What is Hyper acidity, Acid Reflux, GERD
Hydrochloric acid is produced in every human body to complete the process of digestion by breaking down the food. Our stomach naturally produces this acid in the gastric glands of our stomach. Hyperacidity is caused when this acid gets produced in excess quantity due to stress, wrong food habits, excess alcohol and dehydration .
We also know it as acid reflux. The characteristic symptom of acidity is heartburn or chest pain, normally affecting the lower part of the chest causing lot of difficulty and discomfort in chest area. It affects males as well as females too. There are two types of acidity- the heartburn reflux and the throat burn reflux. It affects the health by causing a lump sensation in the throat or chronic cough. The symptoms may last from few months to years. If condition worsens, it can cause ulcers in esophagus (food pipe) or ulcers in intestines.
Symptoms
The lining of our stomach is designed well to withstand a high acidic environment but the esophagus can’t tolerate such acidic conditions which lead to the occurrence of burning sensation in the chest when the pH levels drop below to 4, the other symptoms of acidity include-
- Sour/acidic taste in the mouth
- Burning sensation in the mouth as well as stomach
- Heaviness in chest
- Chest pain when acidity is chronic
- Constipation / hard stools
- Bad breathe / foul smell from mouth
- Restlessness
- Feel of a presence of a lump in the throat
- Vomiting / nausea
- Indigestion and frequent hiccups or burps of acid
- Weakness
If one experiences acidity at night it may raise symptoms like-
- Trouble in sleeping
- Triggers asthma
- Coughing
- Body aches
Acidity in extreme cases leads to develop symptoms like-black stool or bloody stools, continuous pain in the lower abdomen that gradually moves to the chest area, dry cough or weight loss for no specific reason. The symptoms of acidity may vary from one person to another depending on the severity of the acidity and underlying causes too.
Before Treatment
A series of test is carried out before treating acidity. These tests allow the doctor to carefully examine the acidity level and then recommend the type of medication required. Certain types of test and treatment that are carried out to detect and treat acidity are
- Ultrasound whole abdomen
- C.T scan abdomen if required
The first thing that the doctor recommends in acidity is changes in lifestyle and management of acidity. The complete cure and no reoccurrence is unusual but homeopathic medications can help in reduction of hyper acid production and reflux. Medicines to heal the esophagus and gastro-intestinal tract are suggested after detailed case study of the patient.
Homeopathy for Acidity
Acidity can be tackled easily with certain lifestyle changes. Learn to relax, exercise, eat on time and choose easy-to-digest foods but if the problem persists, homeopathic medicines are recommended to sort out the problem from its root.
In homoeopathy a holistic evaluation of the patient is made. His mental make-up, emotional state, likes and dislikes, fears, sleep patterns, food preferences are all taken into account before prescribing a medicine.
However, the medication must always be taken under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Few tips to reduce acidity:
- Avoid Overeating
- Limit your alcohol intake
- Avoid coffee
- Increase water intake
- Drink coconut water
- Drink buttermilk
- Include oatmeal in your diet.
- Jaggery with cumin seeds is very effective.
Caution : However, the medication must always be taken under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.