Acid Reflux Disease (Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease); Causes, Symptoms, Investigations, Home Remedies, Herbal Medicines.

Acid Reflux Disease

Acid Reflux Disease or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease is actually a symptom of your oesophageal mucosal damage.  From the name of the disease, we can make out its nature, actually due to regular or frequent upcoming acid from stomach to oesophagus the mucosal layer used to destroy hugely.

Causes: 

• Excessive intake of acidic substance before food or regular prolong uses.
• Excessive intake of tea or coffee and specially in empty stomach.
• Excessive intake of tobacco in form (Smoking or Orally Like Sada).
• Excessive intake of alcohol for a long time or in empty stomach repeatedly and regularly.
• Irregular diet intake, means avoiding a regular food timing or frequent skipping of main meals.
• Excessive spicy food intake for a longer period or habit of taking spicy foods in empty stomach.
• Excessive fast food intake, a major cause of such diseases. Because most often this food is not properly cooked and regarding the oil used in cooking a question mark always knocks in brain. Our teenagers are too much addicted to such life style.
• Stressful life is always creating an abnormal gastric atmosphere where normal digestion process always hampers.
• Excessive intake of fry foods is a major cause. Most often same oil we used to fry something repeatedly for so many days and such condition causes gastric irritation.
• Excessive anxiety.
• Excess intake of Chili is a major factor in some community and family where they used to take chili as a tradition.
• Excessive intake of hot drinks is not good for our gastric mucosa.

Symptoms

• Feeling of obstruction in the chest.
• Feeling of obstruction in the throat.
• Bleeding.
• Difficulty in breathing.
• Gas in stomach just feeling like that abdomen is full of gas and it is most common symptom described by any patient.
• Bloating, is a condition in which the abdomen feels uncomfortably full and tight and may be visibly swollen (distended).
• Stomach Pain, most common symptom but for doctors it can be a difficult to diagnose. There is a variety of causes, and examples include angina, gallstones, food poisoning, gallstones etc.
• Burning in Stomach, a common symptom but it should be always remember that a burning sensation in the stomach can be a sign of digestive problems like gastritis, GERD, food allergies or intolerance, or emotional stress.
• Hunger type pains 1-2 hours after eating here pain in the middle or upper stomach between meals or at night might be suggestive of long lasting acidity leading to Peptic Ulcer.
• Abdominal pain, about everybody at one point or another will experience abdominal pain. Most of the causes are not serious but if it repeats and sustains long then treat may needed.
• Burping (also known as belching, rectus, or eructation) is the release of gas from the digestive tract (mainly oesophagus and stomach) through the mouth is normal but excessive amount is always matter of concern.
• Burning sensation in Chest, this is actually an acid reflux symptom, which is caused when stomach contents, including food, stomach acid, and digestive juices flow up from the stomach to the oesophagus. Symptoms range from mild to severe and differ from one person to the next. They tend to crop up when you are lifting, lying down, bending over, or after a heavy, fatty, or acidic meal.
• Back pain usually seen due to excess amount of flatus accumulation, which used to press the back muscles.
• Dizziness commonly seen and patients always feels better after taking rest.
• Headache a is pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. It can be a symptom of a number of different conditions of the head and neck. Differential diagnosis is must.
• Constipation, refers to bowel movements that are infrequent or hard to pass and often painful.
• Nausea, it is a sensation of discomfort in the upper abdomen, accompanied by an urge to vomit.
• Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a painful, frustrating condition often described as a scalding sensation in the tongue, lips, palate, or throughout the mouth.
• Diarrhea is a condition that involves the frequent passing of loose or watery stools - it is the opposite of constipation and it can be alter with constipation.
• Vomiting.
• Burning in the Anal Area just after passing stool refers the lowering in the pH of stool.
• Eroding tooth enamel due to frequent overexpose to acid though it is the most hardest part of the body.
• Carcinoma of esophagus.

