Acid Reflux – Common Myths and The Answers
Acid reflux is one of those problems which many people suffer from, but not many people know the truth about. There are so many misconceptions surrounding this condition that you might be confused as to what the real answer is and what’s not. So, here are some myths about acid reflux and the answers.
- Myth: People who have acid reflux don’t take care of themselves.
- Truth: Many people who have this condition do take care of themselves.
So, maybe you think that if you are suffering from acid reflux, you might not be taking care of yourself, but the truth is that you can eat right and work out and still suffer from this condition. While it is widely accepted that certain foods, such as fried and greasy foods are more likely to cause you to suffer from acid reflux, many people who don’t eat these foods at all still suffer from heartburn. You may, however want to consider certain lifestyle behaviors which might be affecting your condition, such as consuming too much caffeine, smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
- Myth: People who suffer from this condition need to cut back on protein.
- Truth: Cutting back on protein can cause you to lack in essential nutrition.
Many people who suffer from acid reflux have been mislead to believe that they need to cut down on proteins and other valuable nutrients but the truth is that as long as you are consuming the right types of proteins, you are unlikely to find that your symptoms become worse. Make sure to eat lean protein, such as those found in chicken, turkey and fish. You should also consider getting protein from other sources such as almonds.
- Myth: The cause of your acid reflux is your stomach producing too much acid.
- Truth: Often, the cause of your condition has nothing to do with how much acid your stomach makes.
Often, when people suffer from acid reflux, it has nothing to do with how much acid the stomach is producing; instead, it has to do with the muscle at the base of the esophagus called the esophageal sphincter. Throughout our daily lives, we can do things which cause this muscle to become irritated or weakened. This is the cause of your condition. When the esophageal sphincter is functioning properly, it shouldn’t matter how much acid your stomach is making because the muscle will create a tight seal which will prevent acid from climbing into the esophagus.
So, you need to work to ease the damage and strengthen the esophageal sphincter when you’re working to ease your acid reflux so that you can have a long term solution to your problem.
- Myth: Acid reflux is just heartburn and it won’t hurt you.
- Truth: If you don’t work to ease your condition, it can have long term health effects.
If you suffer from frequent heartburn, you should know that if you don’t work to ease your condition, you could be causing your body serious damage, such as sores in the esophagus, frequent cough, damage to tooth enamel and ulcers. It’s really important to make sure to work to heal yourself and your acid reflux so that you can get back to a pain free, comfortable life.
If you think that you can’t ease your heartburn and start living a healthy, happy life, you need to think again. You will find that you can not only ease your acid reflux symptoms now, but you can cure it for good – and that’s the truth!
Choosing Medications for Acid Reflux Disease
Choosing the right medications for acid reflux disease can be difficult for a few reasons. First of all, there are so many different options available today that it’s hard to determine which ones actually do work and which do not. Second, not everybody responds to medication the same way so something that works great for one person may not necessarily be the best for you. Finally, many people do not really understand what the medications for acid reflux disease can do, and they will just take anything that is recommended to them. In order to make sure that you do get the best treatment for your particular condition, a good first step to take is to understand the different remedies that are available to you and be able to discern which of them will be most beneficial for your case.
Antacids
The most common over the counter medications for acid reflux disease are antacids, which are very good for settling the stomach especially after eating too much. Popular antacids today include Tums, Maalox and Rolaids. To their credit, these antacids do work very well in providing instant relief from stomach pain but that’s all they are mostly. They are not long-term solutions to acid reflux and they certainly won’t stop further occurrences of the condition. Furthermore, they can also cause constipation or diarrhea when used too frequently.
H-2 Receptor Blockers
For moderate cases of acid reflux that won’t go away with simple antacids, H-2 receptor blockers are usually the recommended solutions. They work by regulating the production of stomach acids, effectively preventing the overflowing of acids back into the esophagus. These medications for acid reflux disease take a little longer than antacids to show results, but the relief that you can get from them does last considerably longer. Popular brands of H-2 receptor blockers available in pharmacies are Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet.
Proton Pump Inhibitors
These medications for acid reflux disease are available both over the counter and by prescription, depending on the particular brand and dosage. One of the OTC proton pump inhibitors commonly used today is Prilosec, which is a combination of an antacid and an acid-blocking medication. Proton pump inhibitors are very good for people who have already sustained some amount of damage on their esophageal tube due to the overexposure to stomach acids.
Although many of these medications for acid reflux disease can readily be purchased in any drugstore in the country without a doctor’s prescription, it is advised that you seek the advice of your physician first before taking any kind of drug.
