Refluxus is derived from Refluere, a Latin word and the source for “reflux” that connotes the stomach acid gushing into the esophagus. The net outcomes of such phenomenon are stomach pain and nausea which are warning signs of heart burn or Acid reflux. Esophagus tube is located behind the throat and occasionally gastric enzymes or acids from the stomach moves into the esophagus. The resulting physiological condition is Gastro-esophageal Reflux disease or GERD.
There is an aperture called Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) that partitions the esophagus and the stomach, which might fail without any obvious cause. Acid reflux develops due to the transfer of gastric acid into the esophagus, sometimes up to the mouth level, that is responsible for a range of symptoms from discomfort to cancer. The reason for this condition is the failure of the LES.
The probable reason for the development of GERD is due to pressure against the stomach that forces the digestive acids to move into the esophagus. This might be due to pregnancy, overeating, hiatus hernia, peptic ulcers, asthma, smoking and alcohol consumption. Reduction in food consumption moderates the risk for acquiring heartburn especially when the person is pregnant or obese. Due to the possibility of adverse reactions of medications and uncontrollable coughing or sneezing, asthmatic patients suffer greatly from heartburn.Another reason for the development of heartburn and reflux is smoking that diminishes saliva production. Smoking induces more production of digestive acids, moves bile salt to stomach and deteriorates esophageal sphincter, which results in indigestion. Alcohol creates similar effects and scientific proof is available to show that reduction in alcohol intake lessens heartburn.
Dietary changes relieve heartburn symptoms. In order to inhibit GERD, it is healthier to avoid tea, coffee, black pepper, chili, garlic, spices, cauliflower, tomatoes, beans, vinegar, citrus and pineapple.Medications that restrict acid production in the stomach are highly effective in heartburn therapy. GERD is a widespread dilemma that we can generally cure with a balanced, nutritious diet and drugs. In severe cases suffering from persistent heartburn, surgery is mandatory due to lesion in the esophagus and ingestion difficulties that might ultimately lead to cancer.
Reflux disease can be a nauseating condition because unassimilated food from the stomach often enters the mouth. Medical treatment is necessary for curing persistent symptoms of heartburn, irrespective of physical conditions or age, because it might lead to ulcers and eventually cancer in the esophagus. There are numerous remedies for the reflux condition among the various branches of natural medicine like Ayurveda, homeopathy, acupuncture, acupressure, etc.
Stress in addition to excessive consumption of fatty plus oily foods, milk byproducts and salt are direct contributors to reflux disease. Regular exercises and eating limited quantity of foodstuffs helps to prevent GERD. Restriction in the ingestion of soda, drugs, alcoholic beverages, smoking, particular cuisines and caffeine from the diet helps to moderate the symptoms of heartburn. “Prevention is better than cure” is a maxim that highlights the importance of daily healthcare in avoiding acid reflux.