untreated, GERD can actually change the mucosal cells lining the esophagus. The result can be a chronic condition called Barret's Esophagus. If you any doubt as to the nature of your symptoms, visit your doctor immediately.
Stop gerd permanently with gerd natural remedies
In 90% of cases, curing gastroesophageal reflux can be done with a simple GERD remedy. Imagine never having to purchase antacids to treat your acid reflux again. Imagine naturally healing GERD and never having to worry about GERD again.
Natural Remedies have been around for thousands of years! And just recently, some natural remedies have begun to get tested and researched to test their legitimacy. Some natural remedies were worthless and some were effective? In fact, some simple natural remedies are just as effective as their pharmaceutical counterpart. In the case of GERD, acid reflux remedies which work to heal the esophagus and sphincter have been shown to be the most effective.
Natural Remedies For GERD - Try These Natural, Drug-Free Methods to Stop Your GERD
Natural remedies for GERD have the advantage over drugs of no side effects. Here are below gerd natural remedy and the best ways for acid reflux relief.
  • Chew Gum
Saliva is a natural antacid. If you suffer from GERD then it is a good idea to chew some gum after a meal to stimulate more saliva and reduce heartburn symptoms.
  • Raise The Head Of The Bed
Raise the head of your bed by 6 inches.
  • Aloe Vera Juice
A little aloe vera juice before a meal can prevent heartburn symptoms. Burnt Toast
  • Papaya
Eating the fruit raw or simply the juice can really help with heartburn symptoms.
  • Losing Weight
Important Suggestion for GERD natural remedy – Diet for gerd guide
  • If you know that eating a certain food product will give you heartburn or increase the GERD symptoms, do not eat it. If your favourite food is cheese flavoured potato chips and they make the symptoms of GERD more painful.
  • If you are already feeling the symptoms of GERD a natural cure for GERD that you can call upon is chamomile. Finding a natural cure for GERD and the symptoms it brings does not need to be a difficult process and as long as you are willing to make a few small changes you can ensure that the symptoms are reduced and the pain lessened.
  • Avoid Crunchy Foods- Crunchy foods contribute to your acid reflux because they scratch the esophagus (tube that transports food to stomach) and sphincter (muscle flap that keeps stomach acid in the stomach). By eating these foods, you literally cause more flare-ups.

Acid reflux medicines

Proton pump inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors are a group of medicines that includes esomeprazole, omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole and rabeprazole.Proton pump inhibitors provide rapid relief from the symptoms of GERD.

These medicines block the action of the stomach’s proton pump , which pumps hydrogen ions into the stomach, making the stomach acidic. Proton pump inhibitors will, therefore, reduce the acidity of the stomach .

Histamine2-receptor antagonists

Histamine2-receptor antagonists are a group of medicines that includes cimetidine, ranitidine and nizatidine.These medicines work by stopping (blocking) the action of histamine (a chemical released by the stomach). The presence of histamine in the stomach, results in the release of hydrogen ions into the stomach, making the stomach contents more acidic.

Antacids

For people who only suffer from the occasional episode of heartburn, antacids can bring relief. These medicines can be bought over the counter. Antacids provide relief from the symptoms of heartburn by neutralising the acid. If symptoms of heartburn are still present after you have used antacids for 2 weeks, you should consult your doctor. There is a wide range of antacids available.

Antacids sold over the counter may contain one or a combination of these products. For example, aluminium and magnesium salts are often combined to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea or constipation.

Antacids are best taken when the symptoms of heartburn first occur, preferably about 1 hour after a meal.

Antacids may interfere with the absorption of other medicines from the digestive system into the blood. A gap of at least 2 hours should be left between using an antacid and taking other medicines.

Try these tips and remedies to ease your pain without taking a pill

Last year alone, Americans spent $942 million dollars on over-the-counter antacids, and a whopping 13.6 billion dollars on prescription acid suppressants. So how can we manage our acid reflux disease, and other similar symptoms? Are antacids always a good idea? Dr. Leo Galland, a medical advisor to the consumer newsletter "Bottom Line Personal" and author of the book “The Fat-Resistance Diet,” offers tips and natural remedies that could make us stop popping those pills.

Millions of Americans take drugs to relieve excess stomach acid. In fact, acid-suppressing drugs are among the most frequently prescribed medications in the US. They fall into two categories:

Proton-pump inhibitors like Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium, Aciphex and Protonix. What they do is inhibit the enzymes that transport acid from the acid-secreting cells into the lining of the stomach.

H2 blockers like Zantac, Pepcid, Axid and Tagamet. H2 blockers inhibit the activity of histamine in the stomach. Histamine stimulates stomach cells to secrete more acid.

