Reflux Zone

Other Health Issues Caused By Acid Reflux

If you have recently been diagnosed with acid reflux disease or GERD, you may already be familiar with some of the symptoms it can cause - heartburn, chest pains that mimic heart attack, nausea, etc. But you may not have given any thought to the other problems your acid reflux can be causing.

Have you been congested a lot? Maybe having an itchy nose that becomes a sinus infection? See if those symptoms subside when you start taking your acid reflux medication. How could an acid reflux medication that controls stomach acid help your runny nose and allergy symptoms? Think about it.

The stomach acid bubbles up into your esophagus. It can reach the back of your nasal cavity as well. The irritation that your esophagus experiences has made it's way to your nose. Acid wears away the linings of tissues it comes in contact with - whether those tissues are in the stomach, throat, or even as high up as the back of the nose.

Your teeth may also be affected. Some acid reflux sufferers never complain about that horrible taste they have in the mouth. It seems like such a little thing compared to their acid reflux symptoms. The truth is, this is probably yet another symptom. As with the nose, acid reflux can enter the mouth, wearing away the teeth's protective enamel.

The only real way to protect yourself from additional acid reflux damage is to treat the stomach acid disease. In addition to making the symptoms typically associate with acid reflux disease or GERD go way, you will be helping any of the related nasal and oral problems to cease as well.

Do what your doctor says - which may sound strange if he tells you to sleep elevated. Chances are that in addition to prescribing a drug like Prevacid or Prilosec, you doctor will tell you to begin sleeping with the head of your bed elevated anywhere from one to six or seven inches. Why does this work? It physically helps keeps the acid in your stomach. When you sleep tilted, it makes a more difficult trip for stomach acid that might otherwise be reaching into your esophagus, nose or mouth areas. There are special angled mattresses that you may choose to purchase to help with this prescribed bed tilt or you may actually raise the head of your bed off the floor with stable objects, such as blocks of wood or even concrete cinder blocks. Be careful to make sure your bed is stable after lifting the head of it.