Search:

Medication for Heartburn Can Make Acid Reflux WORSE

By: Jeff Martin Medication for Heartburn is INEFFECTIVE Over Time. Find Out the Truth on Heartburn Drugs from an Ex -Heartburn Patient Who's Tried All of Them.

Conventional treatments are often used for relief by millions of individuals enduring the pain and discomfort of symptoms of gastro esophageal disease, the most widespread of which is in all certainty heartburn. Very popular at the moment, one of these heartburn medications, Nexium, even scored as the number three worldwide for drug sales, amassing up over $5.7 billion in 2005.

1. The upward trend in the number of GERD (Acid Reflux) patients in the western world is set to continue. There are approximately 25 million acid reflux victims with recurrent heartburn in 2006 alone in America. 2. Drugs for GERD are backed by huge marketing resources, publicity campaigns and by doctors prescribing them to patients. 3. Consumers now obtain such drugs with ease, buying them over the counter where a prescription was required before. About ten years previously, the Food and Drug Administration gave its sign-off for over the counter commerce of Pepcid AC, Tagamet HB, Zantac 75 and a number of other medicaments also came of the prescription-only list.

Before passing any final judgment on the subject, let's quickly go over the nature of acid reflux disease and heartburn, its most frequent external symptom. With the rising popularity of classical heartburn treatment, the big question when using such remedies is whether such drugs have the desired effects when it comes to eradicating the root causes of this medical problem and if the alleviation is better than the potential secondary effects.

Another factor that encouraging conditions for GERD is when the esophagus fails to evacuate gastric juices. In physiological terms, GERD is the after effect of the esophagus having excessively high exposure to stomach juices. This problem comes about because of a weakened LES or lower esophageal sphincter. The LES muscle is a circular valve separating the esophagus from the stomach. In cases of acid reflux disease, the LES does not close correctly, and stomach contents moves back up into the esophagus, giving symptoms of heartburn.

As well as those local reasons for acid reflux, there are also inherited characteristics (not under our control) and other internal factors and co-factors that create the environment contributing to acid reflux. These internal factors must be treated otherwise there is no solution in the long term for this medical complaint.

Any GERD medicament will fall into one of four categories:

1. Antacids, an example being Alka-Seltzer, bringing relief of a few hours by the neutralization of acid in the esophagus. Upon taking the antacid, the neutralization of the stomach acid begins instantaneously, to limit the esophageal corrosion. 2. Alginates relieve symptoms by creating a "wrapper" that wraps around the stomach contents to decrease reflux. 3. H2-receptor antagonists such as HB, Zantac 75 and Pepcid AC are preventing the stomach cells from leaking acid, actually stop the gastric system and the stomach from producing acid. Patients must use H2-receptor antagonists ahead of any heartburn if relief is to be effected. 4. Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) such as Nexium, which stop the "proton pump" in gastric cells from functioning in order to prevent acid being generated.

In the end, adopting medication as the only solution to treat heartburn is an unsatisfactory approach, only working on the symptoms but missing the root cause of GERD. Neglect of causes such as these can degrade your condition over time and even result in further medical complications. Such treatments for heartburn may also have serious side effects. Headaches, diarrhea and in some cases osteoporosis are among the additional ailments possible. Also, their long-term impact is weak and the chance of physical long-term dependency therefore more pronounced.

Using a holistic agenda, with particular herbal and vitamin elements, and by sticking to a complete set of dietary principles, getting rid of toxins and using Candida control protocols, a natural and lasting cure is available for your medical problem. Now you know that your discomforting and painful heartburn symptoms of GERD can be eradicated in a lasting and holistic way without recourse to medication for heartburn.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Jeff Martin is a certified nutritionist and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, Heartburn No More . To Learn More About Heartburn Medication Visit: Heartburn Medication

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated