Acidity Symptoms

Mar 16, 2023, 16:45 IST

What is acidity? A surplus amount of acid is produced in the stomach, which leads to the medical condition known as acidity. The stomach's glands are responsible for producing this acid. It is typically brought on by a number of things, including bad eating habits, inconsistent eating patterns, a lack of physical activity or sports, alcohol use, smoking, stress, and fad diets.

Introduction

How does acidity occur?

When stomach contents migrate up the esophagus, it is known as acid reflux and can cause a burning feeling there. If you frequently suffer acid reflux symptoms, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also referred to as heartburn.

Having acidity can make you have a burning sensation in your chest that may persist for a short while or for a few hours. Your chest aches when you bend over or lie down. The sensation of burning in your throat, can be a taste in the back of your mouth which may be spicy, sour, acidic, or salty.

What are Acidity's Early Symptoms?

• Heartburn is one of the early signs of acidity
• stomach bloating
• a persistent dry cough
• a chronic sore throat
• a sour or bitter after taste in the mouth
• indigestion
• bloody vomiting or bloody or black stools
• nausea
• Hiccups that won't stop are further acidity symptoms

General Symptoms for Acid Reflux

• Burning sensation

Your chest may feel scorching, usually after eating, and it may be worse at night or while you're lying down.

• Regurgitation

It is a condition where food comes up from the stomach or esophagus without feeling sick or having to use excessive power to flex the abdominal muscles.

• Chest pain or upper abdominal ache

If you have severe chest pain, get emergency medical attention, especially if you also have breathing difficulties, arm or jaw pain, or shortness of breath. These signs and symptoms could be heart attack warning indicators.

• Dysphagia

One of the side effects of acid reflux/GERD is difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia, which is the sensation that food is sticking in your throat or chest.

• You experience a lump in your throat

The throat's lining may get irritated by the acid, which may cause swelling and a lump in the throat.

• Unexpected weight loss

Even though those who have this illness may not be aiming to lose weight, the symptoms that impair their eating and digestion may induce them to eat less overall.

• Belching

Belching, similar to burping, can occasionally become excessive due to acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which allows higher swallowing. Inflammation of the stomach lining or an infection with Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes some stomach ulcers, may also be associated with chronic belching.

Conclusion

Meal timings, posture after meals, alcohol use, smoking, and many other things can all cause acid reflux. Several beverages can aid in digestion and combat acid reflux.

Avoiding the meals and drinks that cause symptoms is one of the best strategies to treat acid reflux illness. Other actions you might take include changing the kinds of foods you eat and eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Give up smoking. Your bed should be raised by 4 to 6 inches by placing blocks beneath the head of the bed. Make changes to your food and exercise routine to lose weight if you are overweight or obese.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What meals are particularly acidic?

Ans. Foods high in acid include dairy products, Legumes, red meat, citrus fruits, cashews, peanuts, and carbonated beverages

Q2. What are a few natural methods or home remedies for lowering acidity?

Ans. Lemon-ginger juice, cold milk, coconut water, apple cider vinegar, and fennel water are a few examples of home remedies for acidity. Finally, drinking enough plain water is the best way to prevent acid reflux.

Q3. What causes the stomach's acidic contents to ascend into the esophagus?

Ans. The lower esophageal sphincter (valve) is prone to weakening or relaxation, which results in acid reflux. This valve usually closes tightly once food reaches your stomach. If your esophagus relaxes when it shouldn't, the contents of your stomach may spill back up into it. Reflux is brought on by the movement of stomach acids back up into the esophagus.

Q4. Can coffee reduce acidity?

Ans. Since coffee stimulates the body's overproduction of stomach acid, which may rise to the esophagus, it does not help with acidity. Coffee thus heightens the symptoms of acidity while also increasing its acidity. Caffeinated beverages should be avoided together with coffee if you have acidity.

Q5. What difficulties might acidity cause?

Ans. Severe pain in the chest or belly, heavy vomiting, difficulty swallowing, gastric ulcers, and cancer are all side effects of acidity.

Q6. What is the acidity treatment?

Ans. Your doctor will recommend medications, such as antacids, to reduce acidity based on your condition. If the issue is sufficiently severe, he might recommend surgery to lessen the stomach's acid output.