If you thought the burning sensation across your chest and throat is simply just a case of heartburn — think again.
Far too many people dismiss heartburn as one of those rare discomforts that would go away even without medication. But unknown to most, heartburn, if taken too lightly, may lead to more serious medical problems.
According to medical experts, heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that occurs when a person’s lower esophageal sphincter (LES) does not close properly. The LES is actually a ring of muscles that connects the esophagus and the stomach. It works like a valve and is supposed to allow food to enter the stomach while limiting the amount of stomach acids from rising up the esophagus.
When refluxed stomach acids creep up the esophageal tube, the linings of the tube slowly deteriorate and become thinner. Of course, the repeated cases of heartburn causes a number of unpleasant sensations such as regurgitation of food from the stomach, nausea, choking, and tightness of the throat. In some cases, GERD causes bleeding, ulcers, and scar tissue along the sensitive lining of the esophagus.
In rare cases, some GERD sufferers develop a condition known as Barrett’s Esophagus or worse, esophageal cancer.
To effectively treat GERD, doctors usually advise patients to eat a sensible diet that includes plenty of alkaline foods such as bananas and carrots. Diet management would entail limiting your intake of caffeinated drinks and other acidic beverages and food. Lifestyle change may also involve quitting smoking and getting regular exercise. Drinking eight or more glasses of water every day is also a must because the liquid effectively dilutes excess acids from the body. Having the right amount of water intake hydrates the body while balancing your body’s pH level.
In some cases, your doctor might prescribe certain medications that would effectively prevent excessive acidic production in your stomach. One such medication is Nexium for GERD, which belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors. This type of drug works to limit or decrease the amount of acid produced inside the stomach.
Nexium for GERD is also effective in promoting the healing of damage to the esophagus caused by stomach acids. While this medication is not intended for persons who want immediate relief from heartburn, it is prescribed by doctors for patients with more serious conditions. Also known as esomeprazole, this drug is available in the market but one should always consult a doctor before using this medication.
If you want an honest opinion, Nexium and other acid reflux drugs can be taken, but only in emergency cases and should never be used as maintenance medicine. The reason for this is they are simply a band-aid approach that temporarily hides the root cause of the problem. You might not be aware of it but in a majority of cases, drugs such as these have led to even aggravate one’s GERD and cause other complications and Nexium coupon.
Going natural is still the best option and there are many ways to do it, right from the comfort of your own home. Best of all these methods are cheaper and safer, in comparison to traditional approaches such as Nexium.
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