Do you experience anxiety symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, or an upset stomach? Have you been told that your symptoms are due to Acid Reflux? There may be a connection between the two. In this article, we will explore this relationship in detail.
What is Acid Reflux?
Acid reflux is also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This occurs when the acid in your stomach flows back up into your food pipe.
This happens because of a muscle dysfunction between the esophagus and the lower part of the stomach called LES, or Lower Esophageal Sphincter.
When this muscle does not close properly, it makes the passage between the stomach and esophagus easier for acid to flow into the esophagus, causing heartburn or chest pain.
Doctors often tell their patients that GERD is a chronic disease caused by eating habits such as bending while eating, overeating meals, etc.
Acid reflux is also caused by other factors such as smoking, pregnancy, physical injury to the stomach, or esophageal sphincter.
How does stress affect Acid Reflux?
Anxiety disorders are a factor that triggers acid reflux because it increases the secretion of gastric juices in your stomach.
In this case, stress shows adverse effects on both physical and mental health, causing increased heart rate, which leads to elevated blood pressure levels. This directly affects LES muscles increasing GERD symptoms such as burning sensation inside the chest or throat. In this way, people with acid Reflux tend to feel worse when they are under stress.
However, there is a silver lining in all of this because research has shown that by managing stress levels through yoga and meditation, acid reflux symptoms can be reduced significantly. People who suffer from acerbic diseases such as heartburn or acid reflux should try their best to reduce stress levels in order to improve their condition.
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How to cure acid Reflux?
Another easy way of preventing heartburn is by avoiding tight clothing around the waistline because this may also increase pressure on the stomach and LES muscles which can trigger acid reflux.
People with chronic GERD may benefit from medications such as proton pump inhibitors. This is a drug that helps in lowering the acidity of your stomach’s gastric juices by inhibiting the secretion of hydrogen ions.
People suffering from severe cases of GERD can also opt for surgery to prevent it from coming back again in the future. Acid reflux surgeries are widely available nowadays, and they help in restoring the normal function of LES muscles.
However, surgery is a serious procedure, so it should be done after consulting with your doctor or gastroenterologist for a diagnosis of acid Reflux in las cruces to ensure that you are making an informed decision regarding your health.
Tips to Reduce Anxiety
Anxiety is a state of mind that can lead to many ailments such as heartburn, acid reflux, or other digestive problems. Therefore, you must try your best to manage your stress levels in order to prevent these conditions from worsening. Some easy ways of doing this include meditation and yoga, which help people suffering from stress to improve their health.
You should also avoid smoking and drinking alcohol because these substances can trigger heartburn or GERD symptoms in people suffering from this condition. You must stay alert of the foods that you are eating as certain items such as caffeine, garlic, onions, etc., may increase acidity levels inside your stomach, which can lead to Reflux.
If you feel that your stress levels are high because of the demands at work or due to other external factors, try talking it out with someone close in order to reduce anxiety and improve overall health. Finally, if you do not notice any change even after following these tips, then you must consult a doctor for further examination.
In conclusion, it is important to know that there are many causes of acid reflux. The good news is that in most cases, people can manage their symptoms by making a few lifestyle changes and taking over-the-counter medications when needed.