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While there are numerous possible acid reflux symptoms, the affection tends to manifest itself in a remarkably similar way in most cases, especially considering that it affects people of all races and ages, including infants.

In order to explain why that happens, we need to understand that the human organism works in the same way, regardless of the patient’s race or age. In this situation, we are concerned with the digestive system. The food passes from the mouth through the esophagus, and from there into the stomach through the lower esophageal sphincter – a band of muscles acting like a valve, which lets the food pass from the esophagus into the stomach, and at the same time blocking the way back.

Sometimes, the patient’s lower esophageal sphincter is faulty – and that means that the contents of the stomach are able to pass back into the esophagus, where they start attacking the esophageal tissue, causing the acid reflux symptoms.

As stated, in most cases the symptoms are very similar – studies have shown that 70% of the patients present the same symptoms or slight variations, while the remaining 30% are diagnosed with atypical acid reflux symptoms.

Among the typical symptoms of this affection we can include heartburn, dyspepsia, regurgitation, etc. Heartburn is manifested as a burning pain in the patient’s esophagus, in the lower part of the chest. Studies have shown that 75% of the patients experience heartburn at night, and the night-time pain is generally more severe than during the day.

Dyspepsia (feelings of pain and distress, nausea and the sensation of having a full stomach) is present in almost 50% of the GERD cases. However, this symptom can be an indication of another underlying disease. It is best to discuss your symptoms with your doctor and undergo a detailed examination to determine the medical condition you are suffering from.

Regurgitation is a process through which the gastric contents are forced out of the stomach, through the esophagus and pharynx and back into the oral cavity. When this symptom is present, it’s likely that the disease has already reached an advanced state, and the risk for complications is significantly higher.

There are numerous instances when the acid reflux symptoms are atypical or extraesophageal. These can be further classified as: respiratory symptoms, throat symptoms and nausea and vomiting.

Some examples of throat symptoms include hoarseness and dry coughs, as well as the feeling of carrying a lump at the base of the throat. While similar to the symptoms caused by acid laryngitis, a thorough examination will reveal the true nature of the affection. In some cases, dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) may be present as well, along with persistent hiccuping and throat soreness.

Respiratory symptoms include wheezing and coughing, caused by the gastric acid or its vapors entering the tracheobronchial system.

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How to recognize acid reflux in children? Acid reflux, also named gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD for short) is a medical condition caused by the recurrent reflux of the gastric contents into the esophagus, where they attack the esophageal tissue and cause discomfort and pain in the patient’s chest area. The affliction causes a number of characteristic symptoms, including heartburn and general discomfort, which make it easy to recognize in the case of adult patients. However, in the case of children, diagnosing this disease may be more difficult.

Spitting up is a common occurrence in the case of newborns, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are suffering from acid reflux. In the case of older children, the spitting up is replaced by other symptoms. These are usually more subtle, and that is why they are named “silent symptoms”. They include sleeping trouble, persistent coughing, weight loss, irritability, swallowing trouble, chest or abdomen pain, sleep apnea, frequent soreness in the throat. Also, if the child habitually arches his or her back while feeding and generally fails to thrive, it’s very likely that he or she is suffering from GERD. Also, it is clearly case of acid reflux when the patient is vomiting gastric acid and bile in large amounts. However, these symptoms may be similar to those of other pediatric afflictions. It is advised that you submit your observations to the attention of a doctor who knows how to recognize acid reflux in children, and he or she will further check on the child’s condition.

Prematurely born children should be constantly examined by a specialized health care professional who knows how to recognize acid reflux in children. That is because the systems of premature infants have not had the time to fully develop, and are more susceptible to developing such affections.

Parents must be informed and taught how to recognize acid reflux in children. The affliction may be hard to detect, mainly because not all children who spit up or vomit are affected by GERD, but also not all children with acid reflux spit up or vomit. It is recommended that parents keep a journal of the foods ingested by the baby. Also, all the symptoms manifested by the baby should be recorded and presented to a pediatrician. This will allow the specialized physicians to place an accurate diagnosis of the baby’s condition and inform the parents regarding the best treatment options available.

While over-the-counter medicines, such as Zantac 75, Nexium or Prilosec may not be suitable for the treatment of acid reflux in the case of young children, there are still a lot of therapy options available for pediatric use. It is strongly recommended to consult a specialized health care professional in order to obtain a treatment plan which is appropriate for the child’s age, body weight and general health state.

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Acid reflux disease is a condition in which the stomach acids abnormally reflux into the esophagus. This phenomenon is irregularly experienced by most people, most especially after eating.

