Heartburn/GERD + Original Articles

Although both treatment options may effectively treat GERD, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of each. Severe GERD is hard to live with: Heartburn, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, and long-term complications that include strictures in the esophagus, Barrett's esophagus, and even esophageal cancer. But talk to a gastroenterologist and he'll say you can effectively control your symptoms and heal damage to your esophagus with medicinal therapy.

The type of treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease depends on your symptoms and its effect on your digestive system. But how do you know if surgery should be considered? Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is very common. In fact, nearly 2 in 10 Americans suffer from this chronic condition. Not as common? People suffering from severe GERD symptoms. But it's those GERD sufferers that experience complications with the chronic condition.

You can still get diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD) without having heartburn. Learn the other risk factors. When you think about gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), you think heartburn. And yes, that's a classic symptom of reflux, but you can have reflux disease without having heartburn symptoms. Reflux can affect the larynx and throat, too, not just the esophagus.

Heartburn is a symptom of GERD. And there’s more to know about how these conditions are distinct. Heartburn is a symptom that's a result of acid reflux and the more severe condition gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD occurs when the lower esophagus gets irritated from the build up of continued acid reflux, explains Frank Gress, MD, chief of the Gastroenterology Division at SUNY-Downstate Medical Center in New York City.

Good night? Not when you have acid reflux. Here's how to take the burn out of sleep time. So you've avoided trigger foods such as chocolate, coffee, and alcohol, reduced portion sizes at dinner, and stopped snacking late at night to avoid a nightly bout of acid reflux. But as you retire to bed it's still there. Now what? These behavior modification approaches help make a lot of people feel better and reduce acid reflux symptoms.

On a day when Americans consume nearly three times the recommended amount of daily calories, staying heartburn-free can be tricky, but it's far from impossible. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season, a joyous time when families come together to give thanks and celebrate the coming year. But it's also a time when food temptations are at their peak. According to the Calorie Control Council (an organization representing the makers of low-calorie foods), the average American will consume a whopping 4,500 calories—nearly three times the daily amount recommended for most adults—and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day.

It's not just heartburn. Here are the real telltale signs of this digestive disorder. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (or GERD) is a fairly common ailment, affecting some 7 million people in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More than 50 percent of those afflicted with GERD are between the ages of 45 and 64, both male and female.

Stress leads to the behaviors that bring on heartburn, but our tips can quell the flames and help you cope. Stress itself does not cause heartburn. There is data that suggests you produce more acid when you're under stress, but reflux is not so much a problem with stomach acid, it's a problem with acid in the wrong place—the esophagus instead of in the stomach.

Heartburn is just heartburn, right? Maybe. Long-term esophagus irritation increases your risk of some serious conditions and diseases. Long-term, untreated heartburn may become a life-threatening condition such as esophageal cancer. Rates of esophageal cancer in the United States have risen in recent decades—does having GERD increase your risk? A recent Danish study found that long-term irritation of the lining of the esophagus may increase your risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Here are the dos and don'ts to follow when it comes to working out for and with heartburn. One of the main reasons people exercise is to lose weight, but fitness can also play a role in treating heartburn and acid reflux disease. "It's one of the lifestyle modifications that we stress," says David A. Peura, MD, Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville.

Soothe your stomach with these simple solutions. "Nausea is a symptom, and you can't treat symptoms effectively unless you know the basis for the symptom," says Steven Lamm, MD, author of No Guts, No Glory (Basic Health Publications). Common causes include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, and mal-digestion.

Indigestion is indigestion, right? Wrong. By knowing the origins of your upset stomach you'll have a better shot at treating it successfully. About 1 in 4 people in the U.S. suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. Dyspepsia, or acid indigestion, can be due to peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), another underlying issue—organic dyspepsia, or for no obvious cause—functional dyspepsia.

We separate fact from fiction for these common digestive misconceptions. 1. Spicy foods cause ulcers. Ulcers—open sores located in the stomach (gastric ulcers) or small intestine (duodenal ulcers)—are not caused by certain foods, according to the experts at the American College of Gastroenterology. Though certain foods can irritate an ulcer that is already there, they don't cause the sore.

Many different types of medications can be used to treat heartburn. But what works for one person may not work for another. Many different types of medications can be used to treat heartburn. But what works for one person may not work for another, so you may have to experiment until you find what's best for you. If you constantly take over-the-counter antacids but your heartburn symptoms persist or if your prescription heartburn medication doesn't provide much relief, your doctor may suggest a different type of medicine, or even a combination of drugs, that work in different ways to help control your symptoms.

Occasional heartburn isn't dangerous, but if it occurs on a frequent basis, it could indicate a more serious health condition. Here's a look at heartburn by the numbers. Heartburn, that burning feeling in your throat or chest and bitter taste in your mouth, is caused when the acid in your stomach backs up into the esophagus and causes irritation. Certain foods, alcoholic beverages, and some medications can cause heartburn, and it's not uncommon to have it while pregnant.

