Lessening Symptoms of Nighttime Heartburn and Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is painful and can be very damaging and dangerous to your health. At night, acid reflux symptoms are at their most damaging and dangerous. By lying down, you lose the effect that gravity has of keeping your stomach acid mostly in your stomach and away from your throat: by lying down, it makes it easier for acid to move up your throat and create heartburn, regurgitation, and damage to your esophagus from all of the acid. This can make it difficult to swallow food and can create chronic sore throat.

Firstly, diet should be changed. Foods high in acid are bad and will make someone more likely to have acid reflux symptoms or even to develop acid reflux if they do not have it at all. There are many things that one can change about their diet, and the first step is eating smaller meals. Eating a big meal means that the stomach is distended higher, making it easier for stomach acid to make the jump to the esophagus, or for heartburn and burping to happen. Eating slowly is also helpful; that way you know when you’re full and you don’t overeat. Making sure that you eat a small meal for dinner is the most important; eat the big meal at lunch. Additionally, with a small meal at dinnertime, most of the food will have been digested and that will make sure that reflux is much less likely to occur and disrupt your sleep.

There are particular foods to avoid. Peppermint, excessive amounts of chocolate, alcohol, caffeinated drinks, citrus foods, spicy foods, and more can all lead to acid reflux or worsen the condition. Be sure to listen to your body and find out what triggers your acid reflux symptoms; it’s different for everyone. Some people are okay with citrus, some okay with caffeinated drinks. Testing the waters is important to be sure that you don’t overstep boundaries and find yourself in pain when it comes time to sleep.

A form of treatment that has not been scientifically proven is chewing gum. Chewing gum produces more saliva and promotes easier swallowing. More saliva counteracts acid in your stomach and can help alleviate acid reflux symptoms or prevent them. Though it has not been proven, there’s no reason to not chew some gum after a heavy meal!

Using an elevated pillow or an adjustable bed can help ease symptoms as well. Because you don’t get the added bonus of having gravity help keep away symptoms at night, using an elevated wedge pillow or an adjustable bed can help you to get that edge back. By elevating your neck, shoulders, and chest you can help keep the pain away. Just elevating your head with two pillows doesn’t help; it’s counteractive and doesn’t raise your chest, which is most important.

Be sure to check out your local mattress store and visit your doctor to find the best way for you to sleep well and feel well!

American Mattress Gallery at 43235 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi, MI 48377.

Serving all of Michigan, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Monroe Counties. Located in Novi, Michigan 48377, near Wixom, Farmington Hills, Farmington, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield,Royal Oak, Ferndale, Milford, Walled Lake, Commerce, Franklin, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Lathrup Village, Huntington Woods, Clawson, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Redford, Redford Twp., Livonia, Westland, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, Ann Arbor, Brighton, New Hudson, Hartland, Howell, Highland, Milford, Wolverine Lake, Union Lake, Sylvan Lake, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Pontiac, Birmingham, Madison Heights, Warren, Rochester, Troy, Auburn Hills, Drayton Plains, Clarkston, Fenton, Linden, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Flint.

Pillows Go Hand in Hand With Acid Reflux

Stomach acid backing up into the esophagus and sometimes into the mouth sounds painful and disgusting, but it is a very common symptom of acid reflux. Acid reflux is a disorder that is painful, dangerous, and one that has many painful and uncomfortable symptoms.

One such symptom is heartburn. Heartburn is the most common symptom of acid reflux, and it is a burning feeling that goes from the stomach to the chest, depending how severe it is. It often happens after a heavy meal or a meal with a lot of acidic foods, after heavy lifting, and often after lying down to sleep. Actually, most acid reflux symptoms occur at night (seventy five percent of the time, to be exact). Nighttime acid reflux symptoms are also more painful at night as well as more frequent.

That feeling of “I just threw up in my mouth” or a “wet burp” comes hand in hand with regurgitation, another uncomfortable symptom of acid reflux. Regurgitation is basically when acid backs up the throat and into the mouth. It is not only gross, it is painful and it can be very damaging to the protective lining of the esophagus, since it can gradually wear away at the protective lining, which will create more and more pain.

Another symptom is chest pains. Often when experiencing acid reflux, people feel as if there is a piece of food lodged behind the breastbone, which can also make it feel as if breathing is difficult. There are many types of chest pain, and the type of chest pain as it relates to acid reflux is very different from that relating to heart disease; it should be made sure that different types of chest pain are differentiated from one another.

Chronic hiccupping, chronic sore throat, and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) are all symptoms as well. Dysphagia can cause people to choke or for food to get stuck in the throat, which can cause intense, extremem pain. Also, dysphagia can cause people to get food or liquid in their lungs because of the trouble swallowing. Chronic sore throat and chronic hiccups are damaging and also frustrating, painful symptoms.

