Acid reflux or GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) is a condition that is common to both men and women. It strikes when the esophagus muscles are weakened paving the way for the contents of the stomach including acid to flow back upward and burn the esophageal tissue. The symptoms are almost the same for both men and women except that acid reflux symptoms in women are more pronounced when they are pregnant.
It is important to detect acid reflux to be able to find the most appropriate treatment for the disease. One who suffers from it generally experiences pain and discomfort. The esophagus lining is inflamed, and when the condition becomes severe with recurrence, this same lining can be damaged especially when left untreated. Here are the symptoms of acid reflux or GERD, most of which are warning signs to both men and women.
Common Symptoms
Topping the list of the common symptoms of acid reflux is heartburn. This is when one experiences chest pain similar to that of the pain from a heart attack. This is why heartburn is often confused with a heart attack. However, the pain from the acid reflux disease can also be felt in the neck or in the abdomen and it can range from mild to severe.
Upset stomach is another symptom that is common to both men and women. One experiences stomach ache mainly because the digestive system fails to perform its normal functions due to the acid reflux condition. When the food is not digested properly, this triggers the acid reflux in women as well as in men.
Acid reflux symptoms in women include nausea and vomiting. Women who are pregnant are said to be more prone to GERD and indigestion. Figures have it that 20% of the pregnant women suffers acid reflux during their first trimester, the figure doubles during the second trimester, and escalates to 70% for the final trimester of the pregnancy. The symptoms normally disappear when women give birth.
Other common symptoms of acid reflux are burping, difficulty in and painful swallowing, sore throat, cough and hoarse voice.
Right Treatment
Detecting the symptoms of acid reflux can lead you to finding the most appropriate treatment. Women can get immediate treatment for the condition and prevent further damage to their esophageal lining. Especially with pregnant women, when one knows its symptoms and how they differ from that of the symptoms of cardio-vascular disease, the right treatment can be applied.
Since acid reflux is a disease closely associated with digestion, perhaps one of the safest and most effective treatments bringing long term results is to introduce healthy changes in the diet. Most of the symptoms of the disease, if not all, are triggered by the food that one eats. Avoiding food that triggers and aggravates the condition is one way to prevent the condition.
An acid reflux diet can help women, especially those who are pregnant, to stay clear of the disease. Avoiding the condition and knowing what treatment is best can be easily done when one knows how to detect and recognize acid reflux symptoms in women.