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Revealed! Why STRESS IsThe Single Most Common Cause For Acid Reflux And What You Must Do To Prevent Reflux From Happening Again!

Acid Reflux can ruin your day and eventually your life if the symptoms are not recognized and treatment is not begun immediately. There have been many opinions on Acid Reflux. Why does it occur? The question that many experts ask nowadays, “ Is acid reflux caused by stress?” The answer is not that simple.

Maybe it is.
Maybe it is not.

It greatly depends on each individual's definition of stress.

The stock exchange broker who trades with other people's money all day long may feel an incredible amount of pressure. After all, his actions might either make or break a portfolio. He has acid reflux and one might assume it is stress related.

Then, there's the stay at home mom. Her daughter is an absolute angel and never causes any trouble. And the mom has no duties outside the home. Yet, even with the "easy" life she has been diagnosed with acid reflux. How could that be stress?

Well, what we do not know about that stay at home mom is the long hours she works to keep her family's home running smoothly, the bills she has to juggle each month in order to remain at home and the knowledge that everything she does will affect the way her daughter grows up and the choices she will someday have to make. That could be pretty stressful, too.

So, everybody has stress. Does stress CAUSE acid reflux disease? It is safe to say that stress definitely is a contributing factor in acid reflux.

If you have acid reflux and are wondering if stress is making your symptoms worse, try this experiment. You know the situations that stress you. Experiment with your acid reflux symptoms by removing those situations one at a time… as much as possible. For instance, if Tuesday is a day you always seem to have worse symptoms, stop and think about Tuesday. Is Tuesday the day you have a weekly deadline for something? If so, find a way to spread that work out a little more (as best as possible) so Tuesday won't seem so overwhelming. Maybe your Tuesday stress will lighten a little, and your Tuesday reflux will go away. This experiment becomes tough if certain people are your cause for stress. You can't just ignore your boss or spouse, but see if there is some other way you can deal with him or her to take a little of the stress associated with your boss away.

Realizing what causes your stress is half the battle of treating your acid reflux disease. The other half is taking care of yourself in a manner prescribed by your doctor. If that is to take medication - take it. If you must tilt the head of your bed, tilt it. Do whatever is necessary to relieve your acid reflux symptoms.

There are simple lifestyle changes you can make and tips you can follow that will help you prevent heartburn.

1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals
A full stomach can put extra pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which will increase the chance that some of this food

2. Avoid foods and beverages that can trigger reflux of stomach contents
Some foods and beverages increase the risk of reflux by relaxing the LES. These include alcohol; beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea and cola drinks; carbonated beverages; citrus fruits and juices; tomatoes and tomato sauces; chocolate; spicy and fatty foods.

3. Don't eat within two to three hours before bedtime
Lying down with a full stomach can cause stomach contents to press harder against the LES, increasing the chances of refluxed food.

4. If you're overweight, lose the extra pounds
Obesity increases abdominal pressure, which can then push stomach contents up into the esophagus.

5. Elevate your head a few inches while you sleep
Lying down flat presses the stomach's contents against the LES. With the head higher than the stomach, gravity helps reduce this pressure. You can elevate your head in a couple of ways. You can place bricks, blocks or anything that's sturdy securely under the legs at the head of your bed. You can also use an extra pillow, or a wedge-shaped pillow, to elevate your head.

6. Don't wear belts or clothes that are tight fitting around the waist
Clothing that fits tightly around the abdomen will squeeze the stomach, forcing food up against the LES, and cause food to reflux into the exophagus. Clothing that can cause problems include tight-fitting belts and slenderizing undergarments.

7. Stop smoking
The chemicals in cigarette smoke weaken the LES as they pass from the lungs into the blood.

8. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. It also increases the production of stomach acid. If you want to consume alcohol, follow these tips: Dilute alcoholic beverages with water or club soda, drink moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages -- the suggested amounts are 1-2 mixed drinks, 12-16 ounces of wine, or 2-3 beers, drink white wine instead of red, choose non-alcoholic beer or wine whenever you can.

9. Keep a heartburn record
Record what triggerd your acid reflux episodes, the severity of each episode, how your body reacts, and what gives you relief. The next step is to take this information to your doctor so the both of you can determine what lifestyle changes you will need to make and what treatments will give you maximum relief.

10. Take your medication at the same time every day.
It is very important to take your medication every day. If you are prone to forgetting, leave yourself a note to remind you or take your medication when you do another daily activity that you don't forget doing, such as brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Getting Rid Of Acid Reflux

If you’re one of the millions of people suffering from an acid reflux disease, here is a list of acid reflux treatments options available for you:

• Diet and Lifestyle Changes
  For those suffering from mild cases of acid reflux, implementing positive lifestyle changes is a very effective acid reflux treatment. This involves altering your diet to avoid foods that trigger reflux; eating foods that can reduce your stomach’s acidity; avoiding unhealthy habits like smoking and drinking; and changing your wardrobe to avoid tight-fitting belts and clothes that squeeze your stomach. Adopting a stress management plan is also a good acid reflux treatment, especially for patients whose conditions are caused by stress-related stomach upsets.
• Therapy
  However, regardless if the medications used for acid reflux treatment are over-the-counter drugs or prescription medication, patients must always remember to consult their doctors before taking any medicine to avoid long-term side effects caused by the medication. Also, since certain drugs have adverse reactions to other medication, getting advice from doctors is necessary in using acid reflux medications.
• Surgery
  In cases where medication fails to relieve patients of their condition, surgery can serve as a last resort for acid reflux treatment. Depending on the severity and intensity of the case, surgery can provide permanent relief and cure to acid reflux patients by correcting the physiological abnormalities causing the disease. This involves repairing the defective esophageal valve and increasing the pressure in the LES by either tightening the walls in the esophagusor reshaping the LES to prevent acids from leaking into the throat.
  
  However, although surgery is considered an effective acid reflux treatment with 95% of patients completely recovering, it is important for individuals considering surgery to be aware of the risks involved, which includes abnormal peristalsis, wound infection, constrictions, difficulty swallowing, an inability to burp, and perforation or damage to neighboring tissues.
• Alternative Treatments
  Aside from the medical acid reflux treatment options already mentioned, there are also alternative treatments available to patients of acid reflux. These treatments include a variety of homemade herbal remedies and homeopathic solutions like herbal teas, and even ancient healing methods like acupressure and acupuncture.
  

Given the variety of acid reflux treatment options available for patients, people suffering from acid reflux can better determine the most effective cure for their conditions. However, regardless of the acid reflux treatment a patient chooses, it is best to always consult a physician before undergoing a specific acid reflux treatment to ensure that adverse side-effects are prevented.