There are things that you can do! Being sure that your diet is healthy and that you aren’t eating many foods high in acid. By eating good, healthy foods and exercising regularly you can reduce your symptoms and you chances of ever having acid reflux. Using the proper pillow will also help the symptoms, because it will keep your head and chest elevated, making it more difficult for the acid to make its way up your throat, also protecting your esophagus. Check out some wedge pillows and find some healthy food, and you’re on your way to zapping heartburn and acid reflux. 

American Mattress Gallery at 43235 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi, MI 48377.

Serving all of Michigan, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Monroe Counties. Located in Novi, Michigan 48377, near Wixom, Farmington Hills, Farmington, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield,Royal Oak, Ferndale, Milford, Walled Lake, Commerce, Franklin, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Lathrup Village, Huntington Woods, Clawson, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Redford, Redford Twp., Livonia, Westland, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, Ann Arbor, Brighton, New Hudson, Hartland, Howell, Highland, Milford, Wolverine Lake, Union Lake, Sylvan Lake, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Pontiac, Birmingham, Madison Heights, Warren, Rochester, Troy, Auburn Hills, Drayton Plains, Clarkston, Fenton, Linden, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Flint.

A Mattress or Pillow Wedge Eases Acid Reflux Symptoms

Painful and dangerous are two words that can be used to describe acid reflux. Acid reflux is a disorder where stomach acid moves from the stomach and up to the esophagus. Acid reflux can affect a lot about a person, and can make certain things be painful and more difficult due to the problems and symptoms of acid reflux. These symptoms range from heartburn, nausea, chest pains, regurgitation, sore throat, and more.

Eating too much food with acid is one cause of heartburn. Heartburn is a major symptom of acid reflux, and it creates a burning pain from the stomach to the chest. The burning pain can be very distracting. Chest pains are another symptom; they can be similar to heartburn in that they travel from the stomach to the chest and can be debilitating. Nausea is another of the more common symptoms and a key sign that someone has acid reflux is they feel nauseous very frequently, particularly after eating.

The sensation of acid backing up your throat and into your mouth is called regurgitation. It can lead to vomiting and can be very dangerous for the esophagus, as acid constantly moving up the throat can wear away at the esophagus’ protective lining. This can also cause chronic sore throat, which is a large problem due to the wearing away of the protective lining. Chronic sore throat often happens to people who are experiencing many other symptoms of the disease.

There are two other very dangerous symptoms, more dangerous that the other, called dysphagia and dyspepsia. Dysphagia is when someone has trouble swallowing, and this can be very dangerous because if left untreated, food and liquids can find their way into the lungs. That can be life threatening and can make the enjoyment of food disappear for some people. Dyspepsia is also known as indigestion. This happens when food cannot be digested, and it can lead to an upset stomach and vomiting. Both dyspepsia and dysphagia are very dangerous due to the fact that they can create many more health problems.

Treatment for acid reflux is easy to come by! Having a healthy lifestyle is the most important. By eating bad foods, junk food, or food with lots of acid, the stomach will be bothered and worsen acid reflux symptoms. Eating healthy and exercising can help keep acid reflux at bay. Sleeping is also very important. Most people have acid reflux symptoms at night, and this is because of how many people sleep with bad sleeping posture. Because of this, it makes sense that you should have a great mattress and a pillow wedge. A serta sleeper and a tempurpedic pillow are perfect! If you elevate your head and chest, it makes it harder for the acid to move up your throat, protecting the protective lining of the esophagus. Two pillows stacked on top of each other are not helpful, since it only elevates the head. A wedge pillow will greatly ease acid reflux symptoms!

American Mattress Gallery at 43235 W. 12 Mile Rd., Novi, MI 48377.

Serving all of Michigan, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Monroe Counties. Located in Novi, Michigan 48377, near Wixom, Farmington Hills, Farmington, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield,Royal Oak, Ferndale, Milford, Walled Lake, Commerce, Franklin, Bingham Farms, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Lathrup Village, Huntington Woods, Clawson, Pleasant Ridge, Detroit, Redford, Redford Twp., Livonia, Westland, Northville, Plymouth, Canton, Ann Arbor, Brighton, New Hudson, Hartland, Howell, Highland, Milford, Wolverine Lake, Union Lake, Sylvan Lake, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Pontiac, Birmingham, Madison Heights, Warren, Rochester, Troy, Auburn Hills, Drayton Plains, Clarkston, Fenton, Linden, Goodrich, Grand Blanc, Flint.