Acid reflux is another term for a condition many people commonly call heartburn. It primarily affects the food pathways, so it can cover a range of conditions that have almost identical characteristics. Each of us uses hydrochloric acid in our gut to breakdown the food we eat and ideally that is where it should stay. The sensation of burning that can be felt in the area of the stomach and heart happens when the digestive fluid tries to travel up the food tract.
Normally, when food is swallowed, the lower esophageal sphincter valve will open to allow food to enter the stomach for digestion but with this condition the valve does not close properly. It is when the esophageal sphincter doesn't close after food has passed through that the stomach fluids try to escape upwards and that is why it is called acid reflux. Medical science prefers to call the condition: gastroesophageal reflux disorder.
Unfortunately the exact cause of acid reflux condition remains a mystery, but it is believed an individual's diet is primarily to blame; overeating could also add to the problem and cause unnecessary stress on the stomach and its ability to process food.
Eating large amounts of food at any meal can put a lot of pressure on your abdominal walls. The release of this 'pressure' results in the stomach acids trying to flow back up the digestive tract. By lessening the amount of work the stomach has to do at any one time should reduce the instances of heartburn.
To prevent this from happening you should eat small meals throughout the day. This situation can be a problem for the health of the body as the stomach, esophagus and mouth all need to be in good working order. This is because the stomach is not only responsible for breaking down our food but also for preparing this food to be converted to specific nutrients that everyone's body needs.
The use of drugs to reduce the effects and calm the stomach can only be considered a temporary relief. These can create additional nutritional deficiencies and disease that a doctor may have a problem when diagnosing the cause. The long term treatment for acid reflux is to adapt your lifestyle habits in particular eating and drinking. Hopefully this will reduce the strain the stomach is placed under, gradually returning it to a more stable condition. Once you reduce or eliminate your heartburn disorder, you can start to eat some of the foods that you had to eliminate.
Of course acid reflux can also be aggravated by a number of other situations; for instance:
1)Smoking
2)Having allergies to particular foods e.g. peanuts
3)Medications that has side effect such as heartburns
4)Consuming too much alcohol
5)Having a sleep after eating a meal
As you can tell, most of these factors can be overcome by practicing some behavioral modifications and a change in lifestyle, just the thought of having no more heartburns should be a reason to want to change your lifestyle. By changing your eating habits you are the road to be acid clear up your acid reflux entirely. No one can force you to change but improvements to your life are within your control.
Hiccups, also called hiccoughs, result when the diaphragm suddenly contracts. The diaphragm is the thin muscle located under the heart and lungs that separates the chest from the abdomen and assists with inhaling. After the diaphragm contracts, the top portion of the windpipe known as the glottis, immediately closes which creates the characteristic ?hic? sound of hiccups.
A hiccup is a reflex you have no control over and can be hard to stop. That being said, the interesting fact about hiccups is that unlike other reflexes (I.E. sneezing, coughing, etc.), a hiccup does not appear to have a useful purpose.
What is the hiccups acid reflux connection? Most people have a case of the hiccups every once in a while, and in many of these instances, the spell of hiccups is brief, and there is no apparent reason why it was experienced. However, if hiccups are related to acid reflux, it is not uncommon for hiccups to be persistent and last for hours, this could be because of:
- Temporary swollen stomach ? This could be caused by eating too quickly, overeating, drinking carbonated beverages, swallowing air.
- Alcohol ? This is more common with fizzy alcohol drinks such as beer, sparkling wine, and mixed drinks. Too much air may also be swallowed while drinking alcohol.
- Excessive smoking ? taking in too much air
- Emotional stress ? when stressed many people tend to overeat, eat too fast, drink alcohol, smoke excessively, and are more prone to gulping air.
How can you treat hiccups? In many cases, there is no need for treatment because hiccups will typically disappear as quickly as they occurred. However, the following are some remedies you can try to treat mild hiccups:
- Drink a full glass of water
- Sip ice water
- Suck on an ice cube
- Hold your breath for 30 seconds
- Breath rapidly
- Breath into a paper bag
- Pull your knees into your chest
- Gasping from sudden fright
- Distract your mind from thinking about the hiccups
The above hiccup remedies will usually only work with short bouts of hiccups, and will not cure persistent hiccups that last for longer than 24 hours, or hiccups that recur frequently throughout the day. If you have persistent hiccups, they could be the cause of acid reflux, in which case you should be experiencing other acid reflux symptoms aside from the hiccups including heartburn, belching, regurgitation, coughing, etc. Therefore, try the following to remedy your acid reflux hiccups:
- Avoid drinking alcohol and carbonated beverages
- Stop smoking
- Eat and drink slowly. You should also eat small portions of food to prevent overeating.
- Reduce stress. Find ways to relax or release bottled up energy through exercise, meditation, or taking part in activities you enjoy.
If you try the above remedies and they do not work, you should see your doctor to discover what the underlying cause of your hiccups are. You may discover that your hiccups and acid reflux are not related. The reason is because there are more than 100 conditions that can cause hiccups. Usually when the underlying cause is identified, persistent hiccups can be cured.
Both Mariah Stewart & Kathryn Whittaker are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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