The Seriousness of Acid Reflux Pain and How to Deal With it

Acid reflux is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions in the world. It is a condition where gastric juices containing acid make their way back from the stomach and up into the esophagus. Typical symptoms of the condition include heartburn, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing.

The Seriousness of Acid Reflux Pain

Although there are some cases of acid reflux that are so mild they are hardly noticeable, in most cases the acid reflux pain experienced is so intense that it is debilitating. For most people the discomfort can end up affecting the quality of life and everyday activities, which can obviously be quite troublesome.

It is hard to describe acid reflux pain, and unless you have experienced it for yourself you will really never understand just how intense and uncomfortable it can be. Heartburn is the main symptom, and is a burning feeling that rises from the upper abdomen up towards the neck. Heartburn can be so painful that the sufferer finds it difficult to eat, drink, or even just walk around, until they find a way to get relief.

The majority of acid reflux pain occurs in the upper abdomen and chest, and can radiate from here through the rest of the chest and even into the arms. There are also some uncommon symptoms that may occur in people suffering from acid reflux, such as a persistent cough, hoarseness and asthma symptoms.

Acid reflux pain can also end up causing complications, including erosive esophagitis, esophageal stricture, ulceration or Barrett’s esophagus, and possibly even esophageal cancer. Barrett’s esophagus is the most serious complication of chronic acid reflux syndrome and is a condition where there is a change in the membrane cells of the esophagus.

Dealing With Your Acid Reflux

It is obviously then very important that you deal with your acid reflux appropriately. Keep in mind that dealing with acid reflux is never easy in the beginning, and you may not even start to see results for a few months. Eating properly and getting enough exercise is definitely going to help you here, exercise in particular because it will give you energy and help your body to digest food more efficiently.

There are also certain medications that are available which can be used here, but remember that these are not intended to be long term solutions and you need to create a lifelong treatment plan instead to properly take care of your reflux.