Facts About Acid Reflux
When it comes to preventing the effects of a disease on your day to day life, learning more about it is one of the most effective things you can do. Were you aware that acid reflux is a problem for at least thirty five percent of people who are overweight, plus many other people who are not?
In this article we’re going to look at several important facts about acid reflux which will hopefully help you to minimize its effects on your life.
More than 60 million Americans are effected by heartburn due to acid reflux at least once a month. That’s about 20% of the entire population! And roughly 25 million (one twelfth) of the total population experience it daily.
Acid reflux can be more harmful to your mental health then you may know. Roughly eighty percent of all acid reflux sufferers experience symptoms of the disease at night, with about seventy five percent of all acid reflux cases waking the afflicted person up due to the heartburn.
These nighttime attacks can lead to other problems during the day, such as an increased risk of having an accident while driving, a lack of concentration and increased irritability.
While heartburn is technically incurable, there are things that you can do to help offset the chance of you getting this disease. If you worry that you are at risk for an acid reflux condition, it is important to review the types of foods that you are eating and change your habits to lessen the number of acid-creating foods you ingest.
Smoking and drinking (alcohol) can also contribute to an acid reflux condition. Smoking causes the acid in your stomach to increase, which can make acid reflux even more damaging to your esophagus.
Also, nicotine is known to relax the lower esophageal sphincter muscle, which, when operating incorrectly, is one of the leading causes of an acid reflux condition. Alcohol performs much of the same process on the lower esophageal sphincter, causing it to relax and allowing reflux to creep into the esophagus.