Howto Prevent Symptoms of Acid Reflux without Medications

A lot of people experience frequent heartburn, digestion problems, and difficulty in gulping food. All of these are symptoms of Acid Reflux.  If you suffer from these symptoms frequently, then you need to get proper attention so that the condition remains under control. 

Acid reflux happens when the excess amount of stomach acid travels upwards to the tube called Esophagus. This acid causes different problems. Many people suffer from acid reflux which refuses to go away.

This esophagus connects the mouth and the stomach. In general acid reflux is harmless, but if this occurs regularly, you may develop a disease called Barrett’s Esophagus, or the change of esophagus lining.  So, it would help if you were careful in this matter.

Frequently occurring acid reflux does not go away quickly. A lot of people take regular medicines to curb it. But, the daily consumption of these medicines can cause any other problems. Is there any alternative way? Well, there are different home remedies and hacks to curb acid reflux.

Here are the home remedies that you can follow if you experience any symptoms of acid reflux-

·         Eat slowly and stop overeating

The leading cause of acid reflux is overeating and bad eating habit. So, if you want to control the heartburn, stop eating after you are full. An overloaded stomach causes excessive production of stomach acid that causes acid reflux. Similarly, a bad eating habit also causes frequent heartburn.

Try to eat small meals several times per day. Also, eat properly and take time eating each nibble. Chewing food also helps in this case.

·         Try to lose weight

Overweight people have a higher risk of developing frequent acid reflux. This is because excessive weight decrease the pressure on the stomach and acid can travel back to mouth easily. So, if you have put on weight, then you need to lose weight. 

·         Follow a healthy diet

A healthy diet can curb the acid reflux symptoms quickly. A low-carb diet is very beneficial. Excessive carbs make you feel bloated and also forces the stomach to produce more acid. So, go for a protein-rich low-carb diet that contains healthy carbs. 

Additionally, try to include probiotic-rich foods like yogurt in your diet to get a healthier digestive system.

·         Limit your caffeine intake

Coffee is known to weaken the lower esophageal sphincter. This increases the acid reflux symptoms in humans. So, if you drink multiple cups of coffee in a day cut down your intake limits. Two to three cups of coffee are enough for an average healthy human. If you love coffee so much, then try to drink decaffeinated coffee. But, cutting down excessive beverage is the best way.

·         Avoid aerated drinks

Aerated drinks or carbonated drinks are often culprits behind the frequent heartburn and GERD. These drinks can disrupt the pH balance in your stomach. Excessive consumption also causes nausea and a bloated feeling. Instead, choose fresh juices and smoothies. But avoid the excessive amount of citrus juice.

So, if you suffer from GERD regularly, then follow the steps mentioned above to control your acid reflux naturally.

How to understand if you have esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is the cancer of the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube-like body part that connects the mouth and the stomach. When the esophagus develops a malignant tumor, it is considered as cancer.

This cancer often remains silent and detected at the last stage of the disease. So, many people do not realize they have this cancer.

This cancer does not have any strong symptoms. All types of cancer usually show some signs of esophageal cancer. But instead, it shows other related signs. There are two main subtypes of esophageal cancer-

Squamous cell carcinoma: This cancer develops in the upper part of the esophagus. The cell lining of the esophagus extends malignant growth.

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus:  In the junction of the esophagus and the stomach exists the epithelial cells? These cells become malignant in the case of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Proton Pump Inhibitors are often used as a treatment.

In some rare cases, patients develop lymphoma, melanoma, choriocarcinoma, sarcoma or small cell cancer.

Symptoms:

All these symptoms become evident as cancer advances.

·         Dysphasia: This is the main symptom of esophageal cancer. The tumor grows inside the esophagus tube and creates a blockage. Hence, food cannot travel towards the stomach through the esophagus. A lot of people experience difficulty in swallowing their food. Swallowing becomes extremely painful in the later stage.

·         Acid reflux:  If cancer affects the lower portion of the esophagus acid, reflux becomes frequent. The acid often travels back to the mouth through the esophagus.it happens because the elasticity of the esophagus loosens up. So people suffer from acidity regularly.

·         Vomiting: The tumor creates a blockage and prevents food from reaching the stomach. Hence, many start vomiting as they try to swallow any food.

·         Many people often feel a sharp pain in their throat as swallowing food becomes tougher with time.

·         Those who has esophageal cancer usually get frequent heartburn?

·         People may cough up food and blood as their cancer advances in stages. It is because the tumor in the esophagus sheds skin when the food collides with it.

·         In many cases, the voice of the cancer patient changes and becomes more cracky or hoarse.

·         Cancer can cause weight gain or weight loss

Treatments:

The treatment depends on when the cancer is detected. If the disease is detected in the early stage, then there are better chances of recovery. But in later stages, the treatment becomes complicated, and patients may need surgery.

Treatment depends on the stage of cancer and the health of the patient. Doctors might also consider the age and another disease of the patient.

Surgery- If the tumor is more significant in size, then doctors might go door an operation. There are two types of surgery,

Esophagectomy- Doctors remove the cancerous part of the esophagus and reconnect the remaining portion to the stomach.

Esophagogastrectomy- If the esophagus becomes infected with cancer, and then doctors might remove it. Also, if the surgeons cannot reconnect the part of the esophagus and stomach, they might cut a small part of the small intestine to connect the stomach.

Of both of these surgeries are not possible, then the doctors might get direct access to the stomach through external procedures. Patients need to contact their doctors if they experience the above symptoms and need to go for a screening test. Easy detection is best for recovery.