Occasional heartburn is no cause for concern. But chronic bouts can be linked to serious health problems, including cancer. Heartburn is the result of acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, a tube in your throat that moves food from the mouth to the stomach. Heartburn sufferers describe the condition as a burning sensation in the chest behind the breastbone.

Heartburn symptoms are common and often not dangerous, but similar symptoms could signal other, more serious health conditions. For the most part, there are not many things that mimic acid reflux that are not acid reflux, says Richard A. Desi, M.D. of The Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Though heartburn usually is a classic symptom of acid reflux disease, you'll need to see your doctor to determine that's truly the case.

Doctors have discovered that the strength of your esophagus may play a major role in why you have gastroesophageal reflux disease. A 2010 study presented at Society of Nuclear Medicine's Annual Meeting found evidence that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be due to a lack of muscle tone, or motility, in the esophageal muscles. Using molecular imaging, 49 participants (known or suspected of having GERD) were scanned while upright and again lying down to gauge ineffective esophageal motility, or poor functioning of the muscles of the esophagus and lower-esophageal sphincter.

Take comfort in knowing that these food favorites are actually healthy for you, just as long as you eat them the right way. If you suffer from heartburn or gastrointestinal distress after eating certain foods, you don't have to be told that fried chicken, burgers, lasagna, and the like are not your friends. But you don't have to de-friend some of those feel-good favorites.

If your love for coffee has diminished thanks to heartburn, there's good news: it's because you're drinking the wrong kind of brew. Can't enjoy a cup of coffee because of heartburn? Here's some news that will cheer you up: Researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria and the Technische Universität München in Germany reported that dark-roasted coffee (such as espresso and French roast) may be easier to stomach.

EoE can be commonly confused with acid reflux disease, but it's a condition that's believed to be caused by an allergic reaction to common food proteins. Eosinophilic Esophagitis (commonly referred to as EoE) often looks and feels like acid reflux disease, but it doesn't respond to the common treatments. Your doctor might not be able to tell the difference between the two conditions without running some telltale diagnostic tests.

If you feel that you've been exercising and no results ensue, it may be time to consider whether digestive problems could be getting in the way. The basic rule of weight loss says that if you take in fewer calories than you use, you'll shed pounds. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try it seems that the scale just won't budge. If you feel that you've been exercising and no results ensue, it may be time to consider whether digestive problems could be getting in the way.

An alarming number of older patients fail to continue taking their regular medications after they return home, particularly if they spent time in intensive care. While hospitals can be lifesavers, especially for the elderly, an alarming number of older patients fail to continue taking their regular medications after they return home—particularly if they spent time in intensive care. Why? Mainly because they neglect to renew their prescriptions.

Get that overdue good night's rest you need by committing to these essential to-dos. Learn how you should sleep and what foods you should avoid to prevent the burn from ruining your night. If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling refreshed in the morning, you're not alone. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders and 20 million more have occasional bouts of disrupted sleep.

If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, or gastric ulcers, your doctor may prescribe a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to ease your symptoms. If you suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn, or gastric ulcers, your doctor may prescribe a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to ease your symptoms. PPIs block an enzyme in the stomach wall that produces acid.

Although the condition itself doesn't cause symptoms, the acid reflux that causes Barrett's esophagus frequently leads to heartburn and is commonly found in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Barrett's esophagus is a rare disorder-affecting about one percent of adults in the U.S.-in which the lining of the esophagus (the tube, also called the food pipe, which carries food from the throat to the stomach) is damaged by stomach acid. Although the condition itself doesn't cause symptoms, the acid reflux that causes Barrett's esophagus frequently leads to heartburn and is commonly found in people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

If you find yourself ridden with stomach pain, you may be tempted to search for medications for relief. And although they may work, all you may need to feel better are the following tips. If you find yourself ridden with stomach pain, you may be tempted to search for medications for relief. And although they may work, all you may need to feel better are the following tips. Diarrhea Diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery stools that occur three or more times a day.

Eating a well-balanced diet, drinking plenty of water each day, and refraining from doing things that can worsen digestive problems could be all you need to ease your digestive woes. If you occasionally suffer from mild heartburn, bloating, or constipation, you're not alone. Approximately 70 million Americans are plagued by digestive disorders. And it's easy to see why. Your digestive system is a highly sophisticated process that converts foods into smaller molecules of nutrients before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to cells throughout your body.

Learn the essential rule of thumb for knowing the difference between heartburn and heart trouble. See what people are saying about this article on our Facebook page! You're experiencing tightness, burning, and pain in your chest. You immediately wonder whether it's heartburn caused by that spicy meal you just polished off, or the worst case scenario—a heart attack.