Although these drugs can be effective at relieving symptoms like heartburn and abdominal pain, they may have serious long-term side effects. Regular use of acid-suppressing drugs is associated with increased risk of hip fractures, probably because of impaired calcium absorption. Taking acid-suppressors also increases your risk of acquiring a food-borne intestinal infection or experiencing the overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach and small intestine. Overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach probably explains some other risks associated with regular use of acid suppressors including pneumonia, stomach cancer and vitamin B12 deficiency.

Gastroesophageal reflux vs. gastritis

Acid suppressing therapy is primarily used to treat two kinds of problems — gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) and gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining). In gastroesophageal reflux, contents of the stomach flow backward up the esophagus and may reach all the way to the mouth. Symptoms include heartburn, chest pain, regurgitation of food, sore throat, hoarse voice and cough. Although acid suppressors are commonly prescribed, GERD is not caused by excess production of acid. It is caused by failure of the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach (the LES or lower esophageal sphincter valve).

The good news is that there are natural remedies for these GERD problems that work even better than drugs and without the side effects:

Don’t stuff yourself. When you eat a lot at one time it causes stomach distension, which triggers relaxation of the LES.

Avoid high fat foods such as fried foods and cream sauces. These weaken the LES.

Don’t smoke. This also weakens the LES.

Don’t eat for three hours before lying down. When you’re upright, gravity works with you.

Maintain a normal weight. Being overweight increases your risk of GERD.

Don’t eat just before strenuous exercise. Strenuous exercise increases the tendency to get GERD.

Avoid foods that you know cause you discomfort until you’re better. So-called “acid” foods, like oranges and tomatoes, do not cause GERD, but they may irritate an already inflamed esophagus

These simple steps prevent symptoms of GERD in the majority of people and may allow you to avoid the use of acid-suppressing drugs. If not, try:

Calcium. Calcium tightens the LES valve. This is not an antacid effect. In fact, the best type of calcium, because it is the most soluble, is calcium citrate, which is itself mildly acidic. The most effective preparation is calcium citrate powder. Take 250 mg, dissolved in water, after every meal and at bedtime (for a total daily dose of 1,000 mg). Swallowing calcium pills does not prevent reflux because the calcium is not instantly dissolved.

Digestive enzymes. These appear to work by decreasingdistension of the stomach. The enzymes should be acid-resistant, so they work in the stomach itself, not in the small intestine. A powdered enzyme preparation (1/2 teaspoon) can be mixed together with the calcium powder above and taken after each meal. Digestive enzymes are available in health food stores and pharmacies.

Gastritis

The leading cause of gastritis (inflamed stomach lining) in the U.S. is the regular use of aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Other causes include cigarette smoking, regular use of alcohol and the irritant effects of other medications, especially antibiotics.

Severe ACID GERD Symptoms - Identify Extreme Heartburn Symptoms

Up to 40% of Americans suffer from ACID GERD. ACID GERD, short for gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a condition of serious and prolonged heartburn. In the worst cases, severe ACID GERD symptoms will result. What are severe ACID GERD symptoms? These can be classified as the worst and most painful of acid reflux symptoms. Here, I will outline what these are so you can identify them. Anyone with severe ACID GERD symptoms should see a doctor soon, or even seek a second opinion if they are not responding to the current regime of medication.

Severe Heartburn -- this is the most obvious of severe ACID GERD symptoms and unique to ACID GERD (although, as the name implies, it can sometimes be confused with symptoms of a heart attack which are actually very different). Severe heartburn is felt as an intense burning sensation that travels from the stomach to the throat where it usually diminishes after a few seconds.

Regurgitation -- many ACID GERD sufferers never experience regurgitation which is seen in more severe cases. We know that ACID GERD results because the lower sphincter allows the escape of acid. When the upper sphincter also fails in its function, severe ACID GERD symptoms such as this can result.

ACID GERD Complications - Inflammation Lung, Throat and Larynx

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is not generally a socially acceptable subject understanding the complications of ACID GERD is something that every person that has ever had the condition should do, here are a few of the complications of acidreflux, or ACID GERD.

Throat and Larynx Inflammation

throat and voice box, lie. This complication is relatively uncomplicated overall, but can cause pain and discomfort in the form of a sore throat or horse voice. disagree if they are in a field that requires a decent amount of public speaking or sales talk. of success to the individual with the problem.

Lung Infection and Inflammation

Many have felt the complication of liquid entering the lungs, commonly referred to as aspiration. If you have aspiration it does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from ACID GERD, but if you have ACID GERD it is probable that you suffer from aspiration. Aspiration pneumonia can doctor. If it is not aspiration pneumonia then it could result in an eventual scarring of the throat, or fibrosis, that damages the lungs. Aspiration generally occurs at night when acid reflux is at its worst without the assistance of gravity.

reading to determine what the complication of your ACID GERD could be. If you have not seen one of the complications of acid reflux that you believe should be complications are as a result of acid reflux or something else altogether. embarrassing and sometimes disgusting condition to discuss.

chitika

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