Posted in Category : Common Ailments | May 29, 2009

Acid reflux back pain

A variety of factors can cause acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short. When this condition develops, the patient typically experiences a burning sensation in the esophagus. This is most commonly caused by bad eating habits. Over eating is a primary cause of acid reflux, this happens when the stomach does not get the required amount of time to digest the food that has been eaten. When you eat a large meal late at night and lie down immediately after this, you are quite likely to suffer from acid reflux. Other factors that could cause acid reflux are smoking and eating food that is too rich. Food items that generally tend to trigger acid reflux are chocolates, excessive amounts of tea and coffee, fried food, and spicy food. People whose diet is faulty and who overeat are likely to suffer from acid reflux on a regular basis. Although this primarily affects the throat area, there is the likelihood of the condition affecting other parts of the body too. The most common symptom is a burning sensation in the area of the heart; this pain may even radiate outwards in the chest region, making people mistakenly believe that they are having a heart attack. In addition however, a person who has acid reflux is very likely to suffer from a pain in the stomach. Shoulder pain and severe back pain are not very common, but they could sometimes be side effects of acid reflux.

Since acid reflux is directly related to the food we eat and also to the lifestyle patterns we follow, the best way to cure acid reflux is by altering the way you live and what you eat. A person suffering from acid reflux should learn to eat smaller meals. When we eat large meals we forget that the stomach may experience trouble with digesting these. Small meals are easier to digest. The last meal of the day should be eaten at least two hours before going to bed. You should avoid lying down immediately after eating a meal. In addition to the quantity of food, the type of food that is consumed should also be monitored. Fried and spicy food items should be avoided. Excessive consumption of coffee and tea, chocolates should be avoided. Smokers should cut down on smoking. For people who are overweight, losing weight is one of the first things to do. Regular exercise can also help keep people healthy. Following these simple steps will certainly help you get relief from the acid reflux induced back pains, and from all the other side effects of acid reflux.

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