Chances are you've experienced that unpleasant feeling of a sour, acid-like taste in your mouth. And what's worse is that it can happen at the most inconvenient times. Learn how this happens and what you can do to get rid of that sour taste in your mouth. See what people are saying about this article on our Facebook page! Chances are you've experienced that unpleasant feeling of a sour, acid-like taste in your mouth. It can happen at the most inconvenient times, but is most common upon waking up in the morning and after eating fried, fatty, and greasy foods.

Ever eaten something you knew would ignite heartburn or acid reflux, but afterwards were surprised to find that you didn't experience symptoms? If so, don't be relieved, the burn can plague you within hours or even days. See what people are saying about this article on our Facebook page! Even though you shouldn't have had that spicy Mexican enchilada or that extra cup of coffee, you actually don't feel too bad afterwards-at least not right away. But hours or even a day or two later, you feel those familiar and terrible symptoms of reflux coming on and heartburn brought on by reflux is plaguing you once again.

This small study might prove that a supplement can be the next breakthrough treatment to your worst heartburn symptoms.   A recent Yale University study showed that zinc salts could relieve the painful and sometimes debilitating symptoms of heartburn. The study also showed that zinc salts can relieve pain without the side effects of common traditional medications used to treat this condition.

How can a simple task like swallowing become a difficult mission? You might think this should be easy for your muscles to do, but it takes more just strength. Swallowing may seem like a simple task, but, it takes about 50 pairs of muscles and nerves to bite, chew, and swallow. When you swallow, your tongue pushes food to the back of your throat where muscle contractions quickly move the food through the esophagus (the tube connecting your throat and stomach).

A study published in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that "the total amount of reflux time was significantly greater" when study volunteers lay on this side. Can your sleeping position affect heartburn pain? According to several studies, the answer is yes. A study published in The Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology found that "the total amount of reflux time was significantly greater" when study volunteers lay on their right side, as opposed to their left side, after eating high-fat meals.

Heartburn can be difficult to avoid this time of year, what with heavy meals and heavy stress at every turn. Fortunately, by making some simple adjustments, you can help put out the fire and enjoy the excitement of the season. According to a survey by the National Heartburn Alliance, 66 percent of Americans experience heartburn during the holiday season, but you don't have to be among them this year. Just making some simple adjustments to your eating habits and lifestyle will help you keep heartburn pain away.

The holiday season is a joyful time, but the anxiety of facing crowded malls, planning family festivities, and making the rounds at parties can cause an already sensitive digestive system to act up. Here's how to regain your calm when the stressors just keep on coming. The holiday season is a joyful time, but the mental and physical stress of facing crowded malls, planning family festivities, and making the rounds at parties can make an already sensitive digestive system caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) act up.

Nearly 75 percent of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) experience symptoms at night. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep it at bay. Nearly 75 percent of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) experience symptoms at night. Fortunately, there are things you can do to find relief. GERD is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when stomach acid or bile flows back into your esophagus, irritating the lining.

It may be embarrassing to talk about gas, but how much gas is too much is important to keep in mind. Find out when is it normal and healthy and when does it indicate that your stomach health is at risk. Although many people are often too embarrassed to talk about gas, nearly everyone wonders how much gas is too much? Everyone has gas and eliminates it by either burping or passing it through the rectum. It's a perfectly normal bodily function. And while many people think they pass too much gas, on average most people generate between one and four pints of gas daily and pass gas between 12 and 25 times a day.

A cough is a symptom that can have many causes. A persistent cough can disrupt your life, make it difficult to sleep, and put a wrench in your relationships. When you can't stop coughing, it is not only annoying, it also drains your energy and disturbs your quality of life. Possible Causes A cough begins when an irritant such as perfume, dust, or even spicy food, stimulates nerves in your respiratory tract.

Read on for a list of six drinks that are most likely to burn a fire in your chest. If you suffer from heartburn, you're not alone. At some point, nearly everyone will experience a painful, burning feeling in their chest or throat caused by acid or other stomach contents backing up into the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

Read on to learn more about their findings and how you may be able to start benefiting from their research. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati have identified a gene that helps control the production of stomach acid, according to data published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Overproduction of stomach acid can result in reflux disease as well as peptic ulcers.

According to a new study, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may not be the direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus. According to a new study, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may not be the direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus (the tube that leads from the back of the mouth to the stomach), as has been long thought. It may actually be the result of  immune system cells causing inflammation in the esophagus.

Now, new research is showing that high-fiber foods can ease the flames of heartburn. It's been shown that eating a diet high in fiber can help prevent or relieve constipation, as well as lower your risk for diabetes, heart disease and possibly colon cancer. Now, new research is showing that high-fiber foods can also calm the flames of heartburn.

Who hasn't had a stomachache? Find out what causes them. "Stomachache" is a generic term used to describe a variety of common ailments in the abdominal area that can develop suddenly or be chronic in nature. They can include everything from a knotty feeling to sharp, stabbing pains or worse. The causes of stomachaches are just as varied, ranging from viral infections to urinary tract infections or food poisoning caused.

