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Acid Reflux Symptoms You Need To Be Conscious Of

17th July, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Acid reflux symptoms manifest in patients with GERD or acid reflux, a condition that occurs when the tube transporting food into the stomach becomes too weak to handle the acid produced, stored, and used by the stomach to digest the food a person eats. In order to store the acid produced without causing damage to the digestive system, the stomach walls must have enough strength. However, patients may experience some symptoms when the stomach pushes the acid to the esophagus. To give you knowledge about this condition, this article presents some of the acid reflux symptoms.

Acid Refux Symptoms:

1. Heartburn – GERD or acid reflux is mainly characterized by heartburn, one of the primary acid reflux symptoms, often described as pain or burning sensation that radiates from the abdomen to the chest and throat. A certain medical study states that 75% of patients with acid reflux experience this symptom at night especially after they have engaged in certain activities such as:

· After eating a heavy meal;
· Lifting;
· Bending over;
· Lying down on the back

2. Dyspepsia – almost 50% of acid reflux patients suffer from dyspepsia, a condition characterized by the following:

· Pain and discomfort particularly in the upper part of the abdomen;
· Nausea after eating;
· Feeling of fullness

It should be noted that dyspepsia may also be experienced by those not diagnosed with GERD.

3. Regurgitation – this condition is described as the feeling of acid backed up in the throat. It is sometimes called “wet burp” when the acid is pushed to the mouth. If the acid is forced back to the mouth, it causes the feeling of throwing up..

Not So Common Acid Reflux Symptoms:

Many patients with acid reflux do not experience the main acid reflux symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation. The symptoms may instead appear or experienced in other locations. Here are some of the less common acid reflux symptoms:

1. Chest Pain or Sensations – this is the sensation or feeling that the food is trapped and can’t move from behind the breastbone. While this signals acid reflux, it is important to know that it is different from chest pain due to some heart conditions, like heart attack and angina.

2. Acid Reflux Symptoms in the Throat such as:

· Acid laryngitis – this condition is characterized by dry cough, hoarseness, feeling of lump in the throat, and the need to clear the throat repeatedly
· Dysphagia (trouble swallowing) – in some cases, acid reflux may cause the patient to choke or have difficulty in swallowing the food, thereby causing severe chest pain.
· Persistent hiccups
· Chronic sore throat

3. Coughing and Respiratory Problems – Patients with acid reflux may also experience coughing and wheezing. As a matter of fact, around 40% of the cases of coughing in patients who do not smoke are attributed to acid reflux.

4. Chronic Nausea and Throwing Up – constant occurrence of nausea that often leads to vomiting or throwing up may also be one of the acid reflux symptoms. However, this isn’t always the cause as nausea and vomiting may also signal other medical conditions like gallbladder and pancreatic disorders, ulcers, and stomach cancers. Thus, it is necessary to always consult with your doctor whenever this symptom is experienced.