Stomach Acid Reflux Can Cause Lost Sleep

One of the worst feelings in the world is when you are settling down in bed and get that horrible feeling of stomach acid reflex. In most cases, you are not going to get to sleep until you can settle your stomach and quell the burning sensation in your stomach and chest. It may hurt so bad that you think you are having a heart attack.

Stomach acid reflex can be caused by a variety of the things, such as overeating, eating too many spicy foods or those containing having a high acid content or it could be an overactive acid producing gland. Whatever the cause, there is help available in many forms to help quell the sour taste in your mouth and the burning in your chest or lower abdomen. Temporary relief is available through many over-the-counter products, but for recurring stomach acid reflex a cause will need to be diagnosed before a cure can be affected.

Typically, stomach acid reflex is when acid in the stomach is allowed to reflux back into the esophagus burning its sensitive lining. A weak upper stomach sphincter muscle could be allowing the contents of the stomach to back up or the content could be forced back into the esophagus. Think of the stomach as a tube of toothpaste with a loose cap. Squeezing the tube in the middle causes toothpaste to escape through the point of least resistance, in this case the upper stomach sphincter.

Getting Help With Indigestion Symptoms

Calcium carbonate is often used for temporary relief of stomach acid reflex as it absorbs the excess acid in the stomach. Several over-the-counter medications, developed for stomach acid reflex, may offer extended relief by taking them daily or prior to eating. By absorbing the acid, it greatly reduces the chance of acid refluxing back into the esophagus.

Depending on the individual, some medications are designed to slow or stop the production of stomach acid, and while this will reduce the incidents of stomach acid reflex, it can lead to other problems if used for long-term relief. Acid in the stomach is part of the digestive system and by eliminating this step in the process, may lead to poor digestion and the absorption of nutrients in the food.

Those suffering from chronic stomach acid reflex may have serious health problems causing the persistent problem and should contact a health professional for advice if symptoms persist. Using antacid remedies for an extended period can lead to other problems and finding the source of stomach acid reflex will be important to eliminating the symptoms.