Combining classes of medications for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be more effective in controlling symptoms than using just one type of medication. Combining classes of medications for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be more effective in controlling symptoms than using just one type of medication. For example, people suffering from heartburn after eating may find that taking both antacids (such as Alka-Seltzer, Maalox, Mylanta or Rolaids) and H2 receptor blockers (such as Tagamet HB, Pepcid AC, Axid AR or Zantac 75) may give them longer lasting relief than taking just one type of medication.

Few would suspect one treatment the treatment of one condition to cause symptoms of another. But this very well may be the case. Of all the bad things about heartburn, the good news is that it is treatable. Over-the-counter drugs can be purchased easily and cheaply, and often times all it takes to reduce the burn is an antacid after a heavy meal. Indeed, treatment for reflux nearly negates the symptoms.

Health risks include heartburn, peptic ulcers, and Crohn's disease, not to mention certain types of cancer. If you think smokeless tobacco isn't as dangerous as cigarettes, think again. Numerous studies are showing similar health problems associated with smokeless tobacco as with smoking. There are two types of smokeless tobacco: snuff and chewing tobacco. Snuff tobacco is finely ground and is typically placed between the cheek and gum.

If left untreated, chronic heartburn can lead to a host of health conditions including asthma, pneumonia, and even esophageal cancer. Experiencing occasional bouts of acid reflux-the regurgitation of partially digested food or liquid-is common. But when it becomes chronic, occurring more than two times a week, the problem can lead to more serious conditions if left untreated. Conditions can range from respiratory problems like asthma and pneumonia to ulcers and tooth decay.

Find out if this age-old practice could help keep your symptoms at bay. Two small studies may shed some light on whether acupuncture, the ancient art of traditional Chinese medicine in which needles are used in pressure points on the body, may help alleviate heartburn. An Australian study of 14 heartburn-free volunteers found that electrical stimulation of an acupuncture point on the wrist reduced the number of times the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle relaxed.

Eating a late-night snack before bedtime may not only pack on unwanted pounds; it could keep you up at night with indigestion and even set off episodes of heartburn. Eating a late-night snack before bedtime may not only pack on unwanted pounds;  it could keep you up at night with indigestion and even set off episodes of heartburn.  Here, five tips to distract you from that late-night munching and ensure that you get your full eight hours.

Find out if you're putting your health in danger. Millions of people suffer from occasional episodes of acid reflux. This occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) located at the end of the esophagus, opens spontaneously or does not close properly for some reason and digestive juices-called acids-rise up with partially digested food into the esophagus.

Read on for simple ways to stay symptom-free while on the job. At one time or another, many of us have had an occasional bout of heartburn, a painful burning sensation that arises in the chest and may extend to the throat. If you experience more frequent episodes of heartburn, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Read on for tips on preparing dishes that taste great and keep heartburn at bay. Eliminating spicy foods from your diet to avoid heartburn and bouts of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), doesn't mean you have to be relegated to a lifetime of eating bland, tasteless meals. In fact, you can develop GERD-friendly meals that both reduce acid production and taste delicious.

If you've been experiencing chest pain, bloating, and difficulty swallowing, it's possible you have a hiatal hernia. For people who have an abnormality called a hiatal hernia, the opening of their esophageal hiatus is larger than normal, which means that a portion of their upper stomach slips up or passes through their hiatus and into their chest. In other words, part of their stomach comes through their diaphragm and into their chest.

If you frequently suffer from acid reflux, your health could be paying the price. Could it be that the innocuous burning pain behind your breastbone after a heavy meal is more than heartburn? Or that the reflux you experience lying down too soon after the meal is doing more than giving you a bad taste in your mouth? For the 60 million Americans who experience heartburn with regularity, oftentimes an antacid can relieve the discomfort[1].

When you're looking to freshen your breath, you probably reach for a mint or a piece of gum. But this simple act could be affecting your digestive health more than you think. Heartburn relief comes in many forms. Whether you're committed to a low-fat diet, to staying upright after a meal, or to popping a few TUMS to combat a burning chest, there are multiple ways to halt the pain. And if those don't work, head into cyberspace, where you'll find dozens of blogs and message boards proclaiming to have found the magical heartburn relief.

If you've had difficulty swallowing or ever felt a burning in your chest that radiated to your arms, back, neck, and jaw, you may have experienced an esophageal spasm. Perhaps you're having difficulty swallowing food or liquid. Or maybe you have the sensation that food is caught in the middle of your chest, and that your chest is burning, and then it becomes a pain that radiates outward, to your arms, back, neck, and jaw.

To alleviate symptoms, some dietitians recommend the alkaline diet, which is believed to balance the body’s pH levels. If each day you emphasize eating grapefruit with breakfast, carrots and almonds for a snack, and broccoli or green beans with dinner, not only are you probably very healthy, you are adhering to an alkaline diet and you don't even know it. And if you suffer...

