A significant percentage of adults report dealing with acid reflux every day. Though the ailment is common, several existing myths make it difficult to distinguish misconceptions from facts. Your Cypress acid reflux expert, Dr. Bharat Pothuri, asserts that this condition has other symptoms besides heartburn. Additionally, heartburn alone might not warrant a diagnosis for the condition. Knowing the typical acid reflux myths and the facts behind them will help you manage the disease, preventing its frustrating symptoms from affecting your life quality. Below are the common acid reflux misconceptions.
Acid reflux is not that serious
The fact is that reflux is more than a nuisance. The disease happens when your stomach acids flow upwards to your esophagus, resulting in a burning sensation and even vomiting. Failure to seek medical intervention, acid reflux may turn chronic, increasing your risk of developing esophageal cancer and other health concerns like ulcers. Therefore, if the reflux is not a nuisance you should assume and expect to resolve independently. Your healthcare provider will advise you to seek help if the acid backflow happens more than twice a week for an evaluation.
Popping pills is your only option to alleviate the symptoms
Medication is crucial in managing your symptoms. However, drugs are not your only option. Lifestyle changes like cutting down bodyweight and wearing freely-fitting clothes minimize the pressure you exert on your abdomen, lowering your risks of having acid reflux. Your healthcare provider might also advise you to quit smoking, eat smaller portions, avoid possible triggers, and wait for at least three hours after eating before lying down.
The reflux only results from spicy foods
Though spicy foods are likely to trigger acid reflux, the foods that spike reflux vary in different people, while greasy and fatty foods like bacon might trigger regurgitation in some people, others may experience acid backflow because of non-lifestyle factors like connective tissue disorders or diabetes.
You are safe if you have never had reflux
Acid reflux is not a preserve for a particular age group. You are likely to develop the disease later in life because the common causes of acid reflux include aging, weight gain, and pregnancy. As you get older, your digestion tends to slow down, leaving you vulnerable to regurgitation of the stomach acids into your food pipelining. On the other hand, your hormones during pregnancy temporarily relax the existing connection of your stomach and esophagus, allowing the acids to flow upward.
Acid reflux is prolonged heartburn
Most patients assume that prolonged heartburn is an early sign of acid reflux. Though it might be true, heartburn might also indicate a different health condition. Additionally, you might fail to have heartburn but showcase other acid reflux symptoms.
Acid reflux differs in individuals. While some people might have persistent symptoms needing advanced treatment options to resolve, others might only need prescription drugs and lifestyle changes to recover. Contact your doctor if your reflux bothers you to know the treatment that might best work out for you.
