At some point, any individual experiences a burning sensation in their chest or have a sore throat. The reason behind this is acid reflux. An acid reflux is a system where the acids generated in the stomach come back into the food pipe in the backward direction.
The human system has a safety valve between the feed pipe and the lower stomach. The valve closes after finishing meals to prevent the acids released into the stomach by the body to begin digestion. The symptoms occur due to a leakage from the valve caused due to misalignment of the muscle the separates the chest from the stomach. In many cases, the longevity of the sensation is for a few minutes.
Some individuals are suffering from the illness of acid reflux for an extended period and having trouble in performing daily chores. The one thing that everyone wonders is the time for which the symptoms of acid reflux last. If the time is long, then coping with acid reflux becomes difficult.
How Long Do The Symptoms Of Acid Reflux Last?
To put it in a clear way, there is no answer to this question. With no pre-determined time, it is impossible to for even the doctor to specify a time after which the patient will acquire freedom from the symptoms of acid reflux. However, during the treatment, where there is a decrease in the irritation caused to the esophagus, there will be a considerable change to the pain experienced by an individual.
The reason for occurrence of acid reflux is due to acids produced in the stomach and irritation to esophagus tissue, and opting for antacids is the quickest route for relief of symptoms of acid reflux. Antacids have magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which together help in balancing the pH content of the acids released by the body into the stomach. Due to this, there will be a decrease in the symptoms and prevent the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Under normal conditions, the symptoms of acid reflux usually last for at least two hours for a healthy person.
What are the Effects of Chronic Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is not a simple ailment to neglect. Upon neglecting, it can turn out to be a serious illness in the future, even leading to cancer. Frequent occurrences of the GERD or acid reflux only tell that other complications are present in your body. The effects include:
- Esophageal ulcers – a long lasting acid reflux symptoms results in this effect and continues to irritate your stomach.
- Painful swallowing – as the acids irritate the esophagus continuously in acid reflux, it will be painful in swallowing food.
- Esophageal stricture – the continuous attack by the acids damage the lining of the esophagus in acid reflux this causes scarring, which develops over a period making it difficult to swallow food or drink liquids.
- Esophageal cancer – if acid reflux is untreated, the chances for the occurrence of esophageal cancer are high.
- Weight loss – due to esophagus stricture, you will have improper diets, leading to weight loss and dehydration.
What is the Best Way to Overcome Acid Reflux?
The reason for the cause of acid reflux is mainly due to the food that you consume. Not all the food products are useful and suitable for everyone. For instance, people with low acidic level require an intake of food products that are rich in citric acid to improve their digestion. Contrarily, the same food elevates for those who are already suffering from acid reflux. Therefore, understanding about the food that you eat, the contents present in it, and a change in lifestyle will help in keeping acid reflux at bay. Adding exercises and following a planned diet chart will be the key to success.