Heartburn is about twice as prevalent is Western populations as it is in the East. Read on for the reasons. Heartburn is a digestive disease afflicting nearly 60 million Americans, each of whom it affects differently. Some people get it when they eat heavy meals, some get by lying down after the meal. Some people experience as children, others as adults. Some people are able to deal with it if it's mild (once a week), some people take over-the-counter medicines (antacids), and for some unfortunate people heartburn turns into GERD.

Learn why it’s so important to visit your doctor if your heartburn symptoms persist. GERD can be a hard disease to gauge. Heartburn is the number one symptom of GERD, and it typically flares up during moments that we all have every day (heavy meals, lying down after a meal). As such, millions of Americans experience it a few times a week, which is normal and is not suggestive of any worse malady.

Results from a recent study have revealed that nearly two-thirds of heartburn sufferers aren’t aware of the long-term dangers associated with the condition. Heartburn tends to flare up while we are engaged in an activity. And because these activities occur everyday—while we're eating a heavy meal, lying down after the meal, or jogging along the sidewalk—we tend to think of heartburn as an isolated event, something that happens once, or, if it does happen again, happens in a similar, rectifiable situation.

Emerging studies suggest that coffee may not much effect on heartburn after all.   Anyone familiar with heartburn knows the term "trigger foods." They're the food and drink that aggravate heartburn, and although heartburn can come from a variety of different types of foods, chances are you know which are your own trigger foods-the ones you have a hard time keeping down.

A simple understanding of the procedure can help ease any feelings of anxiety. The first person to enjoy a doctor's visit for an endoscopy may be the last. Lying in an exam chair, having anesthetic sprayed on your throat, having a tube travel down your throat-none of this is very appetizing. If you're suffering from a constant burning in your chest, your doctor may order an endoscopy to determine what's going on.

It’s only not only adults that can suffer from this painful condition. For parents, nothing is more important than their child's health. Any ailment, no matter how severe, deserves special attention--a sore throat, a stomach pain, an aching head. Even something seemingly benign, such as a burp or a small amount of reflux, should be taken into consideration, for you may not be aware that children, not just adults, can have acid reflux.

Learn more about the truths and myths behind this common heartburn medication. If you've ever popped a couple Rolaids after dinner, you've experienced acid reflux, or heartburn. The burning sensation in behind the breastbone can be painful and frustrating Wouldn't it be nice to have a stronger medication that staved off these attacks at all times of the day? Proton pump inhibitors, which temporarily stop the stomach from producing acid, are a more intense form of heartburn medication.

Learn more about the risks and results associated with this new surgery. If you're one of the 60 million Americans who experiences heartburn two or more times per week for at least three months, there is a chance you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If so, there are a number of ways to get treated. The first are lifestyle changes, which include: Losing weight Changing your diet Altering your sleep habits Reducing your stress level The second way is with drug therapy or over-the-counter medicines.

Learn more about how this sweet treat can aggravate your symptoms. It happens around the holidays. You're with your family, there's tons of food around, and you gorge on everything from turkey to stuffing to cake. It's fun at the time, but not long after, things start to change. You feel a burning sensation in your chest, and before you know it, you're tasting all that delicious food in the back of your throat.

In the world of digestive problems—those annoying ailments that hurt your stomach, chest, and throat—few are as frustrating as constipation. In the world of digestive problems—those annoying ailments that hurt your stomach, chest, and throat—few are as frustrating as constipation. A heavy meal, however, can lead to digestive problems equally as annoying: heartburn, the burning sensation behind the breastbone—and the main symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Learn about the important connection between these two health conditions. A little bit of light heartburn is common, but if you experience it frequently and chronically, you could have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In addition to heartburn, the 3 main GERD symptoms are regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, and water brash.

Doctors today seem to recognize a strong link between asthma and reflux, making it important to treat both conditions when they occur hand-in-hand. Do you ever notice a connection between what you eat and when your asthma kicks in? If so, you could be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease, which is also called GERD or acid reflux. Doctors today seem to recognize a strong link between asthma and reflux, making it important to treat both conditions when they occur hand-in-hand, in order to relieve discomfort and also to help you to breathe better.

Learn more about the connection and overlap between the two. The sensation you feel in your stomach, behind your breastbone, or in the back of your throat is unpleasant. You know it has something to do with the digestive system, but it's difficult pinpointing the exact location and the exact sensation. Which makes determining the exact cause of your digestive problems difficult.

Consistent acid reflux relief really is possible. Here's how. One of the worst aspects of acid reflux is that it can occur at any time-on the way to work, while eating lunch, during a workout, in the middle of the night. But there is good news: you have the power to control your symptoms. Consistent acid reflux relief is possible.

