Picnics, barbecues, hot dogs at the baseball games… I ate too much! … And now I have heartburn.
Commonly we think that reflux means heartburn – that you burp up food or you feel burning in your throat after eating. But the reality is that reflux has multiple symptoms that can affect your quality-of-life.
There is a very good physiological explanation for the symptoms you experience related to reflux. As the vagal nerve senses air food water coming up into the esophagus the vagal nerve will close the eustachian tube, the voice box, throat, esophagus, trachea, bronchioles and can even slow the heart rate and drop blood pressure. So feeling something caught in your throat or a constant lump in the throat, trouble swallowing, and even chest tightness and pressure may be reflux.
One woman even told us she could always find her husband in the store, because he was always clearing his throat. We often see patients in the office that “feel they are allergic to every type of food,” because they feel their throat closes off nearly every time they eat. That’s no way to live!
What to do about these heartburn and reflux feelings may surprise you, because it is not necessarily the food you eat or when you eat that are affecting you. Actually, it can often be related to having too much acid in the stomach, which irritates the lower esophageal sphincter, and allows erosion to occur. The only medications that are FDA-approved to heal the erosion are proton pump inhibitors, such as Omeprazole, Dexilant, Nexium, to name a few.
Do you constantly feel like you have heartburn or reflux after you eat? Stop by our office. We can help you get to the root of the problem, and find the right solution so eating doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable, painful experience anymore. Schedule an appointment now.
