Tuesday, 28 June 2011

Acid Reflux Treatment

Before taking an acid reflux treatment , it is essential to implement measures to prevent its recurrence and change some habits. If this is not enough, people who suffer GERD severely can obtain simple and effective treatments to relieve their symptoms. However, chronic acid reflux is a disease, and it is sometimes necessary to continue long-term medication.

SEVERAL drugs can be administered to
DECREASE gastric acidity :
* Antacids (Maalox ®, Rolaids ®, Tums ®), which neutralize stomach acid, to take in case of symptoms. If you must use over- the-counter antacids for more than three weeks, it is necessary to consult your doctor;
* H2 antagonists (Axid ®, Pepcid ®, Zantac ®, Tagamet ®), which reduce stomach acid production. H2 antagonists are available OTC and are usually sufficient to treat mild cases, together with prevention tips outlined above. However, it is not
advisable to take antacids for a long period as they may interferes with the absorption of some nutrients;
* Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). If antacids or H2 antagonists obtained over the counter do not relieve the symptoms, the doctor could then prescribe
stronger H2 antagonists (or more frequent use) or PPI (Losec ®, Nexium ®, Pantoloc ®, Pariet ®, Prevacid ®). While these are the most effective drugs for treating acid reflux drugs, they can cause side effects if not taken properly. Therefore it is essential to follow the recommendations of your doctor. Moreover, in addition to medication, the doctor may recommend to exclude or limit certain foods.

Sometimes multivitamins are recommended by experts to some people who are under anti-reflux medication to avoid some deficiencies . Indeed, the anti-reflux medications may decrease the absorption of nutrients and some drugs. If you follow the treatment, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

In case of failure of drug therapy, surgery to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease is possible, it is mostly reserved for patients with severe complications, and it is rarely necessary. However, surgery is more common in cases of hiatal hernia. This concludes the review of the main Acid Reflux Treatments.

Thursday, 19 May 2011

Acid Reflux Diet- Stop Your Indigestion and Heartburn Fast !

Acid Reflux, which is another name for heartburn, is when chemicals which should be in the stomach alone find their way up into the esophagas, and create a chemical imbalence.

Acid Reflux, or acid ingestion, effects the whole spectrum of society, from infants and children as well as fully grown adults, so everyone should be clear on its prevention, its symptoms and its cure.

Some of the worst culprits for starting off an attack of heartburn include chocolate, fruits like oranges and lemons and limes, foods full of spices, and food with a high percentage of fat or which has been deep fried.Also eating too much has a negative effect on digestion also what time of day the meal is eaten. The Master Key to avoiding the uneasy symptoms of heartburn caused by acid reflux is in watching the foods you eat- in other words managing your diet.

One particular food my cause the bulk of acid reflux symptoms, as many scientific studies have shown, so keeping records of what foods cause the most symptoms is important.

An Acid Reflux Diet is a special diet to suit the individual, a diet which teats the illness and points to those foods which should be eaten and those which should not.

You may be thinking what is the best diet to live a symptom free life where Acid Reflux is concerned.

Drinking milk is a good starting point-it can put a stop to the uneasy symptoms of indigestion fast.Unfortunately sometimes milk can also cause acid reflux by boosting stomach acid.

Avoiding overeating is paramount so small meals are important, especially during dinner and just before bedtime.

Their meals should consist mainly of complex carbohydrates.These could include wholemeal bread, rice and pasta- these soak up the stomach acids which cause the uneasy feelings.

Do not gulp you food down, take as long as you need, chew your food at least 30 times.The process of digestion begins with chewing well and this ensures that your get all the nutrients you can out of your meal.

After you have eaten for the next three quarters of an hour aid digestion by keeping in a straight position.

Low-fat foods will have a beneficial effect on stomach acid because the food is in there for less time therefore needing less stomach acid to digest.

Large meals will stimulate the stomach to produce more acid, therefore making your acid reflux symtoms worse.

Lentils and beans and other plant sources of protein are also good to replace some of your sources of animal protein.

Be a keen observer and if need be recorder of the time spent having your meal, amount of food, how relaxed your meal is and how much your food is chewed. Take a larger number of smaller meals in a day rather than a lesser number of larger meals.This is simply breaking up one larger meal into two.

For further information on the ideal Acid Reflux Diet you can contact your local physician, nutritionist or dietician. These professionals can ensure that youhave a diet which will achieve your health care objectives and needs.