It's bad enough that you have asthma, but to make matters worse, do you also have to suffer from a variety of other illnesses? The Link Asthma is a chronic disease that affects your airways, making them more sensitive to a host of triggers that can cause them to become inflamed and make you cough, wheeze and experience chest pain. If you regularly grapple with the discomfort...

Research is suggesting that the actual side effects of the medication that may help heartburn sufferers. Get the whole story. Melatonin is a hormone our body produces that helps regulate sleep. It is produced naturally in the pineal gland at the base of the brain, but it can also be taken in tablets, which people who travel a lot or suffer from mild sleep disorders take to improve their circadian rhythms (which has some scientific backing).

Find out if this plant can give you the relief you're looking for. People who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) suffer from a variety of symptoms. The primary one is heartburn, the burning sensation behind the breastbone that usually comes when you eat fatty too many fatty foods, eat too quickly, or lie down too soon after eating.

Combining the right foods helps ensure a smooth digestive process. No one likes a digestive problem. Whether it's not going to the bathroom enough (constipation), going to the bathroom too much (diarrhea), a burning behind the breastbone (heartburn), or a pain in the epigastric area (indigestion), anything that makes us feel uncomfortable in relation to eating is an annoyance.

For all the good it does for our bodies, vitamin C can also cause nasty heartburn. When you feel that burning pain in your breastbone, you know it all too well: heartburn. Almost everyone experiences it sometimes, as heartburn causes range from food to exercise to stress.[1] So one way to minimize the chance of having it is to scale back on those activities.

You have all the symptoms, but the tests are negative. How can it be? You have the typical acid reflux symptom: heartburn. You have the typical indigestion symptoms: a sour stomach, pain in the upper abdomen or chest. You're regurgitating food and bitter liquid. You're producing excessive saliva. All signs point to acid reflux.

When it comes to easing your symptoms, are Atkins and South Beach Diets the way to go? Remember not too long ago, when the Atkins and South Beach Diet were supposed to revolutionize weight-loss? The diets were not shams, but the way they were thought of sometimes made it seem so. People assumed that the new best way to lose weight was to simply eliminate carbohydrates from their diet, when the truth was that both of those diets helped restructure how we ate carbs.

Is it possible for this digestive condition to play a role in what your voice sounds like? Find out now. When you have gastroesophagal reflux disease (GERD), the symptom you're most likely to have is heartburn, which is the burning sensation behind the breastbone. Similarly to heartburn, the other potential symptoms of reflux, like indigestion and constipation, are concentrated in the gastrointestinal area.

Here are three natural supplements that will lead you on the path to a healthier digestive system. In the past few years, detoxification (or detox) has become a popular method for treating a variety of ailments, including heartburn. Here are three natural supplements that will lead you on the path to a healthier digestive system. Indigestion is a common digestive disease.

Get the 411 on this condition that affects millions. Your stomach acid has the same acidity as battery acid. The only reason you survive is because the stomach is built to handle this. But the esophagus isn't, and when stomach acid backs into it, you get that painful burning sensation just below the breastbone.

Follow these tips to avoid heartburn, bellyaches, and other uncomfortable symptoms. When you have digestion problems, you may find yourself experiencing painful symptoms. A big part of preventing these problems, though, is to find foods that digest easily. Here's how to get started. 1. Switch everything to whole grains. This includes cereal (granola and oatmeal), rice, and bread, all of which are available wherever you buy groceries.

Since asthmatics are more than twice as likely to have reflux as non-asthma sufferers, it's clear there is a connection. Did you know that more than three-quarters of asthma sufferers also experience gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as acid reflux? At first glance, a link between a breathing disorder and a malady involving the backward flow of stomach acids into the esophagus seems an unlikely one.

If it doesn't cause any outward problems, then why worry about Barrett’s esophagus? Find out now. Barrett's esophagus is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus-the tube that carries food from your mouth down to your stomach-is replaced by a lining similar to that of the intestine. It's estimated that one out of every 100 people in the U.

Learn more about what triggers this aggravating condition. Why does heartburn occur? The food you eat goes down through your esophagus into your stomach via a small opening between the esophagus and stomach. Normally, this little opening acts like a gate, widening to let the food through and quickly closing up behind it.

If you suffer from a range of uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms every time you eat foods containing wheat, rye, malt, barley and oats, a gluten allergy could be to blame for your distress. Is it a Gluten Allergy? Do you think you could have a gluten allergy? Or do you have a digestive problem called celiac disease? Both conditions are caused by eating things containing gluten and both have very similar symptoms, making it difficult to differentiate.

Want to prevent heartburn before it starts? Bring the following foods into your diet. For heartburn sufferers, food is divided into three categories: food that aggravates symptoms, food that decreases symptoms, and food that does not lead to symptoms. Most important is knowing which foods fall into which categories. If the goal is to find foods that prevent heartburn, many foods can be eliminated because they relax the lower esophageal sphincter and contribute to heartburn symptoms.