Investigations:

• Blood & Urine routine examination.
• Stool routine & Occult blood examination.
• Ba Meal x-ray
• F.T.M (Fractional test meal)
• USG Whole abdomen.
• Gastroscopy (Endoscopy)....etc. or as advised by your physician.

Home Remedies:

• First thing is to make a routine daily diet habit.
• Clove one daily after meal.
• Green Dhania (Coriandrum sativum) leaves juice (5-10 ml) in the morning.
• Tulsi (Occimum Santam) leaves having compounds that make it an effective digestive agent. It stimulates the stomach to produce mucous and has potent anti-ulcer properties. It also reduces the effect of peptic acids in the stomach thereby preventing excessive acidity.
• Jeera has properties that stimulate the production of saliva, which helps in better digestion, improves metabolism and relieves gas and other gastric troubles.
• Saunf acts as a coolant for the lining of the stomach helping it heal faster. In fact, this is why Saunf is served after meals at restaurants. In case you have a sudden bout of acidity, boil a few seeds in water and leave overnight, drink this water when you feel uneasy.
• Banana is very good for acidity.
• Mulethi (Glycyrrhiza glabra) Powder with honey.
• A regular ingredient in most Indian households, ginger improves absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients and aids in digestion. It also helps break down the proteins in your food. Ginger protects your stomach against ulcers by promoting mucus secretion thereby reducing the effect of the acid on the stomach.
• Green leaves of Pudina (mint) leaves are very good for digestion and it relives the acidity.
• Coconut Water is very good for GI track.
• Elaichi (Cardamom) is known to stimulate digestion and relieve people of stomach spasms it can be taken after food.
• Milk in cold condition (First ensure patient don't allergic to milk products)

Contraindications:

• All NSIDS should be avoided means Say no to all Pain Killers.
• Fried and Extra Chill should be avoided.
• Simply say no to all spicy foods.
• Untimely and irregular food habit should be avoided.
• Prickles should be avoided.
• All type of alcohols should be avoided.
• We should avoid oily foods. 
• In Ayurveda, curd is strictly contraindicated.

Medicines:

• Avipattikar Churna (Classical Preparation)
• Amalakyadhi Churna (Classical Preparation)
• Triphala Churna (Classical Preparation)
• Sutsekher Ras (Classical Preparation)
• Leelabilash Ras (Classical Preparation)
• Kamdudha Ras (Classical Preparation)
• Dhatri Louha (Classical Preparation)
• Prawal Panchamrit (Classical Preparation)
• Prawal Pisti (Classical Preparation)
• Kumariasav (Classical Preparation)
• Swarna Mashik Bhasma (Classical Preparation)
• Amlaki Rasayan (Classical Preparation)
• Bilvadhi Churna (Classical Preparation)
• Aafresh Churna
• Balaji Churna
• Tab. Acibac
• Tab. Acidinol
• Cap. Acilans
• Cap. Acinorm
• Tab. Ayucid (Kashmir Ayurveda)
• Syp Ajicid
• Syp Carmino
• Syp Cidni
• Tab. Alsarex
• Tab. Amlaparimala
• Amlapittantak Yoga
• Syp. Amrit Bindu
• Syp. Apitizer
• Syp. Decazyme
• Syp. Gason
• Tab Gastrex
• Tab Gastromone
• Cap GID (Capro)
• Cap GID Plus (Capro)
• Tab. Gritona (Anuja)
• Syp. Herbaliser (Arya Aushadhi)
• Tab. Gasex (Himalaya)
• Tab. Alserex
• Tab.Sooktyn (Alarsin)
• Tab. Amlaki (Amil)
• Tab. Amlant (Maharishi)
• Syp. Gasex (Himalaya)
• Syp. Zymnet (Amil)
• Syp. Ojus (Chrak)
• Syp. Sankhapuspi (Dabur/Baidhyanath/Dindayal)
• Sup. Himcocid (Himalaya)

 *** Before starting any medication consult with your doctor.