Many health experts have now started believing that asthma and acid reflux, or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease, are interlinked. Experts believe that acid Reflux may aggravate the symptoms of asthma and vice-versa.

Acid reflux and Its Symptoms

Acid reflux is a health condition in which the stomach acid regurgitates into the esophagus.

Common symptoms attached with this condition are:

• Heartburn
• Chest pain
• Hoarseness
• Vomiting
• Dysphagia (problem in swallowing food)

Asthma and Its Symptoms

Millions of people, worldwide suffer from acid reflux, a condition in which gastric juices containing acid regurgitates into the esophageal tube. Acid reflux is also known as Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The condition of acid reflux in long run can lead to various serious complications. Our body requires gastric acid to digest the food we eat, but in acid reflux this acid is regurgitated upward. This upward release of gastric acid can damage the esophagus, which can have serious health implications.

What causes acid reflux?

Unlike many other health conditions, acid reflux occurs due to the factors that are totally in our control. Some of the factors that put you at an increased risk of developing include: improper diet, unhealthy behavioral habits, and improper mental state.

Did you know that nearly 7% of adults have some time or other experienced acid reflux?

Acid reflux, or Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a condition in which the gastric acids released by our body are regurgitated upward, toward the esophagus. Most common symptoms of acid reflux are: heartburn and chest pain.

If you frequently experience the symptoms of acid reflux, it is important that you take adequate steps to control this condition. Acid reflux is not a health condition you would want to ignore, because if left unaddressed, it can lead to complete erosion of esophagus, or the wind pipe, as it is commonly called.

Is it true or just plain misconception that acid reflux affects only stressed out adults and not youngsters?

Studies show that the above statement is just a misconception, and that more than 5% of youngsters in the age bracket of 10 to 17 years suffer from acid reflux. And the figure continues to increase in the age bracket of 18-25 years.

The ‘Ashlee Simpson incident’

Doctors knew all along that kids too can suffer from acid reflux, but the general public became aware of this fact only when pop star Ashlee Simpson was reported to be suffering from acid reflux. While performing on Saturday Night Live in October 2004, her condition became so bad that she had to lip-sync her own song on live TV. Ashlee’s representatives claimed that acid reflux had caused damage to her vocal cards. She was all of twenty years old at the time.

Those who suffer from acid reflux know that this health condition typically reoccurs time and again if the root problem is not addressed. Acid reflux is a health condition in which the gastric acid produced by our body regurgitates upwards. The most common symptoms of this health condition include: heartburn, pain in the chest or neck, and vomiting.

Allopathic treatment for Acid Reflux

The stages of acid reflux can be broadly divided into two categories: mild and severe.

Poor lifestyle and eating habits over a period of time can lead to serious ailments like acid reflux. In acid reflux, the stomach acids regurgitate toward the esophagus. The most common symptom of this ailment is heartburn, which occurs due to inflammation in the esophagus. Acid reflux, if not treated properly and on time, can cause severe damage to the esophagus and digestive system.

The most common treatments of acid reflux are: antacids and surgery.

Medication or surgery- which is more effective in acid reflux treatment?

Dr. Las conducted a study in Sweden to determine which conventional acid reflux treatment is better. The size of the group involved in this study was 255. While 122 patients underwent surgery to treat acid reflux, the rest were given Omeprazole (Prilosec).

A study conducted at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine on acid reflux drugs and pneumonia has come up with a startling fact- that acid reflux drugs increase the chances of contracting pneumonia in critically ill patients by a factor of three.

David L. Bowton, who is a senior researcher at the university, has stated that approximately 25% of the patients who contract hospital-acquired pneumonia or ventilator-acquired pneumonia die because of this condition. It is understood that the biggest cause of infection-related death among patients who are critically ill is hospital-acquired pneumonia.

The researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine also studied the two popular acid reflux drugs- Zantac TM (Ranitidine) and Prilosec TM (Pantoprazole), and how these drugs increase the chances of contracting pneumonia. The research concluded that Prilosec TM, which is a more preferred acid reflux drug than Zantac TM, puts critically ill patients at a greater risk of developing pneumonia.

As of now, gastro esophageal reflux disease or acid reflux is thought to occur due to the damage done to the esophagus by gastric acids that move upwards from the stomach. However, the latest research conducted done at the Utah Southwestern Medical Center shows that this may not be the case.

The study points to the fact that cytokines, which are immune system cells that cause inflammation, may be playing a big role in damaging the esophagus and resulting in heartburn.

Dr. Rhonda Souza, who lead the research, has said that these findings may change the way conventional acid reflux treatment is done. At present, acid reflux patients are given drugs that prevent the production of gastric acids in the stomach. However, if acid reflux is an immune-mediated injury as these studies show, then it will be better to create drugs that prevent cytokines from attracting inflammatory cells to the esophagus.