Our body uses gastric and stomach acids to break down the food that we eat. Normally, after the digestion in the stomach, the food is delivered by the digestive muscles to the intestines for extra digestion. But in patients who have acid reflux disease, the acidic stomach contents are moved back to the esophagus, which then causes inflammation. Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, pregnancy, and fatty foods are some factors which worsens acid reflux conditions.

Our present knowledge about acid reflux based on medical researches tells us that this disease is common in men as it is in women. There is no sexual preference. Moreover, the prevalence of acid reflux is more frequent in people of 40 years of age or more.

Symptoms of acid reflux may be typical or atypical. But based on the diagnosis of acid reflux patients, only 70% of those who have this disease manifest typical symptoms.

Typical or esophageal symptoms concern indicators which are related with the esophagus. Such symptoms include the following:

Heartburn. This is a condition in which the patient feels a painful burning feeling in the esophagus. The pain often develops in the chest and may swell to the neck or throat. This is most probable to occur in relation with these activities: after a heavy meal, lifting, bending over, and lying down. Based on one study, about 75% of acid reflux patients experience this symptom at night. These nigh-time patients also tend to experience more harsh pain than those whose symptom occurs at other times.

Dyspepsia. Researches show that about half of acid reflux patients have dyspepsia. This is a syndrome which consists of pain and distress in the upper abdomen, nausea after a meal, and stomach fullness. It is not a rule however, that those who have dyspepsia have acid reflux.

Regurgitation. This is when the gastric contents back up into the pharynx and sometimes as far as the mouth. In cases where the acids have spilled into the tracheobronchial tree, respiratory complications can be stimulated.

There are many instances, though, that acid reflux patients do not manifest symptoms such as regurgitation and heartburn. Instead, they experience atypical or extraesophageal symptoms which include the following:

Throat Symptoms. Although it does not commonly happen, acid reflux patients suffer from symptoms that occur in the throat. Hoarseness, the feeling of having a lump in the throat, dry cough are undergone by those who have acid laryngitis, a throat symptom. Patients can also have difficulty in swallowing, a condition known as dysphagia. In critical cases, the food may get trapped in the throat or even choke, which can result to a severe chest pain. Other throat symptoms are chronic sore throat and persistent hiccups.

Vomiting and Nausea. When a patient suffers from nausea which persists for weeks, he may have acid reflux. There are few instances where vomiting can occur as often as once a day.

Respiratory Symptoms. Coughing and wheezing are counted as respiratory symptoms. These result from the overrunning of the stomach acids into the tracheobronchial tree creating bronchoconstriction.

Acid reflux disease can last for several months if not given proper medical attention. Drug treatment may only be required for a short time. But when the symptoms tend to repetitively occur, the drug treatment may have to be reapplied.

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Seven million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease. If you’ve never even heard of GERD, check out this video for the facts! Watch More Health Videos at Health Guru: http://www.healthguru.com/

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Is that discomfort in your upper midsection Heartburn or is it Acid Reflux? Are they the
same thing or are they different? What are the symptoms of heartburn verse acid reflux
symptoms?

Well it turns out that heartburn is the symptom of acid reflux and GERD
(Gastroesophageal reflux disease); of course not everyone that experiences heartburn has
acid reflux as well as not every one that has acid reflux experiences heartburn pain. As
heartburn has many other cause then just acid reflux.

Here are some common acid reflux symptoms:

   *   Heartburn
       o    Involves discomfort or burning pain in the chest that may move upward into your throat.
       o    Increased by bending over, stooping or eating.
       o    Tends to be more frequent or worst at night
       o    Often relieved by antacids
   *    Regurgitation
       o    A bitter / sour tasting acid that backs up into the back of your throat.
   *    Belching or Burping, often with a sour or bitter taste.
   *    Dysphagia – the narrowing of the esophagus which feels like food is stuck in the esophagus.
   *    Feeling bloated
   *    Hoarseness or a change in your voice.
   *    Dry cough or wheezing
   *    Chronic sore throat
   *    Difficulty with swallowing
   *    Hiccups that don’t stop
   *    Nausea
   *    Vomiting blood
   *    Unexplained weight loss
   *    Bloody or black stools

So if you are experiencing any of the above acid reflux symptoms at what point do you
contact a physician?

Contact your doctor if your symptoms worsen or you find no relief in over the counter
medication or other remedies.

If you experience any of the following severe symptoms call your health care provider at
once.

   *    Bleeding
   *    Choking (coughing, shortness of breath)
   *    Early satiety (feeling filled up quickly when eating)
   *    Frequent vomiting
   *    Hoarseness
   *    Loss of appetite
   *    Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) or pain with swallowing (odynophagia)
  *    Weight loss

 Your doctor may refer you to a Gastrologist for further evaluation.

Technorati Tags: Acid Reflux Symptoms

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