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Asthma, Acid Reflux: What’s the Connection?

August 7th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Monday, August 04, 2008
By Jessica Ryen Doyle

When Debra Peterson tells her patients their worsening asthma symptoms may be related to gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, they look at her with shock.
“People are surprised because we are not gastrointestinal doctors,” said Peterson, a family nurse practitioner with Advancements in Allergy and Asthma Care in Minnetonka, Minn. “However, we see a lot of association between asthma and acid reflux. In the 15 million [Americans] who have asthma, as many as 50 to 80 percent also have acid reflux.”
But many patients fail to recognize this association because the classic symptoms of acid reflux –- heartburn and/or regurgitation –- may be absent.
“There’s no clear-cut cause and effect,” Peterson said. “We do know that reflux can cause asthma if the reflux is aspirated into the lungs. Or, the acid in the esophagus can cause chest tightness. Also, if acid gets into the bottom of the esophagus, it can reflux up against the bronchial nerve, which causes the airways to narrow and a shortness of breath.”
Also, some asthma medications, including bronchodilators, such as theophylline, have been known to trigger acid reflux, Peterson said.
Peterson said she becomes suspicious of an acid reflux/asthma connection if the patient:
— Complains of a nighttime cough;
— Notices his asthma becomes worse after eating a big meal, drinking alcohol or lying down;
— Was diagnosed with asthma as an adult;
— Has poor asthma control, even when taking prescribed asthma medication.
Peterson’s patients often notice an improvement in their asthma once they start taking proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Protonix or Prilosec, which are commonly prescribed for acid reflux and GERD.
“My patients will say, ‘Oh, that tightness in the middle of my chest isn’t there anymore,’” Peterson said. “When a patient thinks of reflux, they think of heartburn, or regurgitation, and they aren’t aware of the other atypical signs.”
If a patient’s asthma symptoms do not get better with PPIs, they are typically referred to a gastroenterologist.
“It’s not uncommon anymore to get referrals from allergists and pulmonologists,” said Dr. John Allen, chair of the American Gastroenterology Association clinical practice committee and medical director of Minnesota Gastroenterology in St. Paul, Minn. “I’ve seen it increasing over the last five years.”
For these patients, gastroenterologists often want to perform an endoscopy, which involves inserting a thin camera down the patient’s throat and into the esophagus. Once inside the esophagus, doctors can place a capsule that will record the patient’s pH levels over the course of the next 48 hours.
“Sometimes surgery is needed to tighten up the esophageal sphincter, which prevents the reflux of acid,” Allen said.
Scientists are still somewhat baffled by the association between the two conditions, but much research is being done.
Recently, researchers at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina conducted a study in an effort to find the link between the conditions.
Dr. Shu Lin, an assistant professor of surgery and immunology at Duke, found that the immune systems of mice produced changes that drive the development of asthma in mice once they inhaled small amounts of stomach fluid that backed up into the esophagus.
“This is the first experimental evidence in a controlled, laboratory setting linking these two very common conditions in humans,” Lin said in a study published online in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. “These data suggest that chronic micro-aspiration of gastric fluid can drive the immune system toward an asthmatic response.”
“This does not mean that everyone with GERD is going to develop asthma, by any means,” said William Parker, assistant professor of surgery at Duke and co-author of the study. “But it may mean that people with GERD may be more likely to develop asthma. If there is an upside to this, it is that developing GERD is something we can pretty much treat and control.”
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How An Alkaline Diet Improve Acid Reflux Conditions

August 7th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

There are many ways to treat acid reflux and alkaline diet is one of them. Alkaline diets help people suffering from acid reflux. Normal ph factor in saliva and  fluids is 7.4, which can increase. Then, you must eat more alkaline foods. In a test to measure the acid level, you must spit on a pH paper, and compare the colors to determine the acidity. Many foods avoid acid reflux, especially alkaline diets. Avoid olives and corn, red meat, fats, oils, tobacco, beer and coffee but eat celery, green beans and peas, which neutralize acidity. Surprisingly, you can eat mustard, chili pepper, and herbs, which are alkaline.  Milk is acid and can make it worse. Citric fruits produce an alkalinity effect on the stomach.  If you have this problem, consume calcium and sodium  in your diet.

Should You Use Zantac for infants spitting-up?

March 17th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Hey!  Listen up.  We all know that no two infants are alike.  They are all different in so many ways it tends to boggle the mind if you know what I mean.  You hardly hear a peep out of some while others can get on a crying jag that you think will never stop.  These infants that cry a lot and spit-up continually after feeding may have GERD.
 
