N Sever Heart Burn Can be Treated with Acid Reflux Drug Aciphex

Question: I have been experiencing severe heartburn for a number of weeks. This is also accompanied with a sour and bitter taste in my mouth. I know I have indigestion. What can I do about it?

Answer: Acid reflux is also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux. This occurs when stomach contents flow back up into the oesophagus. The most common symptoms of acid reflux are bitter and sour taste and a burning sensation in the chest. Although the burning sensation in the chest is referred to as heartburn, this has no connection to the heart. Acid reflux occurring once or twice a year is not alarming. However, when it occurs more than twice or thrice a week, this is cause for concern as it could be gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD causes long-term complications. Therefore, any person experiencing acid reflux often, should obtain medical advice. Big Mountain Pharmacy, an online Canadian pharmacy sells discounted Aciphex for acid reflux relief.

How to Prevent Acid Reflux

Untreated GERD damages the stomach lining and causes bleeding and scarring in the stomach and oesophagus. This can also lead to cancer of the oesophagus. Lifestyle changes may be necessary for those suffering with acid reflux.

Smaller meals – One of the primary causes of acid reflux is over-eating. Over-eating puts a considerable amount of pressure on the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES). The LES connects the mouth to the stomach and helps keep stomach contents out of the way of the airways and oesophagus. The LES has to maintain a higher pressure than the stomach in order for food to stay in the stomach. Eating large amounts of food prevents the LES from maintaining a higher pressure thereby, causing acid reflux.

Avoid foods that increase the risk of acid reflux – Spicy foods, oily foods, certain dairy products and fizzy drinks cause regurgitation and irritate the stomach. Therefore, avoiding foods such as French fries, onions, ground beef, milk-shakes, cottage cheese, alcohol, creamy, salad dressing, chocolates and potato chips etc help keep the stomach contents in place.

Avoid lying down on a full stomach – This is a major cause for gas build-up in the stomach. Lying down after a full meal puts extra pressure against the LES aiding in regurgitation.

Maintain a healthy weight – Being over-weight increases pressure on the abdomen. As mentioned, excess pressure on the abdomen increases the risk of regurgitation. A small loss in weight can aid in lowering the risk of acid reflux.

Stop smoking – Smoking causes a variety of health risks. Therefore, it is no wonder smoking also increases the risk of acid reflux. Nicotine in cigarettes relaxes the LES and increases the production of stomach acids. Therefore, stopping smoking considerably reduces the occurrence of acid reflux.

Treating Acid Reflux

The treatment of acid reflux depends on the severity of the condition. Most often, a person suffering with the disease may have to consider lifestyle changes, as well as, alternative treatments. There are various home remedies that help reduce acid reflux symptoms. This includes drinking plenty of water, ginger with food, apple cider vinegar and chewing gum. Medication may be prescribed if natural remedies do not alleviate acid reflux symptoms.

Aciphex treats ulcers, acid reflux, GERD, erosive oesophagitis and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. The generic name for the medication is raberprazole. The drug is a proton pump inhibitor and blocks the production of acid in the stomach. This reduces the symptoms of GERD and heals the oesophagus.

Side Effects

Minor side effects are common with any drug. Raberprazole side effects include headache, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting and constipation. Severe side effects are rare; however, they may include muscle pain, inability to breathe properly and allergic reactions.

Acid reflux occurring more than two or three times a day may be a sign of its progress towards GERD. GERD may cause cancer of the oesophagus. Therefore, any persons experiencing acid reflux should consider taking Aciphex. The medication is available at Big Mountain Drugs, an accredited Canada pharmacy with a valid prescription.