Acid reflux
medications and drugs are available for
the taking. You can see them in the commercials, some
of them are available over the counter, and
most physicians will gladly prescribe them to you
promising immediate relief from the debilitating pain of
acid reflux. With that said, you may be wondering
whether acid reflux medications are
effective at all when it comes n fixing the root cause of
your medical condition and whether the temporary relief
is worth the side effects.
Acid reflux, also called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), occurs
when the one-way valve located in the esophagus
(known as a lower esophageal sphincter, or LES) weakens
allowing food and stomach acid to travel back
up into the esophagus. Normally, after swallowing, the LES opens to
allow food to pass into the stomach, and then closes to
prevent the flow of acid back into the esophagus. The
retrograde flow of acid often causes a burning pain,
called heartburn. For this reason, GERD patients often
experience a distinctive burning sensation under the
breastbone, which commonly occurs at
night.
Frequent gastroesophageal
reflux disease accompanied by one of its common
symptoms-heartburn can be painful and uncomfortable
enough to impact your daily life and cause significant
damage to the esophagus. Neglected acid reflux can
severely damage the esophageal lining, cause chronic
inflammation, and can lead the cancer of the esophagus.
It is only obvious that acid reflux is a serious
condition that requires an immediate diagnosis and
intervention.
Acid reflux medication appear to be the most
accessible solution for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease,
although not necessary the most effective one.
These medications available to treat acid reflux can
be divided into three main categories:
1.
Antacids come in a variety of packages: liquid
suspensions, tablets that you can chew or swallow
chewing gum etc. They work by neutralizing the acidity
in the esophagus. Their effect lasts up to a few
hours.
Alginates create an ark that
surrounds the stomach contents and reduces
reflux.
2.
H2-receptor antagonists stop your gastric system from
stimulating stomach acid production. They start working
in 30 minutes to 1 hour and their effect lasts up to 12
hours.
3. PPI
(Proton pump inhibitors) block the mechanism in the
stomach cells that releases acid into the
stomach.
These
medications vary in how they work, how quickly they
work, how long they work, and how well they work.
However, they all have something in
common:
1. They work temporarily. The majority of
gastroesophageal reflux disease medications are aimed at tackling
the immediate causes of GERD in the short run, whereas gastroesophageal
reflux disease is a complex condition, created by a
set of environmental, lifestyle and dietary factors.
Therefore, medications can merely provide an immediate
temporary relief, while neglecting the root causes of
GERD.
2. Long-term intake of these drugs
may cause a myriad of side effects. Prolong use of
antacids can aggravate the damage made by chronic acid
reflux: gastric acid is important for proper digestion
and immune function, and continuous intake of antacids
interferes with this process. PPI therapy generally
outweighs the risk of side effects. While its most
common side effects include severe headache and
diarrhea, PPIs have also been linked to osteoporosis.
Acid reflux
medication
therapy is based on the conventional
approach that unlike the holistic approach doesn’t treat
the body while focusing on the symptoms of the disease.
This is why most gastroesophageal reflux disease medications will
provide nothing more than temporary relief alongside a myriad
of side effects. On the contrary, alternative
treatments for GERD (e.g. homeopathic remedies, herbal
remedies, dietary, detoxification and lifestyle changes)
will fix the internal cause of acid reflux, thus preventing
its recurrence safely and effectively.
