Acid reflux (also called heartburn) is one of the prevailing disorders of our modern day society. Let’s explore why this disorder can occur and what you can do to eliminate it.
Burn, Baby, Burn…
Acid reflux, heartburn, reflux esophagitis and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) are all terms that are used to describe a condition where stomach acid refluxes or ‘backs-up’ into the esophagus causing any number of symptoms, including chest pain (many people even describe it like they are having a heart attack), pressure in the chest, burning in the chest and/or throat, sore throat or an acid taste in the mouth. Most times this occurs after eating and/or anytime they lie down in a horizontal position.
Ironically enough, these conditions may be caused by two very different scenarios; one involves hypoacidity (or impaired production of acid in the stomach) and one involves hyperacidity and/or bacterial infection. Let’s take a look at each.
Hypoacidity
Interestingly enough, many of the people that have symptoms commonly described as acid reflux or heartburn actually experience these conditions because they are not producing enough stomach acid to properly digest food. This causes the food to sit too long in the stomach, creating irritation leading to the sensation of acid reflux.
Symptoms commonly associated with hypoacidity including excessive burping, fullness for extended periods of time after meals, bloating, poor appetite, an easily upset stomach, a history of constipation and/or known food allergies. In these cases, increasing the acid production in the stomach will provide relief.
Hyperacidity and/or Bacterial Infection
Your digestive system produces strong acids and juices that are designed to help break down the food you eat so that it can be used to nourish the body. The lining of the healthy stomach is marvelously resistant to these juices and is not affected by their caustic nature. In persons with ulcers, this defense system of the stomach’s lining against stomach acids has broken down somehow, so that even when the ulcer clients’ stomach is empty of food, the digestive juices pour forth and work away at the stomach lining as though it were food. The continued irritation of this now delicate area soon produces a sore, which is called an ulcer.
Symptoms of hyperacidity and/or ulcers vary from headaches to choking sensations to low back pain to itching. When pain does occur in the stomach, a person often charges off to some dietary indiscretion (i.e., comfort foods). The pain finally becomes so intense as to be clearly recognizable as an ulcer.
Symptoms include: stomach pain just before and/or after meals; dependency on antacids; chronic abdominal pain; butterfly stomach; difficulty belching; stomach pain when emotionally upset; sudden, acute indigestion; relief of symptoms by drinking carbonated beverages, cream or milk; history of ulcer or gastritis (irritation of the stomach); and black stools when not taking iron supplements.
The key here is to isolate the reason the irritation and/or hyperacidity is occurring and to correct it. Stress, poor diet, food sensitivities and food allergies can all play a role. In some cases, a bacterium called helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is the offending agent.
Saying Good-Bye to Heart Burn
There are many things that you can do to help relieve the pain and discomfort of acid reflux by addressing the underlying root causes of the disorder. Contact us for more information about what you can do naturally to eliminate the burn and start enjoying eating again!
Please help I want to know wheather am suffering from too much acid or too less acid.
Hi Rina,
This is a great question and one that is often asked; when you go to a medical doctor, it is almost universally assumed you suffer from the over production of stomach acid. In practice, this is often not the case.
There are a number of variables that you have to consider when looking at upper GI issues, including possible food sensitivities, deformities in the structure of the GI tract (i.e., hiatal hernia and/or issues with the LES valve) as well as inflammation and/or damage to the tissue itself. Your physician can see indications of the latter two during and endoscopy (which you should request). Food hypersensitivities can be determined using a test like the LRA from Elisa/Act Biotechnologies.
This data will be necessary to make sure you don’t miss some key variable. The reason is that if you have inflammation of the tissue in the stomach or esophagus, it will cause you pain whether or not you have too much or too little stomach acid and needs to be addressed before further action is taken. Once it is healed, you can try a course of betaine HCl to see if that helps; if it does, you need supplemental support. If it makes the problem worse, it is likely due to overproduction of stomach acid.
Good luck!
Dr. Chad
Firstly, I want to know if faucial tonsil can cause acid reflux or other stomach problems at all? Or a tooth decay?
Secondly, is that necessary to use pills to get better. Friends of mine said that when you leave using pills it starts again. Should I use pills in my entire life now?
Lastly, if we be careful on what we eat, when we eat etc. can we heal permanent (without any medical invervention) ?
Hi Ata,
You bring up some interesting questions – here’s what I know:
1) Your tonsils are not known to cause acid reflux, stomach problems or tooth decay. However, acute tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils) can cause fever, sore throat, throat pain and difficulty swallowing, which may feel like acid reflux and may be an indication of an underlying viral and/or bacterial issue.
2) When you say ‘pills’ I am assuming you are referring to supplements. While it may not be necessary to take specific nutritional supplementation if a person can determine and address their underlying metabolic imbalances using the proper combination of dietary and lifestyle interventions, using the right supplements for a period of time can get the ball rolling in the right direction and make the process progress more quickly. It is unlikely that you would need to take any given supplement over a long period of time unless one of the following conditions existed: (1) increased need (due to genetics, dietary insufficiency, chronic stress), (2) toxicity, neurotoxicity or permanent trauma. In these cases only would it be probable that long-term use of supplementation is necessary.
3) The body is an AMAZING organism; if given the right amount and kinds of food, water, air, exercise, relaxation, mental stimulation and emotional support it can do amazing things. However, there are instances when additional support, including medical intervention, may be necessary to assist the body in its healing processes.
Thanks for the great comments and questions – if we can be of further service, please don’t hesitate to contact us –
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
I don’t know If I’m allowed to post more than one but I really wanna know about some points:
1) Now I’m 20 and I know a lot of people who is suffering from acid reflux in their whole life. Doctors say the exact solution is surgery (stomach valve) But I think I’m really young for surgery, is that really necessary? Okay I got paunchy recently, but I’m careful on what I eat. Can’t stomach valve get better by itself. For example does losing weight work for that disease ?
2)Does this show up by malnutrition? I had eaten pizza for six months during my erasmus period and slept immediately. That’s what I thought. Because no one is acid reflux in my family except me. :/