Acid Reflux, are you suffering?

Heartburn is a painful burning feeling just below or behind the breastbone. It usually comes from the esophagus. The pain often rises in your chest and may spread to your neck or throat. Contents from the stomach can back up (reflux) into the esophagus.

Altering your diet and lifestyle may help alleviate both heartburn and the more serious GERD, but neither should be overlooked and left untreated.

Lifestyle changes 

Some lifestyle changes that can help control your acid reflux symptoms. These include:

Maintain a healthy weight.

Quit smoking.

Limit alcohol.

Avoid eating 3 hours before lying down.

Raise the head of your bed.

Do not wear clothing that is too tight around your waist.

Reduce Stress.

Dietary Changes

Eat smaller more frequent meals

Eat Slowly

Chew thoroughly

Foods to Limit or Avoid, these may make it worse:

Spicy foods      Fatty foods             Mint

Chocolate        Alcohol                   Caffeine

Citrus fruits      Tomato-based foods

Keep a Food Diary:

Ultimately, every person responds differently to foods. Food diaries that include the symptoms you experienced after eating the food allow you to refer back to it to monitor any trends you notice with certain foods.

Call your health care provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve with lifestyle changes or medication.

Also call for any of the following symptoms:

•     Bleeding

•     Choking (coughing, shortness of breath)

•     Feeling filled up quickly when eating

•     Frequent vomiting

•     Hoarseness

•     Loss of appetite

•     Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) or pain with swallowing (odynophagia)

•     Weight loss