Gastroesophagel Reflux Disease (GERD)
 
Stay with me here, it gets a trifle technical.  This is important.  Gastroesophagel reflux disease is a state where the muscle between the esophagus (Food tube) and the stomach is not brawny enough to remain closed after nutrient is digested.  Regrettably, this produces the response of the nutrient coming back up, which is agonizing for the infant when the nutrient is frequently regurgitated.
 
The most effective course to ascertaining if this is why an infant hollers so much is for the parents to be cognizant of when the crying jags happen and any additional potential expressions of the condition.  Other problems connected with GERD are:
 
* Upchucking after feeding
* Awakening during the nighttime and crying violently
* Curving backs as though in opain
* Apnea
 
Whenever an infant shows these symptoms it is time to confer with with a pediatrician to determine if gastroesophagel reflux disease is the trouble  Next, the parents can set about searching for techniques to address the condition perhaps with Zantac for infants with Gerd.  Gerd is the acronym applied to the condition gastroesophagel reflux disease.
 
Is Zantac For infants With Gerd Approved And Does It Work?
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd is one potential treatment for gastroesophagel reflux disease.  When an infant has been known as having Gerd, Zantac for infants with Gerd may be proposed.
 
Two Forms
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd comes in two forms.  One is a syrup type that tastes like peppermint candy.  This is among the gentlest ways to administer Zantac for infants with Gerd.  Zantac also comes in a pill class that dissolves in water, but this is a better form for older toddlers.
 
FDA Approval
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd has been approved by the FDA and appears to be a winning treatment plan when coping with gastroesophagel reflux disease.  It may help allay the discomfort connected with Gerd and luckily, this condition usually stops at around seven months of age or less, as the infants muscular tissue matures and is then capable of functioning correctly.
 
Side Effects
 
Of course, you will want to discuss with your pediatrician whether it’s a good idea to put your infant on Zantac.  There are pluses and minuses with any medication and you will want to get the full story of any side effects or interaction with other medications before giving it to your infant.
 

Fire in Your Food Pipe GERD?

February 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

 
Is fire in your “food pipe” driving you crazy?  How can you recognize a food pipe fire?
 
It can be heartburn or something more serious.  If you have an infrequent episode with heartburn it is nothing to worry about.  However, frequent heartburn is a serious problem, especially if it occurs daily.  You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.  This is a condition in which gastric acids and powerful enzymes flows back (refluxes) into your food pipe (esophagus).  Some common symptoms are:
 
* Chest pain, especially when lying down at night
* Heartburn - burning sensation in your chest, sometimes spreading to the throat
* Sour taste in your mouth
* Difficulty swallowing (Dysphagia)
* Regurgitation of food
* Coughing, wheezing
* Asthma
* Hoarseness
* Sore throat
* Sinusitis
* Earache
* Nausea
 
Be careful.  There are other diseases and sicknesses that have like problems. So one or two of them together does not necessarily mean you have GERD.  You need to consult a physician to be sure.
 
Causes of GERD
 
The majority of reflux episodes come about because of the intermittent brief complete lower esophageal sphincter relaxation.  The anti-reflux barrier prevents the retrograde flow from the stomach to the esophagus.  Reflux occurs when this barrier pressure is incompetent.  Obesity has been linked to reflux.  An excessive amount of calcium in the blood, hypercalcemia, has also been linked to this disease where there is an increase in gastric production.
 
Muscle on Strike
 
GERD is also caused by numerous elements that include the inability of the lower esophageal sphincter  (LES) to do its work the right way, irregular expulsion of the gastric acids from the esophagus a hiatal hernia and the intermittent relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.
 
Get Some Help
 
Individuals who believe they have Gastroesophageal reflux disease had better go visit a medical practitioner for the suitable diagnosis of the disease. An internist who specializes in our digestive system’s diseases would do very well. Getting a medical judgment can be helpful for those who suffer habitual GERD and its myriad of symptoms that can be very irritating.
 
Treatments Available
 
Treatment for GERD can occasionally be as simple as elevating the bead when you go to bed at night or even adjusting one’s posture.  No slouching, please.  Then, there are surgery and drug treatments.  There are over-the-counter medications that may be good.  If more powerful drugs are required, then a physician is needed to prescribe the correct dosage. Surgery is the option of last resort since GERD is not usually a life threatening disease.  Remember, surgery should only happen when the other methods fail to solve the GERD problem. 

