When someone suffers from GERD their oesophagus is continually being burnt and slowly destroyed with contents from their stomach. This will inevitably cause scarring on the walls of the oesophagus. If the contents of the stomach are unable to re-enter the stomach they will continue to be digested in the oesophagus which will eventually damage and weaken the oesophagus so it becomes less effective as part of the digestive system than it already is.
Acid reflux isn't a disease that only adults suffer with, babies and young children can suffer as well. Babies that suffer are more prone to other serious illnesses if the disease is left untreated. Contents of the stomach can enter their windpipe and will eventually cause damage to their lungs
Lung damage can lead to asthma, pneumonia and in the worst cases, sudden infant death syndrome ( SIDS )
When the contents of the stomach cause damage to the oesophagus the walls become enflamed. This inflammation is known as Erosive Esophagitis which is not a very comfortable condition to live with
Erosive Esophagitis can lead to bleeding of the oesophagus which is a condition that can require surgery to put right. Patients can lose lots of blood which will enter the stomach and will be coughed up. Blood transfusions have been used on patients that have suffered from anaemic reaction.
All the damage and swelling of the oesophagus can make it difficult to properly ingest food, and on occasions can make breathing difficult.
When the oesophagus is continually filled with stomach acid and other stomach contents the damage that is caused can make the cells become cancerous. This is a condition called Barrett's Oesophagus. The percentage of acid reflux sufferers that eventually get this condition is ten percent, and this figure is gradually getting higher.
If the oesophagus is severely scarred and consistently filled with stomach acids it can eventually cause oesophageal cells to become cancerous, a condition called Barrett's oesophagus. Although only ten percent of individuals who suffer from acid reflux disease eventually go on to develop Barrett's oesophagus, this percentage is increasing.
Heartburn is a minor symptom of acid reflux, and this is the first sigh that you're suffering from this disease. The sooner you start treating yourself when you suffer from heartburn you can easily prevent any of the conditions mentioned above from happening.
Just suffering from heart burn twice a week is a sign that there is something wrong with your diet, lifestyle, eating habits and/or intestinal health. Indigestion is given the name heartburn because of the burning sensation you suffer behind the breast bone. This sensation usually occurs after eating.
There are two main reasons that acid reflux will happen to certain individuals. The first and most common reason is too much acid in the stomach. This can often be brought on by eating the wrong types of foods which is usually foods high in fat or spicy foods. The second most common reason is a weakened Lower Esophageal Sphincter ( LES ).
The LES is the muscle at the opening of your stomach that allows food and drink to flow into your stomach, and then it closes to prevent it coming back out of the top. In cases of a weakened LES the contents of the stomach come back out of the stomach and the acid causes the burning in the esophagus.
The over activity of Candida yeast in the intestines can cause access acid in the stomach, and weaken your whole digestive process. Candida is an organism that is kept under control by friendly bacteria in your intestines, but if it's allowed to take control then problems will occur. One of those being acid reflux
Poor eating habits will contribute to the over acidity of the stomach, and will cause heartburn on a regular basis. Foods such as chocolate, spicy foods, foods high in fat and tomatoes are big causes or acid reflux.
Wearing clothes that are too tight around the waist area will slow down digestion and put pressure on the contents of the stomach. This can cause food to enter the oesophagus.
Once you have discovered the root cause of your heartburn you can then prevent it rather than rely on indigestion formulas to just mask your problem. Long term use of these products will upset your digestion, and they can have numerous side effects that will effect your good health, and the ability of your digestive tract to absorb nutrients from the food you eat.
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