Acidity Symptoms – What Are The Symptoms Of Acidity?

Acidity symptoms occur when stomach acid reflux back up in the esophagus. This is usually called heartburn or acid reflux. Symptoms of acidity can be very painful and can cause many health problems. If you suffer from chronic heartburn it can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD.

Are The Acidity Symptoms Heartburn or GERD?

Heartburn is the telltale burning in the middle of your chest after a meal. And, it is a common condition. In fact, a 2003 poll discovered that more than 40 percent of all Americans, about 108 million people, experience acidity symptoms like heartbu
at least once a month.

The cause of pain is stomach acid, the acid that helps to digest your food. Stomach acid flows up into the esophagus, or “food pipe.” Normally when you eat, food travels from your mouth down the esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES is the opening to your stomach. It normally opens only when you swallow, allowing food to enter the stomach, and then closes quickly.

If there’s too much acid, or if the LES doesn’t work properly, food and stomach acid can flow up or reflux into the esophagus. Acid reflux irritates the lining of the esophagus and causes heartburn. If the muscles in the stomach don’t continuously work to keep food and acid moving down the digestive tract, the acidity symptoms can worsen.

But heartburn that occurs regularly may be a sign of a more serious condition: gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD.
What is GERD?

If you experience symptoms of acidity such as heartburn more than two or three times per week and find that nothing seems to help the pain, your condition may be more serious. Chronic heartburn can be a symptom of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Among chronic heartburn sufferers, some 1.66 million of them have GERD.

Stomach acid is very strong. Normally, stomach acid is contained in the stomach by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The LES is the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus. GERD occurs when the LES is faulty, allowing stomach acid to flow up or reflux and irritate the esophagus causing frequent acidity symptoms.
How Does GERD Affect You?

Living with GERD can lower the quality of your life. One study showed that:

People who live with untreated GERD have a quality of life that is similar to people who have had a heart attack.
People who suffer from GERD have a lower quality of life than people with diabetes, cancer, or other severe diseases.
Nighttime acidity symptoms can keep you awake and diminish the quality of your sleep.
Could the Acidity Symptoms Be GERD?

If you answer yes to the following questions, your acidity symptoms might be GERD

Do you frequently have one or more of the following?

An uncomfortable feeling behind the breastbone that seems to be moving upward from the stomach?
A burning sensation in the back of your throat?
A bitter acid taste in your mouth?
Do you often experience these problems after meals?
Do you experience symptoms of acidity or acid indigestion two or more times per week?
Do you find that antacids only provide temporary relief from your acid reflux symptoms?
Do you take the maximum dosage of over-the-counter heartburn medicine?
Are you taking prescription medication to treat acidity symptoms, and still having symptoms?
Do you have trouble swallowing or persistent abdominal pain?

If you suspect your acidity symptoms to be gastroesophageal reflux disease and not normal heartburn symptoms you should be ready to make some changes in your lifestyle and diet.