Acid Reflux Disease Symptom

Know the Symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease

Acid reflux disease is a condition in which the stomach acids abnormally reflux into the esophagus. Most people experience this after eating certain foods or large meals, depending on the person and the food.

Our body uses gastric and stomach acids to break down the food that we eat. A normal, healthy functioning system, is one where the stomach digests the food and then it continues on to the intestines to be broken down more. However, people who experience acid reflux disease it is because, the stomach contents move back up the esophagus which makes them feel bloated. Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, pregnancy, and fatty foods are some factors which worsens acid reflux conditions.

It has been medically proven that acid reflux effects both men and women and even women that are pregnant have issues with it through their pregnancy. There is no sexual preference. Moreover, the prevalence of acid reflux is more frequent in people of 40 years of age or more.

Symptoms of acid reflux may be typical or atypical. However, it is interesting to know that around 70% of the people that struggle with it; do not have any of the typical symptoms early on.

Often, most of the typical symptoms and concerns are related to the esophagus. Here are a few things the typically occur that you need to be aware of:

1. Causes of heartburn. This can be a painful symptom and is a condition that feels like a deep burning sensation in the esophagus. Heartburn usually begins in the chest area, but can also migrate to the neck or throat too. This is most probable to occur in relation with these activities: after a heavy meal, lifting, bending over, and lying down. Based on one study, about 75% of acid reflux patients experience this symptom at night. Often when it occurs in the evening, it is much more painful then those whose symptoms happen at other times of the day.

2. Experiencing Dyspepsia. Dyspepsia occurs in 50% of the people that experience heart burn. This is a syndrome which consists of pain and distress in the upper abdomen, nausea after a meal, and stomach fullness. Those that have Dyspepsia do not always have acid reflux associated with it.

3. Regurgitation. This is when the gastric contents back up into the pharynx and sometimes as far as the mouth. In cases where the acids have spilled into the tracheobronchial tree, respiratory complications can be stimulated.

There are many instances, though, that acid reflux patients do not manifest symptoms such as regurgitation and heartburn. Most commonly they experience the atypical symptoms that usually include some of the following:

1. Throat Issues. Throat symptoms are not as common however, some people with acid reflux do suffer from such things. People with acid laryngitis have problems with hoarseness, can feel like they always have a lump in their throat and often have dry coughs. Patients can also have difficulty in swallowing, a condition known as dysphagia. In some of the more severe cases, food can get trapped in the throat, which can cause distressing chest pain to occur. Other throat symptoms are chronic sore throat and persistent hiccups.

2. Feeling Nausea and Vomiting. When a patient suffers from nausea which persists for weeks, he may have acid reflux. There are few instances where vomiting can occur as often as once a day.

3. Respiratory Symptoms. Coughing and wheezing are counted as respiratory symptoms. These result from the overrunning of the stomach acids into the tracheobronchial tree creating bronchoconstriction. Bronchoconstriction is the constriction of the airways in the lungs due to the tightening of surrounding smooth muscle, with consequent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath

Acid reflux disease can last for several months if not given proper medical attention. Drug treatment may only be required for a short time. But when the symptoms tend to repetitively occur, the drug treatment may have to be reapplied.