Your vacation is your time to forget about the daily grind. Make sure heartburn doesn't get in the way. A sore throat, itchy eyes, the sniffles—all are a threat to a good vacation. The last thing you want on your Caribbean cruise is a fever keeping you from the water. But sometimes you run into problems you can’t control, and even worse are problems intensified by travel.

Learn about the important link between the three. Our bodies need enough stored energy to go for a jog, but no one wants spaghetti sloshing around in their stomach when they’re bouncing on the pavement. Jogging, though, is a high-impact exercise that jostles the stomach. While you don’t want to exercise on a full stomach, you do want to exercise to help stave off digestive problems stemming from food.

Learn more about this complication of diabetes. A potential complication of diabetes is nerve damage, which can affect several areas of your body, including your digestive system. When this happens, a condition known as gastroparesis can set in, making blood sugar levels even more difficult to control.

Don't turn to meds just yet; these natural alternatives may do the trick. Digestive diseases are no fun. They prevent you from drinking regular milk or lying down after a meal. They send you to the toilet every hour or keep you from it for days. Whether they’re inherited, rare, common, or uncommon, they can be embarrassing to discuss and a hassle on your daily life.

Learn about symptoms and treatments of some familiar digestive problems. If you’re experiencing any digestive problems, it’s important that you see your doctor. Many are easy to fix, as long as you understand them. Here are five common digestive ailments. 1. Constipation. Bowel movement fewer than three times per week .

Some basic lifestyle changes can help alleviate your symptoms. Anyone who’s had acid reflux knows the feeling all too well: that uncomfortable, burning feeling in the chest. This process, in which the stomach leaks acid into the lower esophageal sphincter, is commonly known as heartburn, a painful, prevalent experience: over 40 percent of Americans suffer from it at least once per month.

Learn about the undeniable connection between the two. Devouring a plate of fried chicken and curling up on the couch with a pint of ice cream can be enjoyable endeavors—that is, until the cruel after-effects kick in. These two foods are guilty pleasures, meaning we eat them for taste, fully aware they’re not healthy.

Approximately 8 in 10 people experience heartburn at night. Learn more about its potential dangers. One danger of heartburn is that it can strike at any time—during a heavy meal, an exercise program, or while you’re sleeping. The first two activities occur during the day, while the latter occurs at night. Are there any differences—and any danger—in experiencing heartburn in the nighttime as opposed to the daytime? Heartburn at any time can be painful and derail productivity, and its presence is staggering: in the United States, 60 million Americans suffer from it.

Learn more about the unique relationship between the two. Sleep apnea and insomnia are two distinct sleep disorders. One is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep, and the other is characterized by the difficulty to fall or stay asleep. Both can cause a considerable amount of physical and emotional symptoms.

Follow these steps to help find relief. We often think of heartburn as a food-induced pain resulting from eating too much too quickly, or as something we experience when we’re stressed. Typically this is the case. But the truth is that heartburn can be caused by an unlikely source: medication.

Read on determine when your condition requires medical attention. Studies show that 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, and that 25 million experience it on a daily basis. Heartburn, a burning pain behind the breastbone that radiates upward, is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

From the corner Italian restaurant, to the Chinese takeout joint, to Applebee’s, there are many restaurant choices serving every type of cuisine. As heartburn sufferers, we need to be selective in what we eat. When eating out be aware of what you are ordering, ask the waiting staff what ingredients are included in the dish.  By knowing what aggravates your heartburn, select and order your meals based on what you enjoy that will not trigger any discomfort.

Some simple dietary changes can help ward off heartburn symptoms. Cooking in the comfort of your own kitchen should be a painless process: you make and eat what you want. Those who suffer from heartburn need not be sidelined by symptoms—so long as they know which foods are safe. Abiding by a few standard rules limits the chance you will experience heartburn when reaching for a recipe.

A big part of managing your condition is avoiding certain trigger foods. When a meal must adhere to specific dietary guidelines, a single phrase should sum up the guideline’s essence. Those who suffer from GERD should, above all, remember this: go easy on the fat. The GERD Information Resource Center suggests making a number of lifestyle changes for those with the disease.

Learn simple strategies to prepare meals at home that won’t aggravate your condition. The most satisfying aspect of cooking is when all the time you've put into shopping for ingredients, preparing the ingredients, sneaking the samplers, ruining the kitchen, watching the oven, and working up an appetite finally comes together-because you get to eat it.

Learn more about this new, non-surgical option. When it comes to managing heartburn, the basic treatments are available and reliable. Most of the 60 million Americans who suffer from heartburn at least once a month, after consulting their doctor and understanding their symptoms, find relief with one of three over-the-counter (OTC) medicines: antacids, H2-receptor antagonists, or proton pump inhibitors.

Learn more about cigarettes' negative effects on your digestive health. Whether you choose cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, smoking can be increase your risk of oral tumors and various lung diseases. But those aren't the only consequences: Now we know that smoking can lead to heartburn. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a valve that keeps stomach contents out of the esophagus.

