Let’s be honest: most people don’t find it easy to break down hot or acidic foods. But when stomach acids bubble and gurgle in places they usually don’t, you might wonder what’s going on and wonder what acid reflux feels like.
To help you deal with the pain and make sure it’s not something more serious, it’s helpful to know the signs of acid reflux and how they vary from those of heartburn and other digestive problems.
What is referred to as acid reflux?
Acid reflux is a very common disease in which stomach acids rise up into the esophagus and throat. If you have acid reflux from time to time, this is called gastric reflux, or GER. But if it happens more than twice a week, doctors call it gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you are someone with long-term GERD, visit a gastroenterologist in Coimbatore to get prompt treatment.
What are the signs that help you find GERD?
Pain in the chest usually after eating:
People do often mistake heartburn for a heart attack, but there is some truth to the saying. Many people who have significant chest discomfort mistake it for a heart attack and rush to the emergency department, where they are diagnosed with reflux.
Flooding of saliva:
Having a lot of saliva in your mouth after a meal or snack is often a sign of acid reflux. When your salivary glands sense an irritant in your throat, they go into high gear. This is similar to how your mouth starts to water before you throw up. They are getting ready to wash away whatever is down there, or whatever is about to come up.
Wheezing or breathing issues:
If you have trouble breathing, especially at night when you’re lying in bed, this could be due to reflux.
When you lie down, acid that gets into the stomach can set off a reflex that makes you wheeze.
Regurgitation:
If you feel like food is coming back up after you’ve eaten, that’s another sign of reflux. It’s not the same as throwing up. It’s more like the strange feeling that something is moving up the throat to the back of the mouth.
Bitter after taste:
These stomach juices or fluids can also leave a sour or acidic sensation in the back of the throat. If eating causes a bitter flavor in your mouth, you may be experiencing acid reflux. In case you are experiencing these signs, reach out for GERD treatment in Coimbatore for early diagnosis.
Lump sensation in the throat:
When combined with other symptoms on this list, the constant sensation of a lump in the esophagus (known as globus sensation) may be an indication of chronic reflux. However, it is not necessarily a symptom of reflux.
Frequent burping:
Like regurgitation, if you burp a lot, it could mean that food is going back up your throat. GERD can also cause more eating, which can lead to chronic belching.
Nausea:
It makes sense that acid would make you feel sick, especially if you feel sick after eating. After all, the problem starts in your gut system. Acid reflux is not always the cause of chronic nausea, but it is one of the more common signs.
What are the common causes of acid reflux?
To learn more about the acid reflux causes, it might be helpful to learn what causes heartburn. Heartburn happens to a lot of people when stomach acid touches the lining of the throat, causing a burning feeling. Some things that you should keep a watch out for are the following:
- Some foods, like citrus fruits, fried foods, fatty meats like bacon or sausage, and chocolate, are high in fat, salt, or spice.
- Too much pressure on the belly, which could make acid reflux worse for pregnant women.
- Using different medicines to treat allergies and high blood pressure.
- Having a hiatal hernia, which is when the top part of your stomach pushes up into your diaphragm and stops your body from taking in food the way it should.
How do you know it’s heartburn but not heart attack?
Heartburn pain can make you feel like you’re having a heart attack. Heartburn is not related to your heart, but because the pain is in your chest, it can be hard to tell the difference while it’s happening. But heartburn is not the same as having a heart attack.
Heartburn is a burning or painful feeling in the chest that can spread to the neck and throat. A heart attack can cause pain in the arms, neck, jaw, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness, extreme tiredness, and worry, among other things.
Can GERD lead to asthma?
We don’t know for sure how GERD and asthma are linked. People with asthma are more likely than not to have GERD. They have twice the risk of developing GERD as those without asthma. Some asthma medicines can make GERD worse, and some asthma medicines can make GERD worse. But treating GERD can often make asthma problems go away.
Acid reflux symptoms can hurt the lining of the throat, the airways, and the lungs. This can make it hard to breathe and cause a chronic cough, which may indicate a link.
Is acid reflux a serious condition?
If GERD isn’t handled, the stomach acid that comes back up into the esophagus can damage the tissue that lines the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain. Long-term, untreated GERD in adults can damage the stomach in a way that can’t be fixed.
What are the complications that might follow if you have long-term GERD?
GERD is not inherently life-threatening or fatal. However, chronic GERD can contribute to more serious health issues:
- Esophagitis
- Barrett’s esophagus
- Esophageal cancer
- Strictures
How can you manage acid reflux with lifestyle changes?
One of the best ways to treat it is to know acid reflux foods to avoid and drinking that makes the symptoms worse. Here are some additional options:
- Change the kinds of foods you eat and eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.
- Quit smoking.
- You can raise the head of your bed at least 4 to 6 inches by putting blocks under it.
- At least two to three hours should pass between dinner and bedtime.
- Try taking daytime naps in a chair.
- Don’t wear too-tight clothes or belts.
- If you are overweight or fat, you can lose weight by getting more exercise and making changes to what you eat.
- Also, ask your GERD specialist if any of the medicines you take could be causing your heartburn or other acid reflux disease symptoms.
Prognosis of the condition:
You can manage GERD problems. If you change the way you eat and sleep and take medicine when you need to, you should be able to control your GERD symptoms.