A Guide to Nutrition for Gastritis and GERD

February 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The following will serve as a guide to nutrition for gastritis and GERD. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining.  It is common among all age groups.  Gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD or acid reflux
affects the food tube (esophagus).  When gastric acid escapes from the stomach, it causes inflammation of the esophagus.  Both conditions can become chronic which means that they will persist over a long period of time, probably for the rest of the patient’s life.
 
Nutrition for Gastritis and GERD
 
When it comes to the subject of nutrition for gastritis and GERD, there are a couple of matters in particular that you’re going to be aware of here. Nutrition is really among the most crucial events of all when it concerns either circumstance, as the foods that you consume are going to impact the symptoms you feel.
 
Exercise and Correct Foods
 
By consuming the correct foods and acquiring decent amount of exercise, you’ll not only be capable of alleviating your present symptoms but can really also keep them from repeating in the future. For more intense circumstances you can more often than not deal with just increasing the quantity of fluids you’re drinking and consume bunches of fresh fruits and veggies.
 
Vitmins A and C
 
Vitamin A is crucial to include as part of nutrition for gastritis and GERD, the same with vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that aids to assuage free radical molecules and which tends to be low in the gastric juice of people with gastritis.
 
Rotation Diet
 
For more grievous circumstances you’ll want to produce a rotation diet, where you try different foods and ascertain what kind of reaction they have to your circumstance. This will assist you to ascertain which foods are aggressors and which you should therefore eliminate from your diet altogether. Both heavy smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are acknowledged as causes of gastritis and GERD.
 
Consult a Dietician
 
For further data about nutrition for gastritis and GERD you had better talk to a dietician, who’s a health care provider that has specifically trained in this area and who will be able to assist you to get the best results via a menu plan for each day of the week.
 
While very serious and common diseases, gastritis and GERD are treatable, folks.  Remember that. In most cases they cannot be cured, but applying lifestyle changes, diet and medication they can be curbed so that you will be comfortable and the assorted routines will guarantee that no pain or irritation will happen when the proper regimen is followed to the T.
 

Should You Use Zantac For infants Spitting-up?

February 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Hey!  Listen up.  We all know that no two infants are alike.  They are all different in so many ways it tends to boggle the mind if you know what I mean.  You hardly hear a peep out of some while others can get on a crying jag that you think will never stop.  These infants that cry a lot and spit-up continually after feeding may have GERD.
 
Gastroesophagel Reflux Disease (GERD)
 
Stay with me here, it gets a trifle technical.  This is important.  Gastroesophagel reflux disease is a state where the muscle between the esophagus (Food tube) and the stomach is not brawny enough to remain closed after nutrient is digested.  Regrettably, this produces the response of the nutrient coming back up, which is agonizing for the infant when the nutrient is frequently regurgitated.
 
The most effective course to ascertaining if this is why an infant hollers so much is for the parents to be cognizant of when the crying jags happen and any additional potential expressions of the condition.  Other problems connected with GERD are:
 
·         Upchucking after feeding
·         Awakening during the nighttime and crying violently
·         Curving backs as though in opain
·         Apnea
 
Whenever an infant shows these symptoms it is time to confer with with a pediatrician to determine if gastroesophagel reflux disease is the trouble  Next, the parents can set about searching for techniques to address the condition perhaps with Zantac for infants with Gerd.  Gerd is the acronym applied to the condition gastroesophagel reflux disease.
 
Is Zantac For infants With Gerd Approved And Does It Work?
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd is one potential treatment for gastroesophagel reflux disease.  When an infant has been known as having Gerd, Zantac for infants with Gerd may be proposed.
 
Two Forms
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd comes in two forms.  One is a syrup type that tastes like peppermint candy.  This is among the gentlest ways to administer Zantac for infants with Gerd.  Zantac also comes in a pill class that dissolves in water, but this is a better form for older toddlers.
 
FDA Approval
 
Zantac for infants with Gerd has been approved by the FDA and appears to be a winning treatment plan when coping with gastroesophagel reflux disease.  It may help allay the discomfort connected with Gerd and luckily, this condition usually stops at around seven months of age or less, as the infants muscular tissue matures and is then capable of functioning correctly.
 
Side Effects
 
Of course, you will want to discuss with your pediatrician whether it’s a good idea to put your infant on Zantac.  There are pluses and minuses with any medication and you will want to get the full story of any side effects or interaction with other medications before giving it to your infant.

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