Learn simple strategies for controlling your condition while away from home. If you spend enough time going from home to office to home, soon you'll find yourself dying for a long weekend, or even a month-long vacation. Anything to change the routine. But as we all know, travelling can come with a host of headaches. There's bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway.

Find out about the new and innovative treatments available to help you better control your condition. Ever had a burning pain in the middle of your chest? How about a feeling that food is coming back up your throat, or an acidic taste in the back of the throat? What about an increasing pain behind the breastbone when you lie down or bend over? If so, you're one of the 60 million American adults who experiences heartburn at least one time each month.

Follow these tips to stay heartburn-free while on the move. For those who suffer from heartburn, an important part of managing the pain is maintaining a healthy weight. A great way to achieve this is through regular exercise Every day, researchers uncover new ways that fitness can benefit people of all ages. In...

Follow these tips to prevent alcohol from aggravating your condition. Heartburn and alcohol have a unique relationship. A study published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that those who drank 12 ounces of red wine with lunch or dinner had higher-than-normal levels of acid in the esophagus. Other studies have shown that of those people who suffer from heartburn, roughly 6 in 10 said alcohol led directly to heartburn symptoms on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

These good eats get the thumbs-up for heartburn sufferers. When heartburn sufferers talk about food, they usually talk about what they can't eat, not about what they can eat. That's because the worst trigger foods-fats, spices, citrus-can lead to painful symptoms. When determining foods that won't aggravate your symptoms, the first thing to do is to assess their ingredients.

Approximately 50 percent of pregnant women will experience heartburn. Learn how to find relief. Approximately 50 percent of pregnant women will experience heartburn (most common during the second and third trimester.) The reason: As a woman's level of progesterone increases during pregnancy, her lower esophageal sphincter relaxes. This allows food and acid to reflux back into the esophagus, thus creating the feeling of heartburn or indigestion.

Learn more about this undeniable connection. If you wake up before sunrise, down a cup of coffee, rush to work, spend all day in the office, eat a large dinner, then lay on the couch watching TV before bedtime, you're like most stressed Americans. And if you suffer from heartburn, your lifestyle is almost definitely a contributor.

Sometimes medication isn't the only answer. Some of us are obsessed with medicine. We get a stomach ache and rush to the doctor, screaming for a prescription; our throat hurts so we down an over-the-counter (OTC) syrup, all the while carrying on with our everyday lives as if the meds will miraculously cure us.

There may be more of a connection than you think. Most people probably wouldn't rate getting enough sleep as the most important aspect of their life, but maybe they should. In addition to feeling rested and invigorated, studies have shown that a lack of sleep can increase your odds of becoming overweight, incurring an emotional disorder, and performing poorly in the workplace.

Learn more about different types of treatment options. If you suffer from heartburn, one of the first things to determine is how you wish to treat it. When it comes to treatment, there are three over the counter medications available: antacids, H2-receptor antagonists, and proton pump inhibitors. While each is effective in controlling heartburn, each treats the condition differently.

Beware: the following foods may exacerbate your condition. One way to minimize heartburn is to alter your diet. Unsurprisingly, this means healthier eating. Sugars, chocolates, and citrus products are bad for heartburn, and as a rule, fatty foods, by stimulating the over-production of stomach acid, are more likely to lead to heartburn.

With some simple modifications, you can greatly improve your quality of life. It makes sense that we think of heartburn as a pain that results from food. After all, the first step to treating the pain is to identify and reduce your consumption of "trigger foods." These are foods that bring on heartburn symptoms; they include chocolate, citrus, dairy, and anything high in fat.

Tired of that burning feeling in your chest? Find out how to relieve heartburn during pregnancy. Even if you rarely or never had heartburn before your pregnancy, it's likely to occur while you're carrying your baby, most commonly during the second or third trimester. In fact, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) reports that more than 50 percent of all pregnant women experience heartburn.

Your bellyaching over your bellyache may be caused by some of your favorite foods. Find out which foods are common offenders. Stomachaches, indigestion, gas, bellyache, agita, heartburn, upset stomach: Whatever you call it, digestive problems can be inconvenient and sometimes downright painful. Indigestion can be caused by a variety of reasons, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a physical condition in which stomach acid flows backward up into the esophagus.

Follow these guidelines to prevent heartburn after dark. If you've ever had heartburn, you know how uncomfortable it can beand how difficult it is to treat once symptoms have kicked in. Not surprisingly, experts confirm that preventing heartburn is often a lot easier than trying to deal with it, especially at night.

Heartburn—or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), if it occurs regularly—is a common digestive disorder that affects about 15 million Americans. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options. The symptoms are all too familiar: a burning sensation just under the breastbone startles you awake in the middle of the night, or an unbearable acidic or sour taste in your mouth. Your stomach feels bloated, full. This scenario repeats itself for several nights, possibly over several weeks and months.