HOW TO REDUCE ACIDITY: SYMPTOMS & CAUSES

Acidity is a common condition that affects many people worldwide. Acidity, if left untreated, may lead to hyperacidity. While occasional episodes of acidity are not a matter of concern, if you suffer from this condition frequently along with heartburn around the chest area, then you should seek heartburn treatment. Make an effort to reduce acidity in the body and restrict the intake of foods that cause acid reflux. 

If the symptoms of acidity frequently occur in a week, your doctor might recommend you to go for GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) treatment. Recurrent or chronic episodes of acidity can lead to more serious conditions such as:

1. Esophageal damage: Oesophagus, a tube that connects the mouth to the stomach, gets damaged when stomach acid moves up and enters the esophagus. This can lead to esophageal ulcers, esophageal strictures, Barrett’s Esophagus, and Esophagitis. 

2. Esophagus cancer: Those having a family history of Esophagus cancer are at an increased risk of developing it.

3. Tooth cavities: Acid reflux affects the tooth enamel by wearing it down, leading to cavities.

What Are the Symptoms of Acid Reflux Disease?

Some common symptoms of acid reflux disease are as follows: 

• Burping.
• Bloody or black stools.
• Bloody vomiting.
• Dysphagia.
• Continuous hiccups.
• Nausea.
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Wheezing, dry cough.
• Hoarseness, or chronic sore throat.

A few people may have some severe symptoms of acid reflux disease. They include:

1. Heartburn: Heartburn symptoms include the occurrence of burning pain or discomfort in the chest or even up in the throat. 

2. Regurgitation: When you feel a very sour or bitter-tasting acid backing up to the throat or mouth, it is regurgitation.

What is the fastest way to cure acidity?

Although people resort to various kinds of treatments and medications to treat acidity, making alterations in your lifestyle can go a long way in reducing the symptoms of acidity, hyperacidity, acid reflux, and improving the quality of life.

If you have been experiencing episodes of heartburn, acid reflux or show other symptoms of acidity, below are the fastest ways to cure them:

Gap between mealtime and sleeping time 

Have a gap of at least 2-3 hours between your mealtime and sleeping time for heartburn relief. This will allow food to digest properly, prevent acidity, and avoid reflux.

Adjust the angle of your bed 

Those suffering from frequent hyperacidity or looking for an effective acid reflux treatment can benefit by adjusting the angle of their bed while sleeping. The reason is that the esophagus and stomach are aligned on a plain bed, which causes the acid to rise till the esophagus. To prevent this, simply raise the head of the mattress by 10 cm to 20 cm while sleeping. 

Home-remedies for preventing acidity and hyperacidity symptoms: 

Drink cold milk: Drink cold milk to seek relief from acidity as its calcium prevents acid build-up in the stomach.

Coconut Water: Coconut water contains electrolytes known to balance out acid production. 

Black Cumin Seeds: Chew some black cumin seeds or boil one teaspoon of them in a glass of water, let it cool down, and drink. Black cumin seeds help prevent acidity and its related symptoms such as bloating, heartburn, nausea, etc.

Acidity Treatment

If the symptoms of acidity don’t improve, visit a doctor who will prescribe medicines based on the severity of your symptoms. You will probably be prescribed antacids or medicines that contain histamine blocking agents such as ranitidine, famotidine, or cimetidine. You can shop for these medicines from our website. All medicines will be delivered to your doorstep, eliminating the need for stepping out of your home.

In case of severe symptoms of hyperacidity or acid reflux symptoms, your doctor may prescribe proton pump inhibitors. Hyperacidity treatment also involves Vagotomy surgery, which is done in extreme cases to alleviate acid production in the stomach.

What is the main cause of acidity?

The main causes of acidity are:

• Eating heavy meals.
• Lying down right after a meal.
• Obesity.
• Frequent snacking.
• Eating foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, chocolates, garlic, onions, or spicy or fatty foods.
• Drinking alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, or tea
• Smoking.
• Being pregnant.

Other acidity causes include:  

Certain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, certain muscle relaxers, or blood pressure medications.

Hiatal hernia, an abnormality of the stomach, is also one of the major causes of acidity in some patients. In this condition, the upper part of the stomach and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) move above the diaphragm. This causes the acid to move up to the esophagus, paving the way for acid reflux disease.

How to Reduce Uric Acid? 

Excess amounts of uric acid in the blood can lead to the formation of gout in the joints. Gout is inflammatory arthritis that causes extreme pain and swelling in the joints. If you have been diagnosed with high uric acid levels, your doctor will prescribe medication and suggest you avoid or reduce the intake of certain food items.

Here are some ways to reduce uric acid: 

1. Reduce intake of purine-rich foods

High-fat foods, alcohol, dairy products, sugary foods and beverages, tuna, sweet bread, meats, poultry, etc., are high in purine content. When the body breaks down purines, uric acid is produced. So make a goal to avoid food that contains purines.

2. Eat low-purine foods

Replacing high-purine foods with low-purine foods will help you steadily lower the uric acid levels in the body. Some examples of low purine foods are low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, whole-grain rice, and potatoes.

3. Maintain a healthy body weight 

Obese and overweight people are more likely to have higher uric acid levels and gout. Hence, aim for healthy body weight by exercising regularly and having a proper diet. It will lower the risk of gout and a host of other diseases, including heart disease.

4. Drink water

Water is a great detoxifier that helps to eliminate toxins from the body. Uric acid in the blood is flushed out through the kidneys. Water being the best diuretic, helps get rid of the uric acid from the body. Consider drinking at least eight glasses of water every day.

Acidity, hyperacidity, heartburn, acid reflux disease are common gut problems caused mostly by unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles. Now that you know how to prevent these conditions, start modifying your eating patterns and lifestyle. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience persistent acidity, nausea, heartburn, or vomiting. 

At Wellness Forever, we endeavour to spread awareness of medical conditions and make it easy for people to seek medications.